Deer hide was often used for making clothes
Cherokee people fashioned their clothing from animal byproducts before their introduction to the white man. They believed that once they sacrificed an animal for their needs, they were responsible not to waste any part of it. They learned that not only was an animal good for food, but it could also provide clothing and shelter. Therefore, the skins of animals were used to produce tents, moccasins and clothing for all seasons.
Clothing
Cherokee men wore breech-cloths and fringed buckskin leggings in the summer. In the winter, they added shirts, fur robes and hats to stay warm.
Women wore deerskin in the form of below-the-knee length wrap-around skirts and added longer skirts and robes in the wintertime. Shirts were also made with skins and sometimes adorned with turkey feathers.
Children approaching puberty also wore traditional Cherokee dress.
Materials
Deerskin was the primary material used for making Cherokee clothing. However, fur robes and moccasins were often made of beaver or muskrat skin, with the fur on the inside to keep the feet warm. Other natural materials used were woven mulberry bark or other types of fiber and turkey feathers.
Process
Cherokee clothing was hand sewn with strips of hide or with thread made from the sinews or tendons of a deer. Sometimes plant fibers would also be used. Sewing needles were made from animal bone.
Skins were tanned before their use. Flat stones, a water process and the sun were used to process the hides.
Clothing was not made by using patterns but by imitation.
Accessories
Cherokee women often wore a deer-hide scarf around the neck and tucked into the top of the dress. Buckskin belts, brightly colored embroidered moccasins and jewelry made of animal bones and teeth completed her ensemble.
Men wore turbans and armbands and sported tattoos and painted their faces for adornment. They also wore moccasins.
Both men and women wore clothing with dyed porcupine quills, shell beads, stone disks and animal hair for decoration.
Tear Dress
The Cherokee Nation is the only tribe to legislate a specific style of clothing as the official tribal dress. The Cherokee Tear Dress is the official tribal dress for women. The dress was designed after the Cherokee learned about making colorful fabrics from white settlers.
It was made from shapes of squares and rectangles, each torn across the grain of the fabric, not cut with scissors. The dress was shirtwaist style.
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