Step back in time and discover the fascinating world of Tudor fashion by making your very own Elizabethan ruff! In the 1500s, these elaborate collars were all the rage, worn by anyone who wanted to show off their wealth and status.
With just some simple craft supplies, you can recreate this iconic piece of history at home. This activity is not only a fun and creative craft project, but also a great way to introduce children to the history and culture of Tudor England.
As they fold, snip, and glue, kids will get a feel for what life might have been like during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
This fun craft idea is one of the many hands-on activities featured in the book Live Like a Tudor by Claire Saunders.
What is a Ruff
In Elizabethan England, everyone who could afford it wore a ruff. Ruffs started out as small ruffles on collars and cuffs, but as time went on, these frills became bigger and more elaborate. Some ruffs were made from metres of fabric and were wider than a person’s shoulders! You can make a ruff of your own, with matching cuffs.
A sign of status
Ruffs were made of linen or lace, which was pleated or folded and then stiffened using starch. Sometimes wires and other supports were used too. Ruffs were a sign of status, because it took hours of work to get them ready. Most ruffs were only worn once, and then had to be washed and re-made.
Can you imagine going about your daily life wearing an enormous ruff around your neck, trying not to crush any of the delicate folds? Moving about freely would be very difficult, you certainly wouldn’t be able to plough a field or milk a cow!
In Tudor times, wearing a ruff showed the world that you were wealthy enough not to have to do any hard physical work and that you had servants to look after your ruffs.
Make a Ruff Tudor Craft for Kids
One of the wonderful crafts featured in Live Like a Tudor is making your very own Tudor ruff – a fashion statement that symbolized wealth and status in Elizabethan England. Follow these step-by-step instructions, taken directly from the book, to create your own ruff and matching cuffs!
How to make a Tudor Ruff Historical Craft for Kids
Make your own Tudor ruff and cuffs with this simple paper craft inspired by Elizabethan fashion!
Materials
- • 6 sheets of A4 (letter-sized) white paper
- • Scissors
- • Hole punch
- • Glue
- • 3ft (1m) string or ribbon
Instructions
- To make the ruff, fold four pieces of paper in half lengthways, then cut along the folds. You will end up with eight long strips of paper.
- Fold each of the strips of paper backwards and forwards, making pleats of around 1/2in (1.2cm).
- Use a hole punch to make a hole in the middle of the pleats at one end of the paper.
- Make small snips into the other end of the paper. This will create a lace-like pattern once you unfold the paper. You can copy the pattern opposite, or come up with your own design. Make sure you use the same design on all eight strips of paper.
- Glue together the ends of each of the eight strips, making sure you line up the holes. You will end up with one long strip of pleated paper.
Thread 20in (50cm) of string or ribbon through the holes, then separate out the pleats. Your ruff is complete!
- To make the cuffs, follow the steps above but use narrower strips of paper. You will need eight narrow strips – four for each cuff. To make them, fold two pieces of the paper in half lengthways, and then in half again, before cutting along the folds. You can now wear your ruff and cuffs!
- Ask someone to fasten them around your neck and wrists using a bow.
About the Book Live Like a Tudor
If you would like to explore more of Tudor life, Live Like a Tudor by Claire Saunders is a brilliant resource packed with fascinating facts, hands-on crafts, and beautiful illustrations by Mia Underwood. Published by Button Books (June 2025, RRP £12.99), this engaging non-fiction book is perfect for children who enjoy learning through doing. It covers everything from Tudor food and fashion to daily life, religion, and famous historical figures like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
The combination of accessible information and interactive activities makes it a great addition to any home or school library. Live Like a Tudor is available to purchase through all good bookshops and online retailers such as Amazon.
I love introducing books like this to my kids, as an easy way to get them interesting and learning. We have a few books from this same series, and they are all very well done. What a great way to get kids immersed in history!
A Fun Way to Bring History to Life
Making a Tudor ruff is such a fun way for kids to connect with history in a hands-on, creative way. As they fold, snip, glue and tie, they will be learning not just about fashion, but about social status, daily life, and the challenges of living in the Tudor era. Live Like a Tudor is packed full of these kinds of activities and facts, making history exciting and memorable.
If your children love crafts and enjoy learning about the past, this book will be a brilliant addition to your home or classroom. History truly comes alive when you can step into the shoes, or ruffs, of people from long ago!
More Historical Crafts for Kids
If your kids enjoyed making this Tudor ruff, they’ll love diving into more hands-on history projects! Try out these other fun and educational crafts inspired by different time periods and cultures.
- Make a Viking Rune Name Sign From Air Dry Clay
- Make a Mummified Orange – A Hands-On Ancient Egypt Activity for Kids
- Make your own Papyrus
- Make a Viking Weaving Loom
- 14 Educational and Fun ancient egypt crafts for kids
And if you found this post helpful, please take a moment to share it with friends or save it for later. Every share helps us keep creating and sharing free activities for families and educators!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
1 thought on “Make Your Own Tudor Ruff”