How to Create an Easy Greek Costume ~ Chiton and Himation

Last week in our Ancient Greece and Olympic Unit Study we made ancient Greek costumes. Both girls wanted to make a Chiton and a Himation to wear with their necklaces. We found an easy Greek costume craft that the girls loved. It was relatively inexpensive and, for this non-crafty mom, pretty simple.

How to Make an Ancient Greek Chiton

Materials you will need for the Chiton:

• Approximately 1 1/2 – 2 yards of fabric per child (I bought mine from the fabric remnants)
• Safety pins
• Scissors

Step 1:

Layout your fabric and fold in half.

Step 2:

Pin the top edge of the fabric leaving space in the middle for a head hole.

Step 3:

Cut a small amount down the folded side to make an armhole.

Step 4:

Pin the open side, leaving space for an armhole. You may at this point sew the side. I don’t sew, so pinning worked for us.

Step 5:

Cut a small length off the bottom of the fabric to use as a belt.

And, you’re done. One Chiton ready for wearing!

How to Make an Ancient Greek Himation

Materials you will need for the Himation:

• Approximately 1 1/2 – 2 yards of fabric per child (I bought mine from the fabric remnants)
• Safety pin or brooch
• Scissors

Directions for Himation:

Really, you can do anything you want here. The Himation is generally just a drape that can be used in cold weather as a wrap or in wet weather to cover one’s head. We just cut our fabric in half and used it for a drape. You can also use a pretty brooch to pin it in place.

 

How to Make an Ancient Greek Necklace or Bracelet

Materials you will need for the Necklace or Bracelet:

• Necklace cording
• Beads

Directions for Necklace or Bracelet:

My oldest drew symbols of the Greek gods on the beads. We strung the beads and tied them at the back to make necklaces.

The girls really enjoyed wearing their costumes and telling their dad all about the fun things they learned about ancient Greek clothing this week. Make sure to read about all the fun things we did in our Ancient Greek studies by clicking the picture below.