How I Made an Epic Patriot Soldier Costume

Hey, I have been studying the Revolutionary war in history lately. Since Halloween is coming up so quickly, I decided that I will make like a history nut and create a costume. It took me two weeks, and I only spent two days sowing because I did it at my aunts house. I've also logged a few hours doing research, shopping, and photo editing to make my first instructable awesome!

I have done my research on the topic, and I found out that the coat and hat did not only conform to the fashion standards of the time, but it also had practical features. These clothes are what a soldier would wear all throughout the war. The uniform could be buttoned up and the coattails could be draped over the legs to provide warmth in the could season. When it got warm again, he unbuttoned it.

The hat was also adjustable, he could cock (pin) any side he wanted. If he wanted the sun out of his eyes, he could leave some sides down. The common style was the trip-cock. On the hat was a ribbon bow that is almost like the ones on a Christmas present, called a cockade. The color of the cockade represented his rank. George Washington chose these colors. The highest ranking and the lowest ranking officers wore the same color, black. I think that this says something about George Washington’s personality and beliefs. Overall, the uniform had function, style, and a message about equality, so I think that it’s worth recreating and remembering.

Step 1: Cock the Hat

To begin we're going to create the hat. Use a felt wide-brimmed hat, and prop 3 sides up. The only hat I could find was a felt cowboy hat. I'm going to steam it or use a heat gun. Punch 4 holes in a square pattern on each side. Thread a thin strip of leather through the holes and tie them off. Tip: Make sure that the hat is larger than your head! the knots on the inside really hurt when they're pressed into your head!

Step 2: Find Good Shoes

The shoes I used were black shoes with white bottoms. I colored the white parts black to make it look old fashioned. the shoes shouldn't have laces or straps.

Step 3: Pistol

For the pistol, you need to first make the handle/grip out of EVA foam. The handle will include the bulk of the gun, excluding the barrel. I used a metal pipe for the barrel. Click here for a video explaining the intricacies of making a foam gun.

Step 4: Materials for the Coat

For the costume itself, we'll need:

• Red fabric
• Blue fabric
• White fabric
• A white button-up shirt
• White pants

Step 5: Find a Pattern

I found a pattern for colonial clothing at my local fabric store. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, just close, as you can make changes.

Step 6: Make It Sew

Since this is my first big sewing project, my mom decided it would be helpful if I went to my Great Aunt's house, since she is an expert. I did pretty well, up to the collar, since at that part the coat had a lot of bulk and flaps, and I accidentally sewed the collar to the sleeve hole several times. My great aunt is gonna fix that. Another big thing I learned is that is isn't a good idea to iron the interface material. Overall it turned out great! I found that it's good to take brakes in between sewing so you don't get frustrated.

I hope you vote for me in the Halloween contest, I worked very hard on this!

That's all folks!