Sew Your Own Child's Knight or Squire Costume Hood

Boys love to dress up as princes, knights or squires whether it's for a Renaissance Festival, Halloween, or a school play about fairy tales. Hoods like this were commonly worn during medieval times up through the early Renaissance. Here are directions to sew an easy to put on interesting-looking hood to fit a boy age 5-7. Pair it with a tunic, sword and shield for a complete knight costume.

Materials for the Hood

1 yard lightweight woven cotton
10" piece of ¼" elastic
Scissors
Needle
Thread
Chalk
Ruler
Sewing machine

Cutting out the Hood

Picture #2 provides a pattern for the hood. The hood has two pieces. Fold the fabric in half and using the chalk, copy the pattern for the main hood body onto the fabric. Make sure to note the fold line in blue. Cut out the main hood. Draw the pattern for the hood back neck on the remaining fabric and cut out.

Sewing the Hood

Press under ¼" at the top of the hood back neck, then ½" and stitch to form a casing. Thread the elastic through and stitch it firmly to both ends of the casing.

Fold the hood body in half, wrong side to wrong side and sew the underside of the hood from the point of the hood to 8" from the nape of the neck. Clip the tip of the point, turn right side out and press.

Sew the front center seam of the hood, right sides facing. Stop at the X and leave the purple dashed area open. Press the seam open.

Roll and sew a narrow hem around the face opening of the hood, and the unstitched underside of the point.

Right side to right side, pin and stitch the hood back neck to the hood body. Catch the elastic in the seam for added security. Press the seams open.

Press under and hem the bottom of the hood. It's complete and ready to wear.

Costume Variations and Accessories

The hood is shown here with a matching tunic. You may add a crest or insignia to the front of the tunic with fabric paint or embroidery.

Sew the hood and make a matching tunic in silver lame' for a faux chain mail look.

Cut the three hood pieces in contrasting colors and add a bell to the point of the cap for a jester's hood.

For a princely look, add a row of gold braid around the bottom of the hood.

For a Robin Hood costume make a hood in green, paired with a brown tunic. Accessorize with bow and arrows.

Shield from Black Swan Armoury