Deciding who to portray

[Dixie Doll]

I have been researching and getting to know more about my family tree and found that I am Cherokee so would love to portray a Cherokee Indian in the time frame of the early 1800s.  I am learning that this for me will be a costly endeavor.  Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated as I am starting from scratch and new to this time frame and its also a whole new persona for me.  I have done renny fairs and gunslinger from the 1840s to the 1900s.  Never done blackpowder but interested in trying it out.  Have done some archery and would love to get back into that have not done it since high school which was a long long time ago.  Thank you in advance for all your advice and help.

[Bulldog lady]

There are alot of good sites you can check out- start with Cherokee and go from there.  Our historian is a valuable resource- you shouldn't expect to be ready to jump from the get go, all decked out in the "proper manner" .   Sucks half the fun is improvising and makin do with what ya got, can trade for, or afford if all the above fail. Many of the guys and gals have spent years finetuning their persona and occasionally changing them all together.  the whole point is to have fun, learn new things and ways, and be a better person for it.  Bulldog Lady

[Micanopy]

Shouldnt be costly at all. Easy enough to do the research and find out what you need. By the time period you mention Tslagi were running businesses up and down the carolinas into Georgia as well. Much information is out there.

[Dixie Doll]

From what I have read the Cherokee Indian women from the time frame I am looking at wore buckskins and I don't see that is being done cheaply these days lol this is just one of the many references to what they wore --The dress worn during that time was commonly refered to as a sleeveless buckskin plain dress that was about thigh length. They were belted at the waist with a hand-woven belt and pinned at the top with bone pins or carved broaches. A deer-hide scarf was worn around the neck and tucked into the top of the dress. A knitted or woven under-skirt, made of wild hemp, went from the waist to the knees, and had long fringes that went to the ankles.

[Stumblin Wolf]

My ex was 3/4 Cherokee; I made her 3 dresses using the patterns from Book of Buckskinning, they might not have been "Cherokee" but the point is its not hard to do and commercial tanned hides can be had for 25-30 bucks apiece. Braintan would be best but I know all about the finances that would involve for 3 hides!
Just try and get some earth colored hides and NOT GOLD! And sew them with the rough side out

[Watauga]

You might look into Nancy ward and Cornblossom for how Cherokee Woman dressed.
They are distant Kin of mine. and some pictures are on the net.
They have a lot of interesting history to!
Trade cloth would have been common and the Cherokee were weaving by 1800 or so!?

[Micanopy]

My ex was 3/4 Cherokee; I made her 3 dresses using the patterns from Book of Buckskinning, they might not have been "Cherokee" but the point is its not hard to do and commercial tanned hides can be had for 25-30 bucks apiece. Braintan would be best but I know all about the finances that would involve for 3 hides!
Just try and get some earth colored hides and NOT GOLD! And sew them with the rough side out

Yeppers, buckskin aint cheap. Good idea would be some splits from www.crazycrow.com
average 7 to 8 sqft. Less expensive than full hides and grained on both sides. Not brain tan by anymeans but still deer skin. Lotta southern ndn folks was wearin cloth by the early 1800's figuring that they traded buckskins for the whites clothing and many wore the current fashions of the day. Same with the Creek, Seminole, Mikasuki and others. Crazy Crow sells a book titled "How to Make Cherokee Indian Clothing", might help with your research.

[beowulf]

you can get some large antelope hides on ebay for a pretty good price ! some are big enough that two of them would make a dress ! just type in antelope leather ,and go into the home crafts  section . can usually buy it outright or make an offer ! I`ve gotten some very nice moose and buffalo hide off of ebay !  ebay aint good for much ,but there are some things that I haven`t been able to find elsewhere for the same price !