Hello dear friends! This is a post that I know many of you have anxiously been waiting for. It features all the details of creating the Little House On The Prairie Costume Collection.
Let’s Start At The Very Beginning
Back in 2015 the Andover Fabric Company released a Little House on the Prairie themed fabric line.
In the summer of 2016 the company contacted me asking if I was interested in creating some simple projects, other than quilts, using this fabric.
Free fabric and it’s Little House? Sign me up!!!
I found my daughter’s sewing machine in a closet, dusted it off and created some projects such as fun pillowcases as well as a tablecloth and patchwork napkins.
Then I asked if they wanted to send me a lot of fabric. Fifteen yards of fabric to be exact so that I could create a dress and petticoat. Because every October I create an elaborate Halloween costume.
TheDance at Grandpa’s themed post remains a huge fan favorite on both my website and Pinterest.
Then I didn’t sew anything for two years.
In 2018 the Little House on the Prairie in Independence, Kansas invited me to celebrate the reconstruction of a new cabin.
I decided to make a historically accurate bustle dress to wear. My efforts were aided greatly by my dear friend Dartanyan and the Time Travelers Sewing Guild.
Hairbrained Schemes and Nellie Oleson
While at the Little House cabin a wild thought entered my mind.
“Why didn’t I recreate several of the clothing items that Laura Ingalls Wilder so beautifully described in her books?”
At first I shoved that thought down deep telling myself I wasn’t qualified to do any sort of justice to such an immense task. The research alone would take years.
But the thought returned to wrestle with me day after day.
Trying to find some peace I decided, “Fine, I’ll do one dress!”
Nellie Oleson’s silk polonaisse From Little Town on the Prairie.
Magnificent Obsession
For the next three years any spare time I had was filled with historical fashion research and sewing over 30+ Little House inspired garments.
Each step of the journey was documented to include finding historically accurate patterns, fabric and more.
I finished my Little House fashions book last fall and had begun to mull another idea around in my head.
Little House on the Prairie the television show was turning 50.
Every holiday season I create an entirely new theme in my home.
A Very Prairie Christmas seemed perfect!
During the holidays I created craft posts such as homespun ornaments as well as recipe posts to include Ma’s Cranberry Sauce. I also shared our Christmas tree which was carefully nestled in a wooden sled made by Mr. Decor. This was a nod to my great-great-great grandfather, Lansford Whiting Ingalls’, hilarious encounter with a pig.
For the piece de resistance I thought it would be fun to recreate Mother Wilder’s dress from the episode The Christmas They Never Forgot.
My friend Catherine had gifted me a beautiful blue antique silk moire sash and I wanted to do her precious gift justice.
By the end of December I was keeping a big secret. I had been invited by Pamela Roylance and Olan Paz to recreate some of the iconic characters for an exhibit at the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Festival.
10 Weeks
Of course there was a catch.
I first told my husband, Eric. The conversation went something like this:
I have been given an opportunity to contribute to the Little House legacy: to create ten iconic character costumes to display at the upcoming festival exhibit.
I’ll need to take the next 2 1/2 months off from work to sew the 10 costumes (which would later became 12, then 14.)
It’s all on a volunteer basis.
I will have to supply all of the fabric, buttons, etc.
Then I’ll need to drive the 2 1/2 days to get there and stay for about a week in the Los Angeles area. The travel exspenses will be my responsibility too.
The house is sure to be a wreck.
Dinner will be questionable on most days.
If you don’t know by now, my husband is a SAINT!
His response was, Sounds good. How can I help?
Calling In The Troops
Panic then set in.
How could I create a large costume exhibit in just 10 weeks?
I first commissioned my friend Kirstyn of Finishing Touches Costuming to crochet the winter woolens worn by the Ingalls girls in the pilot and first season.
Kirstyn being a HUGE Little House fan said that Ma’s red shawl was a must too.
Caroline Ingalls
I cried when Kirstyn said this.
Caroline “Ma” Ingalls has always been very special to me. My own dear mother, Karen Ingalls, passed away from cancer shortly before the series premeiered in 1974. In many ways Ma Ingalls kept me on the right path throughout my childhood. I can never thank Karen Grassle enough for this.
You can imagine how how overcome I was when she stopped by to visit with her character.
Photo courtesy of Jara Douse.
Next, I paid a visit to my friend Catharine who is a vintage and antique textiles dealer.
Then I stopped by my neighbor Becky’s house because she happens to be a vintage/antique button collector and dealer.
For 90% of all my sewing projects I use second-hand fabrics and buttons. I find these materials from dealers, thrift shops, estate sales and antique stores. I believe that this provides a more authentic feel to historically inspired garments as well as being an earth-friendly sustainable option.
A good example of how this all works together is that Miss Beadle’s blouse is made from vintage 1970s cotton eyelet. It is accented with antique Edwardian eyelet trim. Both were hand dyed by me to achieve just the right shade of blue. The glass buttons on the back are antique.
Her skirt is made from circa 1980s cotton twill.
Love Lives In The Details
Each 3 to 4 piece costume took about 40 hours to complete. (That does not include the numerous hours spent watching Little House to make note of the minute details.)
Some costumes fought me more than others. See those tiny pleats on Nellie’s blouse? To get the small tucks equally spaced took an entire afternoon.
Nellie’s blouse was made from vintage cotton voile. Her infamous giganic hairbow was 1980s moire taffeta. Both pieces were hand dyed that fabulous pink. The pinner style apron was made from vintage cotton and eyelet trim.
The great reward was when Alison Arngrim proclaimed that “the sleeves were dead on”.
Sweet Sixteen
Laura’s Sweet Sixteen dress took over 80 hours to create.
As I don’t have any of the original patterns or dress maker notes I had to find patterns or self draft patterns for the entire collection. The Sweet Sixteen dress required the most self drafting. It took 6 mock ups before I was satisfied with the look and fit. (Even so, if I had had more time there were things I would have changed.)
Another challenge was finding a red fabric with the right scale of tiny white flowers. You would think that would be easy. After six weeks I was getting desperate and turned to Instagram. I jumped at the chance when someone offered 5 yards of this vintage fabric.
The antique white china buttons delight my heart.
A few people at the exhibit pointed out that the green was not the right color. (I bet they’re so much fun at parties.) 😉
I knew this. For me it was more important to match the green in the fabric I was able to find.
Screen still captured by my dear friend Eric Caron.
My son’s fiancée, Megan, was my ever patient fit model. She was so gracious about popping by the house, in between college classes, as I adjusted one thing after another and another .
Laura’s hat took about 8 hours to make.
It features vintage and antique flowers.
A Fight To The Finish
I kept my nose to the sewing wheel for 10 hours a day, seven days a week. Stopping only to photograph the results for what will hopefully be my second book. (I’m still looking for a publisher.)
When my lupus symptoms reared its ugly head and my left hand decided not to work for a week my family encouraged me to keep going just like an Ingalls would.
My amazing friends showed up for a Stitch and Stuff party to help me with the pigs and ponies created for fund raising.
Little House On The Prairie Costume Collection
On the stroke of midnight, on my great-great grandfather Lansford “James” Ingalls’ birthday, I stitched the final sewing machine stitch on Nancy’s mermaid costume.
I then spent a few days furiously stitching a few garments for my kids to wear at the festival.
All to quickly it was time to pack for the journey. Thankfully it wasn’t by wagon.
Making the trip out to Los Angeles by myself I stopped overnight twice. Each time I had to unload all of the precious exhibit cargo and wheel it into my hotel room. Then load up again in the morning. Fun times!
Hand-stitching a few last minute details kept me occupied in the hotel room.
Special thanks to my dear friend Michele (Megan’s mother) for her help with Nancy’s mermaid costume.
The Exhibit
I arrived on Tuesday to set up the exhibit. I felt like the country mouse arriving in the big city.
It was such a joy when the gorgeous Melissa Gilbert stopped by on Wednesday.
Pamela Roylance also stopped by to visit her character ~ Sarah Carter.
Pam added some authentic printers ink handprints to the apron.
She is such a good sport! You can see the video reel of the process HERE.
Festival Friday
I picked my kids up from the airport on Wednesday night and the experience began to feel really real!
Ian and Megan, who had given up their college spring break to come assist at the festival, headed for Disneyland on Friday morning in the truck. Darling daughter Lou and I waited by the side of the road for our Uber driver to whisk us to the festival.
All of the months of hard work were worth it when Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) proclaimed we were Bonnetlicious!
Saturday at the festival was a mad house. Over 18,000 people attended!
We all smiled SO MUCH over the weekend that our cheeks ached!
Can You Make Me This Dress
Before, during and after the festival I was inundated with offers to recreate the Sweet Sixteen ensemble complete with dress and hat. This is the sweetest, most loveliest compliment someone could ever give me. Thank you so much!
Unfortunately, I had to decline them all for the following reasons:
- Vintage or similar fabric, buttons, and flowers are hard to source and quite expensive. I spent $150+ just on the materials alone.
- The dress required several in person fittings. When you are self drafting this is necessary.
- 88 hours of sewing labor was required to recreate the ensemble. If you consider an hourly living wage it soon becomes a $1,500+ dress. This dress is a one time labor of love that I hope will be enjoyed being seen by many.
I’m also sewing even more characters to add to the Little House collection for the traveling exhibit!
Good News
Coming soon! I will be hosting a few prairie themed spring and summer sew alongs over on my YouTube channel. Soon you will learn to sew your own prairie dress and more! I recommend that beginners start with an apron and here’s a tutorial.
There’s also a new video up today that gives you a behind the scenes look at the Simi Valley Festival Little House set, Oleson’s Mercantile, the school house, costumes and so much more!
If you wish to view the video in a larger format just click on the black box in the lower left hand corner that says Watch on YouTube.
I’ll see you on Friday!
Laura
Other Little House Festival Posts You May Enjoy
You can view numerous reels on my Instagram page.
Coming Soon!
Panels, Vendors and More Oh My!
I enjoyed this so much, Laura. What a labor of love. I look forward to your next book!
It was obvious to all of us fortunate enough to be in attendance at the festival and view the final exhibit, the true gifts you opened your heart and shared.
None of us who create, underestimate the endless hours your labors of love had truly rewarded all of us to witness.
Nor do we not credit the efforts and sacrifices made by friends and family to help get to the finish line and avoid the dreaded land of UFOs!
(Even those who don’t create, were equally mesmerized on this collection and could not take their eyes off them.)
I doubt any other artist would have, could have, or quite honestly— truly should have— recreated this collection of television history.
I think I speak for all— THANK YOU for this BONNETICIOUS JOY from the bottom of my heartt.
You have worked so hard and the costumes are amazing. It definitely is a labor of love and what a wonderful understanding family you have for support. Hugs and blessings always.