Not only do I have fun facts about tailors in colonial times, but if you are not a sewer yourself, I am going to give both you and your child a lesson in basic stitches.
When we think of colonial America we might think of farmers, blacksmiths, and shopkeepers. And while those were very important jobs, another important figure in every community was the tailor.
Tailors were the people who made, repaired, and altered clothing. In a time before fast fashion or even department stores, tailors provided an essential service that helped families stay clothed and respectable.
At the same time, many families, especially women, learned to sew at home, practicing the most basic stitches for everyday needs.
First, we’ll explore some fun facts about tailors in colonial times and then give you a simple beginner’s guide to sewing a few basic stitches you can try at home.
By learning the same stitches they used like the running stitch, backstitch, overcast stitch, and cross stitch, you can connect with history in a hands-on way.
It’s a reminder that history isn’t just something to read about it’s something you can try with your own two hands.
BOOKS ABOUT THE COLONIAL PERIOD FOR KIDS
First, look at adding some of these books about the colonial period for your home library.
19 Colonial America Books to Read and to Be Read To
Grab some of these books and resources. You can use a book as a unit study spine to learn about Life During the Colonial Times.
Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquian Indians and observes Captain Smith’s wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.
Longfellow's tribute to the famous revolutionary hero begins with the stirring cadence that American schoolchildren have committed to memory for over a century. Now illustrator Ted Rand brings these vivid and beautiful lines to life as dramatically as the poet's immortal message inspires."The clatter of hooves seems to echo in Rand's evocative paintings of that famed midnight ride...."
The thrilling saga of a nation's founding begins...Eastertide, April 1775. In the blockaded port of Boston the conflict between the British Regulars and the Sons of Liberty rapidly escalates toward a fateful confrontation. Caught in the deepening rift that divides Whig and Tory, Elizabeth Howard is torn between her love for her prominent parents, who have strong ties to the British establishment, and her secret adherence to the cause of liberty. By night she plays a dangerous game as the infamous courier Oriole, hunted by the British for smuggling intelligence and munitions to the patriot leaders. And by day she treads increasingly perilous ground as she flirts ever more boldly with British officers close to her parents to gain access to information the rebels desperately need.Elizabeth’s assignment is to pin down the exact time the Redcoats will march to capture the patriots’ hoarded munitions. But she hasn’t counted on the arrival of Jonathan Carleton, an officer in the Seventeenth Light Dragoons. To her dismay, the attraction between them is immediate, powerful--and fought on both sides in a war of wits and words. When Carleton wins the assignment to ferret out Oriole, Elizabeth can no longer deny that he is her most dangerous foe--and the possessor of her heart.
While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. The late #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts brings us women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps.
Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favored recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington—proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might have never survived.
Folk-art style paintings and a simple text mark a retelling of the life story of Betsy Ross, including her work running an upholstery business and, according to legend, her designing of the first American flag at the request of George Washington.
Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat, an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor's world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn't promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout. Nat's long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.
Featuring a heroine with faith, courage, and a great deal of grit, this acclaimed historical fiction novel portrays the realities faced by three children hoping to find a new home in an unknown land.
Amanda Freebold doesn't know what to do. Her father left three years ago for the new colony of Jamestown in America, thousands of miles away. But now that her mother has died, Amanda is left to take care of her younger brother and sister all alone back in England.
As the new head of the family, Amanda finally decides to take her brother and sister to America to find Father. The ocean crossing is long and hard, and the children don't know whom to trust. But with her father's little brass lion's head to guard them, Amanda knows that somehow everything will work out.
The vanished ways of colonial America's skilled craftsmen are vividly reconstructed in this superb book by Edwin Tunis. With incomparable wit and learning, and in over 450 meticulous drawings, the author describes the working methods and products, houses and shops, town and country trades, and individual and group enterprises by which the early Americans forged the economy of the New World.
In the tiny coastal settlements, which usually sprang up around a mill or near a tanyard, the first craftsmen set up their trades. The blacksmith, cooper, joiner, weaver, cordwainer, and housewright, working alone or with several assistants, invented their own tools and devised their own methods. Soon they were making products that far surpassed their early models: the American ax was so popular that English ironmongers often labeled their own axes "American" to sell them more readily. In the town squares a colonist could have his bread baked to order, bring in his wig to be curled, have his eyeglasses ground, his medicine prescription filled, or buy snuff for his many pocket boxes. With the thriving trade in "bespoke" or made-to-order work, fine American styles evolved; many of these are priceless heirlooms now―the silverware of Paul Revere and John Coney, redware and Queensware pottery, Poyntell hand-blocked wallpaper, the Kentucky rifle, Conestoga wagon, and the iron grillework still seen in some parts of the South. The author discusses in detail many of the trades which have since developed into important industries, like papermaking, glassmaking, shipbuilding, printing, and metalworking, often reconstructing from his own careful research the complex equipment used in these enterprises.
Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. The freedom sought by so many Europeans who came to America was not shared with many Africans & their descendants. The brief descriptions in this book tell of slavery as well as the limited freedoms of free blacks. Phillis Wheatley, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, & Benjamin Banneker are among those briefly profiled. Index. Part of the Cornerstones of Freedom series.Bowker Authored Title code. Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. Presents a brief history of Afro-Americans and of slavery in seventeenth and eighteenth century America.
A native of colonial Philadelphia describes the famous citizens, landmarks, and daily life of his town
An indentured servant looks back on his five years of service on the farm of a Pennsylvania German family in the 1760's.
Travel back to a time when: People believed vegetables made you sick. Slaves were forced to grow and harvest crops for masters. Step into the lives of the colonists, and get the dish on food and farming in Colonial America.
Describes the life of early settlers, including the construction of a home, the clearing of land, folk medicine, candle making, quilting bees, weaving, and wedding parties
Brings to life the seasonal cycles of work, play, and survival as experienced by the Northern Algonquians of pre-colonial America, from the icy cold of January's Hard Times Moon through the fertile autumn harvest moons.
Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.
Several of the characters in the story—Mary Chilton, Constance Hopkins, and Elizabeth Tilley—were actual passengers on the Mayflower. Mary Chilton was a young girl when she left her home in Holland and traveled to America onboard the Mayflower with her parents. The journey was filled with trials, joys, and some surprises, but when she reached the New World, she experienced a new life, new freedom, and new home.
Wendy Lawton has taken the facts of the pilgrims’ journey to the New World, and from this information filled in personal details to create a genuine and heart-warming story.
Runner-up for the National Book Award for Children's Literature in 1969, Constance is a classic of historical young adult fiction, recounting the daily life, hardships, romances, and marriage of a young girl during the early years of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth.
At sunup when the cockerel crows, young Sarah Morton's day begins. Come and join her as she goes about her work and play in an early American settlement in the year 1627.There's a fire to build, breakfast to cook, chickens to feed, goats to milk, and letters and scripture to learn. Between the chores, there is her best friend, Elizabeth, with whom she shares her hopes and dreams. But Sarah is worried about her new stepfather. Will she ever earn his love and learn to call him father?
Learn what living conditions were like aboard The Mayflower, what dangers the Pilgrims faced at sea, and much more.
In 1620, a group of Pilgrims left Europe aboard a ship called the Mayflower. They sailed toward North America, hoping to make a new home where they could practice their religion freely. Readers (Ages 7-9) will join Hope and Theodore as their set sail on a 66-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Next, look at some facts about colonial time tailors.
FUN FACTS ABOUT TAILORS IN COLONIAL TIMES
Tailors Were Highly Respected Craftsmen – In colonial America, tailors were more than just clothing makers, they were considered skilled artisans. Creating clothing from fabric required not only careful measurement and cutting but also knowledge of how different fabrics behaved.
Most Men Wore Clothes Made by Tailors – Unlike today, where clothing is mass-produced, colonial men relied on tailors for most of their garments. Breeches, coats, waistcoats, and shirts often came from a tailor’s skilled hand. Wealthier men ordered custom pieces made with imported fabrics, while farmers and working men might have plainer garments made from homespun cloth.
Women Usually Made Family Clothing at Home – Tailors mostly served men, while women did the bulk of sewing for their households. Mothers, daughters, and wives made dresses, aprons, and children’s clothing. But families sometimes had special garments like men’s coats or uniforms made by a professional tailor.
Apprenticeships Lasted for Years – Young men who wanted to become tailors often started as apprentices around the age of 12 or 13 and might last seven years or more. They learned to measure, cut patterns, sew stitches, and handle fabrics.
Tailors Used Handmade Tools – Colonial tailors didn’t have sewing machine, they worked entirely by hand. Their tool kits included- needles, pins, scissors, thimbles, and beeswax (to strengthen thread).
Also, look at more activities about the colonial period for kids.
COLONIAL PERIOD ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft
- Daniel Boone Facts For Kids About Colonial Life and Fun Kids’ Games (DIY Button Whirligig)
- Beautiful American History Living Books & Sign Of The Beaver Craft
- 6 Kids Movies About Paul Revere | How To Make A Lantern
Now that we’ve looked at tailors in colonial times, let’s step into their shoes (or rather, their needles) and learn how to sew a few basic stitches.
LEARNING FROM THE PAST: HOW TO SEW BASIC STITCHES
In a time without machines, every piece of clothing was the result of hours of careful hand sewing.
Trying these stitches yourself can help you appreciate their skill and patience. Plus, these simple sewing skills are practical to know for mending clothes, making costumes, or even starting larger sewing projects.
You will need:
Tips For beginners
- You may want to draw the stitches onto the fabric lightly with a pencil first.
- Use a bigger safety needle and embroidery thread for ease in handling and to make the stiches more visible.
- Do not make the entire length of the thread longer than 20” or it becomes easily tangled. Start by slipping the thread through the eye of needle, doubling it over, then tie the end in a knot.
- Use an embroidery hoop to hold the fabric tightly in place.
Running Stitch– The running stitch is the simplest of all stitches and one of the most widely used in colonial households. It’s perfect for sewing seams that don’t need to be very strong or for gathering fabric.
- Thread your needle and knot the end.
- Insert the needle up through the fabric.
- Push the needle in and out in small, even stitches along a straight line.
- Pull the thread through, leaving evenly spaced stitches that look like a dashed line.
Backstitch- The backstitch was a favorite for strong seams in colonial times. It’s much sturdier than the running stitch and is still used today in hand-sewn garments.
- Start with a running stitch.
- Instead of moving forward each time, bring the needle back into the end of the last stitch, then come up ahead of it.
- This creates a solid line of stitches that overlap slightly.
Whipstitch- This stitch was commonly used in colonial sewing to finish the raw edges of fabric so they wouldn’t fray.
- Bring the needle up through the fabric near the edge.
- Loop the needle over the edge and insert it again from the underside.
- Continue making diagonal stitches along the fabric edge.
Cross Stitch- While not always used for practical sewing, the cross stitch was popular in colonial times for decorative embroidery. Many young girls learned it as part of their needlework education, often creating samplers to show their skill.
- Make a diagonal stitch across the fabric.
- Cross it with another diagonal stitch in the opposite direction.
- Repeat to form an “X” pattern in rows.
Encourage your child as they go to make the back as neat as the front by pulling stitches tightly and trimming off the long knotted ends.
Remember that their first attempt will be far from perfect but how fun and empowering to learn new things. Don’t worry about an imperfect backstitch or crooked lines.
Muslin fabric and embroidery thread are inexpensive.
And while you start out just learning to make the simple stitches eventually they can move on to “writing” words and making pictures with these basic stitching techniques.
