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Civil War-Era Paper Dolls

What you will need:
1 piece white card-stock printer paper
2 pieces regular weight printer paper
Scissors
Markers/colored pencils/crayons

Directions:
Download the paper doll patterns below. Print the doll on the card-stock and the clothing on regular printer paper. Color the girl and all of her clothing, and carefully cut out each piece along the outer lines. When cutting, be sure to cut around the "T-tabs," as those are what you will use to fold the clothing onto the girl's body. Check out the information under the Fun Facts link to learn about the clothing that women wore during the 1860s. This information will help you to dress your paper doll properly!

Paper doll >  Paper doll clothes >

Hoops and Graces

Hoops and Graces is an indoor parlor game that was popular during the antebellum period, but it can be played outdoors as well. The name comes from the hoops used in play, and the graceful movements that are necessary for a successful game. It's easy to make your own game pieces! Follow the directions below. For directions on how to play - go to our Games page. >

What you will need:

4 wooden knitting needles or 4 pieces of wooden dowel, 12" long, 1/2" diameter
1 wooden embroidery hoop 6-12" diameter*
Any combination of ribbons, streamers, paint, markers, glitter, etc.

* It is recommended that inexperienced players use a hoop with a larger diameter until they become more practiced with the game. The smaller the hoop, the more difficult the game is to play.

Directions:

Using any combination of ribbons, streamers, paint, and other decorative items, decorate your embroidery hoop in any way you like. You can color it, for example, or wrap ribbons around it, leaving a pretty tail of ribbon. Look at the pictures for examples.

The four knitting needles or dowels will be the wands used in play; four is the amount needed for a two player game. If there are more players, more wands will be needed.