Sew a Pioneer Dress

Sew an adorable pioneer dress for your Little House on the Prairie fan!

My daughter is ridiculously crazy about Little House on the Prairie.  Basically, every day here at my house consists of playing Little House on the Prairie or Star Wars, or both. 

We are on our second time reading through the book series.  Earlier this year, our local homeschooling group had a book report, where the kids were encouraged to dress up and tell the other students about a book.  Miss Magoo decided that she really must dress up as Laura.  As I was in the mood for some fun sewing, I broke out my patterns and found one that would work for a pioneer dress.

This dress is made using Simplicity pattern #3725.  I used the girl’s size 7-14, but it’s also available in size’s 3-6 for your little one.  The pattern is easy to follow.  I don’t consider myself an expert seamstress by any means, but it wasn’t hard for me.

I wanted to make this pioneer dress easier for dress up, so I modified the pattern by using velcro closure on the back instead of a zipper.  I also made the sleeves 3/4 length to make it a little less hot, and easier to play in.

The bonnet is fairly simple and straightforward.  If I made another one, I would definitely use a thicker interfacing to make it stay stiffer, as the interfacing I used allows the brim to fall down into Miss Magoo’s face at times.

My poor Little Man has been forced to be Mr. Edwards, Pa, or Almanzo on a daily basis since I finished this pioneer dress.  Fortunately, he’s usually able to figure out how Mr. Edwards might need to go ride his bike, or why Pa might need to dig a hole, instead of having to truly play according to Miss Magoo’s rules!  And they’ve roped Baby Girl into the role of Carrie or Grace, depending on the day.

I’m so glad I took the time to make this pioneer dress, as it has offered many hours of fun for my kids as they play act Little House on the Prairie!

I took these photos of Miss Magoo in the pioneer dress shortly after taking a photography class.  I was trying to remember what settings needed to go which way, so I totally messed up a lot of pictures.  They’re way over-exposed, but when I was looking through them, I was struck by how much they look like old pictures, so I figured I’d share one with you!

And this one the sun did some weird stuff, but the joy on her face is just so sweet!  I couldn’t help but smile when I looked at it!

So if you have a Little House on the Prairie fan, you should definitely take the time to make this pioneer dress!  You will make your little one’s day, and offer them the chance for so much fun play time!

And here are some fun Little House on the Prairie products that your family will love!

What is your child’s favorite make believe game to play?

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