I’m celebrating spring with a craft that looks back to historical folk costumes!
Inspired by the Past
Historical doll play has always had a soft spot in my heart. Our first American Girl doll was a Historical character. (Nowadays called Beforever dolls.) What fun to mix play with learning about different times and different cultures!
Today I’m featuring traditional flower crowns from Eastern Europe, like those from Poland and Ukraine. Versions of the flower crown are popular in fashion today but flower crowns have been around since at least the Greeks and Byzantines. This tradition carried on to become cultural clothing or costumes in Poland and Ukraine.
Originally flower crowns would have been made from fresh flowers gathered in fields in the spring and early summer. Today they are made from real or artificial flowers and worn with traditional folk costumes or to celebrate national pride.
Make a flower crown for your dolls to celebrate spring! For historical doll play, pair the flower crown with a skirt and shirt or a dress. Layer the outfit with an apron or a vest.
Let’s make a flower crown!
Making Flower Crowns
Supplies:
- artificial flowers
- 9 1/2″x 2″ rectangle cut from felt
- 2 elastic hairbands
- scissors
- glue
First we are joining the hairbands together. Overlap the two hairbands.
Pull the inside overlapping loop, that is on top, down through the opposite band, toward the outside.
At the same time pull the inside loop, that is on the bottom, up through the opposite band, towards the outside.
Pull it tight and the hairbands are connected together!
Fold the felt rectangle in half and cut the ends into a pointed tip that is about 1 3/4″ deep.
Fold the tip over one side of the elastic and glue in place. Repeat with the other side.
Glue the flowers close together, covering the felt.
Pull all the hair back on your doll, in braids or a bun and place the flower crown on.
These crown are bright and beautiful for spring!
Flower crowns were popular in the past but they are also popular today. Modify this historic version of the flower crown to make one for a fashion today!
Just in case you are interested, here is more about today’s post.
- Doll- Caroline is a retired historical character from American Girl
- Outfit- Kirsten’s Baking Outfit is retired from American Girl.
Celebrate the past, play today!
