Cherokee Man's Ribbon Shirt Pattern

About Your Cherokee Man's Ribbon Shirt Pattern

This classic shirt style developed from the basic Anglo dress shirt with the addition of decorations and slight modification of it's construction. From its' origins east of the Mississippi, it spread westward with the Cherokee migration to Oklahoma, where it remains a favorite among both participants and officials at the traditional gatherings and powwows held there and around the rest of the country today.

As there are very few early Cherokee shirts in existence, our pattern was developed from research of old descriptions, photographs, paintings and museum examples. The blousy fit and large sleeves allow complete freedom of movement, making it a very practical and a comfortable garment for wear with street clothes or with a dance outfit. The pattern includes variations for ribbon placement, along with detailed, illustrated instructions for assembly.

Notions & Tools

Thread, 1 Hook and Eye or 1/4" snap, two 1/2" buttons, 5 1/2 yards of ribbon, 3/8" or 1/2" wide.

General Size Info

SMALL: Women's 6-8, Men's Small
MEDIUM: Women's 10-12, Men's Medium
LARGE: Women's 14-16, Men's Large
EXTRA-LARGE: Women's 18-20, Men's Extra-Large
XX-LARGE: Men's XX-Large

Material Requirements

Suggested Materials

Note: Early era shirts were made from calico and other fabrics offered by the Indian traders and general stores of that period, including silk, linen, and cotton. Nowadays, this shirt is commonly fashioned form a number of different materials, such as light to heavy weight cottons, blends, or synthetics in prints, stripes, brocades, or solid colors.