Lion stencil on tunic and shield

Making a tunic

A tunic can easily be made from one piece of fabric. Fold the piece of fabric in half and cut it to the desired length. Then cut a hole at the top of the fold in the middle - just a semi-circle - for the head. The tunic can now be slipped over the head and fastened to the upper body with a belt (or string...). If you like, you can also sew the front and back sides of the tunic together from the bottom. Just make sure you leave enough room for the arms!

Production of signs

The easiest way to make signs is with thicker cardboard. The desired shape of the sign can be cut out of the cardboard with a good knife (carpet knife/Japanese knife, pocket knife, ...). It is advisable to first draw the shape of the sign on the cardboard with a pencil so that it can then be cut precisely.

To make a handle, four small holes can be made in the middle of the shield, but more in the upper area. Two on top of each other - two more on the left side and the other two on the right side - at a distance of approximately one forearm width. A strong cord can then be pulled through each of the two holes so that there are two loops on the back. Knot the cord on the front of the shield so that the cord cannot escape through the holes thanks to the large knots. The upper arm can be placed through the two loops to form a handle.

Of course, signs can also be made from wood. Although wooden signs are more stable, they can also be much heavier depending on the type of wood. Here too, the shape of the sign can first be drawn on a sheet of wood with a pencil. Then cut the sign out of the sheet of wood with a saw (or fretsaw, depending on the type of wood). The edges should be sanded so that no one injures themselves. A handle can also be made with string, as explained above, or by using smaller pieces of wood and nails on the back of the sign to create a handle.

Picture credits

All pictures/files: © by Juropa (BT in Slovakia 2010 and TeensCamp in Lithuania 2011)