Kokoshnik pattern

The first mention of an extravagant headdress in Russia dates from the beginning of the tenth century. Then there were several varieties of this decoration. And only in the annals of the late fourteenth century they were designated as a single type of headgear. The Russian women's costume of that time necessarily included a kokoshnik. It differed in its forms, manufacturing methods and decor.

IMPORTANT! Kokoshniki was obliged to wear only a married woman. In those days when it was regarded as an item of everyday rather than festive clothing, Kokoshnik was a definite indicator of social status.

Kokoshniks forms

Depending on the area, it had various forms.

  • In the central part of the country it is a crescent . Simple or curly, like petals of a flower border. Sometimes in the shape of a triangle.
  • In the northern lands of Russia it was a cap with a flat top in the form of a cylinder .
  • In southern counties it is mainly a cone .

IMPORTANT! With any form of kokoshnik, he always had a light tissue covering his hair. Or from above it was covered with a scarf, which was fixed under the chin.

Today, this headpiece also has not lost its relevance. Still being an obligatory part of the folk costume, it is necessary at concerts, in theatrical productions of fairy tales, in cinema, and at festivities. It is for this reason that today many people wonder how to make a kokoshnik on their own.

Make it easy. And we will explain how to sew a kokoshnik for a girl with our own hands.

Materials and tools for manufacturing

It can be made according to a simplified or somewhat complicated scheme. In this case, some artistic abilities and sewing skills will not be superfluous, but the result will be higher.

For work you will need the following.

  • Thick cardboard.
  • Durable metal wire.
  • Velvet, satin.
  • Chiffon or fabric from a veil. Tulle is also suitable.
  • Sewing machine or the ability to sew neat stitches of small size by hand.
  • Pencil, scissors and pliers.
  • Beads, artificial pearls, bugles, rhinestones, silver or gold threads. (Their artificial counterpart, of course). Embossed braid.

How to make a pattern

Our pattern will look as follows.

Visually, the pattern consists of two parts.

  • The lower semicircle with proportions of 14 by 15.6 cm is the head part.
  • The upper crescent-shaped element is the main one.

IMPORTANT! This pattern is universal. For example, the petals are drawn along the top edge here. But you can create any other frame.

Making a kokoshnik

Simple option

  • The pattern must be transferred to transparent paper and circle on cardboard.

ATTENTION! The lower semicircle is the suprapubic part, it should be from satin fabric. It is not transferred to a cardboard base.

  • Cut the resulting part. This will be a ready-made basic construction, if we craft according to a simplified scheme.
  • We attach our cardboard base to the wrong side of the velvet. Circle and cut. There should be two such blanks.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to add a few millimeters of fabric to the existing pattern as an allowance for the seam.

  • Sew on the wrong side, leave the bottom edge open.
  • We turn out our velvet finish on the front side and insert into the form, that is, a cardboard blank.
  • The superficial part of the decoration, which we transferred to transparent paper, but did not translate onto cardboard, is copied onto satin fabric. We process the edges. It is appropriate to use a special machine, in its absence, you can cut up neat stitches manually.
  • The lower edge of the kokoshnik reinforced with a cardboard blank is carefully sewn with small stitches. Sew on the forehead part.
  • We make ribbons, for this we cut the atlas into two wide stripes and sew it.
  • Smooth and sew each ribbon to the edges of the headgear, which converge on the back of the head. Using these tapes, it will be securely fixed.

Hard way

  • In the manufacture in a more complex way in the form of a frame, we use not cardboard, but a metal wire.
  • We lay it around a cardboard blank and achieve compliance with shapes and proportions using pliers. Of course, certain skills and dexterity are needed here. But the product will be more durable and resistant to weather factors.

ATTENTION! When working on a complicated project, we do not produce the forehead part from the fabric.

Kokoshnik decoration

Easy way

If we adhered to the facilitated manufacturing method, then it will be enough to process the edges with braid .

Sew or stick on the product itself in the form of any shapes or individual elements of beads, colored glass, imitation pearls or rhinestones.

ATTENTION! If during the decoration you intend to embroider patterns with silver or gold analog threads, then this should be done in advance. Decor is done on the front of our velvet pattern until it is connected to the back.

Difficult option

With complicated manufacturing, endurance and patience will be required. The main part of the finished product can be decorated, as in the first method.

But with a wire-frame basis, the product, as you recall, does not have a head part. We need to create using strands of beads or artificial pearls. You can string them on compacted silk threads, the lower end of which is fixed with a large bead in the form of a drop. And attach the upper end to the product. They need to be located horizontally, perpendicularly over the entire area of ​​the frontal part.

But this method is inconvenient, the beads will move, and touch the hair.

In the original, these threads are intertwined with a grid in the form of small rhombuses. This is somewhat more complicated, but the result is practicality and aesthetic appearance.

IMPORTANT! Regardless of the method of manufacturing the frame (cardboard base or wire), the kokoshnik from the back should be covered with a cloth (chiffon, thin brocade, tulle).

Kokoshnik is ready. Now we can use it for its intended purpose and look great on any costume party!