How to make Viking costumes for kids (or grown-ups)

I made some kid-size Viking costumes for my talk at the Perth Writers’ Festival. Here’s how.

Harald Bluetooth

Famous Vikings

and what great names they have.

King Harald Bluetooth, (No, true, that really is his name. Would I lie to you?)  ruled Denmark between 940 and 985 AD. He was the son of King Grom the Old and his wife Thyre Danebold, the daughter of King Ethelred of England. Harald’s grandson, Canute, went on to be the king of all of Denmark and England, and a mighty fine king to, according to all reports.

When still young Harald  developed the usual passion to go a –viking in search of gold, treasure and new lands for Viking settlements , and, like his fellow Vikings, Harald considered it honourable to plunder wherever and whenever he felt like it.

Harald’s sister Gunhild was married to a Norwegian King with the marvellous name of Erik Blood Axe, but when he was killed Harald decided to seize  Norway for himself, making himself king of much of  Scandinavia. (Well, why not.)