Resources. Basic Kit, for wardrobe items. Master Resources. Props, Costumes, etc IN STORIES. Open the Book website resources RETURN TO INDEX PAGE

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Wilfrid Bates
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Resources Props, Costumes, etc RETURN TO INDEX PAGE Master Resources Open the Book is a registered charity, number 1120425 All material is copyright Open the Book Basic Kit, for wardrobe items

These can all be popped over the storytellers regular clothes but will instantly convey the Biblical scene. Click here for instructions on making basic tabards and tunics.

1 Resources Props, Costumes, etc RETURN TO INDEX PAGE Master Resources Open the Book is a registered charity, number All material is copyright Open the Book Basic Kit, for wardrobe items Building up a basic kit Time spent gathering a core of multipurpose props and costumes is well-spent, and avoids weekly rushing about! Experience has shown us the following to be most useful. These can all be popped over the storytellers regular clothes but will instantly convey the Biblical scene. Click here for instructions on making basic tabards and tunics. BASIC KIT ITEMS WOMEN At least 2 women s unadorned tunics/ robes. We suggest different blues to identify role of women consistently [This can help where your storytellers may be all women or all men!]. Several long scarves, pashminas or lengths of fabric as head covers, or to add to the robe to ring the changes. A headscarf or pashmina in a rich fabric suitable for a princess. MEN At least 2 men s unadorned tunics/ robes in white or beige to identify role of men consistently [especially when women are taking a man s role] An additional shorter knee-length tunic is useful for soldier types like Joshua and David easier to look military! A leather belt completes the look. Several men s head covers : these would be shorter than a woman s : with holders : stretchy plaited ones work best : click here for instructions A number of head covers with holders for mass scenes e.g. brothers POTENTIAL USE IN STORIES 1 The First Christmas 8 The Secret baby 6 Joseph the Dreamer 7 Joseph the Ruler 10 A Long Journey 11 The Fall of Jericho CHILDREN Several child-sized tunics or robes : knee length is probably safer. 12 Samuel Hears a Voice 24 The Marvellous Picnic 27 Jesus and the Children ROYALTY King s crown and cloak, optional tunic or over-tunic in a richer fabric. Reused curtains make fabulous cloaks, especially if the original gathered heading is retained, forming the collar for the cloak. Several stories require a Pharaoh : although not essential, you will get good use out of an Egyptian style headdress : click here for suggestions 13 David the Giant Killer 18 The Wise Men s Visit

2 BABIES Use a baby doll try to avoid a blonde haired beauty! A wrapping of a blanket adds to the realism WATER - RIVER OR SEA Length of blue cloth soft light fabrics in long thinner pieces can be more easily waved about, but even sheets can serve the purpose. If you manage to find fabrics of slightly different colours, even better. Dark blues and greys can be used to convey a storm. SOLDIERS Sword : Plastic swords and shields can often be cheaply bought from toy shops or at museums and historic sites. Someone skilled might prefer to make weaponry from scratch out of lightweight wood or strong board, but always be mindful of the potential for children to get hurt! Armour : this can be done in a number of ways : simple pop-over tabards painted to look like armour work well or click here for suggestions for sewing soft body armour. Prisoners can easily be conveyed by looping over the hands a length of plastic garden chain bought from a garden centre. 1 The First Christmas 8 The Secret Baby 4 A Special Promise 8 The Secret baby 10 A Long Journey 15 Jonah the Groaner 20 Jesus is Baptised 23 The Storm on the Lake 11 The Fall of Jericho 13 David the Giant Killer 31 A Dreadful Day A CROWD A zig-zag screen : Conveying a crowd without cluttering the stage can be difficult. A screen, about 1.5 metres tall made of stout cardboard, can be painted to represent a crowd of people both back view and front view. Although this is quite a substantial item to make, it can be used in a lot of stories. 6 Joseph the Dreamer 7 Joseph the Ruler 20 Jesus is Baptised 22 Down through the Roof 27 Jesus and the Children 29 The Great Parade BEGGAR OR POOR PERSON A simple tunic with roughly cut or ripped edges, made out of coarse material such as soft hessian, or old sheets muddied. A rope belt keeps it up while adding to the effect. Sundry rags as bandages help to convey disability. A hessian tunic can also be used for John the Baptist A BOAT A robust MDF cut-out boat more than repays the effort in creating it. MISCELLANEOUS Sundry bowls : especially wooden and drinking utensils : e.g. wooden or pottery. Small fabric bags with drawstrings can be used to convey a journey, or to collect taxes in, or any other number of purposes. Charity shop curtains are a possible source of interesting fabrics. Indian materials such as saris make lovely rich cloaks and headdresses expensive to buy but you may be able to pick off some offcuts. Coloured sheets are very cheaply sold in supermarkets.

3 Making basic costumes The following instructions are very simple and require only basic sewing skills. However, there are bound to be some talented and keen sewers in your church community who would love to support OPEN THE BOOK in this way. It is also possible to purchase commercial patterns of Biblical clothes from the major suppliers. Tabards (open-sided tunics) These are the most versatile items of clothing. This team has striped ones (worn by the shepherds), a white one (usually for Jesus), a blue one for women, a brown one and muted pattern one for ordinary roles of men or women and one of a richer fabric for a higher status person. For an angel robe click here Neck opening 22cm across Total length 2.5 metres - (125cm front, 125cm back) Width 60cm Materials 2 metres of fabric x 115cm wide (45 ) will make TWO tabards economically. Bias binding (or use strips of bias from extra width of fabric) Cord for belt Construction Fold the fabric in half and cut out hole for head. Bind edges of neck with bias binding or use strips of surplus fabric cut on the bias. Sew narrow hems all round.

Cloaks and coats A Cloak from a curtain B Tailored coat on 6 foot man C Same tailored coat on 5 1 woman Cloaks from

as the collar. This cloak had a button at the top to hold it in place.

turn it into a tunic. It is, however, clearly a curtain so why not have a go (or persuade someone else to!

4 Cloaks and coats A Cloak from a curtain B Tailored coat on 6 foot man C Same tailored coat on 5 1 woman Cloaks from curtains Cloaks are easily made using curtains of a suitable design preferably with the wide curtain hook webbing used as the collar. This cloak had a button at the top to hold it in place. Wear it as it is for a cloak effect (over a robe for instance) or cut optional slits for the arms in the fabric to turn it into a tunic. It is, however, clearly a curtain so why not have a go (or persuade someone else to!) at making more realistic, purpose-built coats described below? Making a simple tailored coat as in photos B and C. Materials for the tailored coat 2 metres of plain coloured fabric

Materials for the tailored coat 2 metres of plain coloured fabric 150cm (60 ) wide. Hint: you may find bargain single coloured sheets in charity shops. Single sheets are 170cm wide and 2 metres long.

5 Materials for the tailored coat 2 metres of plain coloured fabric 150cm (60 ) wide. Hint: you may find bargain single coloured sheets in charity shops. Single sheets are 170cm wide and 2 metres long. (Optional) One coat button. Construction Mark out and make a paper pattern for the sections of the coat by copying and enlarging from Diagram A(1). Each square on the grid is 10cms each way. Check the measurements of your paper pattern by those on Diagram B plus 2cm seam allowance. Note that the back is 10cm longer than the front to help the coat drape better. Lay your paper pattern on the fabric as shown in Diagram A (1) and cut out. Cut out shape for the neck and front openings. Join fronts and back at the shoulder seams. Bind the raw edges of the neck and front opening with pieces of the fabric cut on the bias or with bias binding. Stitch. Match centre of sleeve to shoulder seam. Pin and stitch to front and back as shown in Diagram B. Do not stitch the garment side seams at this point. It is easier to sew on the strips of colour with the garment flat as in Diagram B. Stitch on strips of coloured fabric to front, back and sleeves Finally pin together the side seams, tapering and trimming the back edge to meet the front at the side seams. Stitch side seams Turn up and stitch the bottom hem. (Optional) Sew on a button and loop where the front edges meet. Head covers For men - keffiyeh

Head covers For men - keffiyeh Authentic keffiyeh and home-made head-band. Tea-towel head covers are fine for children but do not help adults look the part. A proper keffiyeh is around 110cm square.

This home-made headband is from a pair of black tights. Materials 1 metre x 1 metre plain white or chequered fabric e.g. cotton or a lighter open-weave fabric like cheesecloth.

6 Head covers For men - keffiyeh Authentic keffiyeh and home-made head-band. Tea-towel head covers are fine for children but do not help adults look the part. A proper keffiyeh is around 110cm square. It may be just white or a simple pattern. The authentic headband which secures it on the head is a substantial double-coil rope-like device, often with two hanging cords ending in tassles. This home-made headband is from a pair of black tights. Materials 1 metre x 1 metre plain white or chequered fabric e.g. cotton or a lighter open-weave fabric like cheesecloth. Do not get anything slippery! One pair of black tights to make the head-band. (Optional) another pair of black tights for a long tassle. Construction Hem the raw edges of the 1 metre square of fabric. Twist one pair of tights to form a coiled headband. (Optional) Use the legs of the other pair of tights to make two long hanging tassles by twisting black wool or strong thread around them tightly. Sew onto the headband. Wearing Either fold the square into a triangle like a head-scarf or fold under a third of the square. Place on the head with the fold well down over the forehead and rest swept back over the shoulders. Put on the headband. Pull the sides forward again framing the face. (Authentic wearers have the keffiyeh forward enough to shield the face from the sun but you will want children to see your face and expression).

Head covers for women A selection of pashminas, shawls or long scarves are often

Flipping one end back over your shoulder can help secure the scarf and stop it slipping.

everyday scenes and for special people like Pharaoh s daughter.

7 Head covers for women A selection of pashminas, shawls or long scarves are often sufficient to convey a woman s role. Flipping one end back over your shoulder can help secure the scarf and stop it slipping. Look in charity shops and ask through your church notice-board for items for both everyday scenes and for special people like Pharaoh s daughter. Long scarves Simple head dresses for Mary and Joseph This eye-catching shawl (an Indian sari) with peacock decoration in green and goldbought from a charity shop in multicultural Bedford.

Freya tunic 300min. For a novice, add approx 195 min STITCH DICTIONARY

Freya tunic 300min. For a novice, add approx 195 min STITCH DICTIONARY tternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternfreepatternf YourFREE Dress &Tunic Pattern Freya tunic 300min For a novice, add approx 195 min Your FREE downloadable pattern