Barbie and Ken: Santa and Mrs.Claus Suits Made Easy



Would you like to have Santa and Mrs. Claus suits for your Barbie and Ken dolls this year? How about a toy sack to go along with the ensemble? You can sew these outfits for your dolls in just a short time. The following are some suggestions to consider as you create your holiday doll costumes.

1. Use doll patterns that you already have. You don?t have to go out and buy a special pattern made just for Santa and Mrs. Claus suits. With a few modifications, you can create your own unique designs. For Santa, you will need a long sleeve jacket, a pair of pants, a belt, and a hat. For Mrs. Claus, you will want a long dress.

2. Find fabrics you are comfortable with. Suitable materials include red polyester, fleece, or panne velvet. All of these choices sew up very nicely with a low shred factor. White fur or fleece works well for the trim. Black vinyl with a faux leather appearance makes a nice belt. Use a small square of yellow or gold vinyl for the belt buckle. The same red and white materials can be used for the Mrs. Claus costume, too.

3. Design a beard for Santa and attach it to the hat. I like to use white fleece for my trims and beard just because it?s easier to control. Fur has a more realistic look, but can shred when you cut it. White fleece has a soft texture, and a warm, finished appearance. If you choose white fleece for Santa?s beard, use a double layer and add a few vertical seam lines to create a realistic look. Then, sew it to the hat so that "it fits just right" when you slip the hat onto your Ken doll?s head.

4. Sew up some black boots to complete Santa?s suit. I used black polyester with white fleece trim because I like working with those fabrics. But, you can use other ones, such as polyester, panne velvet, fleece, felt, or velour. Secure two 3-inch strips of 1/4-inch elastic in each boot. Sew one along the ankle line, and the other along the top of the boot. These elastic strips will help to hold Santa?s boots in place.

5. For the Mrs. Claus dress, add some white fleece to the sleeves and at the bottom of the dress hemline. Gold trim around the neckline and bottom edge will give her dress a fancy, holiday style. For her hat, start with a circle of red fabric, and add white lace trim around the outer edge. Then, add 4 1/2 inches of 1/4-inch elastic to keep the hat on her head. I sewed the elastic about 1/2 inch just inside the outer edge.

6. Remember to sew up a drawstring sack for Santa?s toys. The sack could be made of a fabric with reindeer, bells, elves or a festive holiday scene. Follow basic steps to make a drawstring bag. For presentation purposes, fill the sack with stuffing or whatever you have around to give it a full appearance.

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions to help you as you design your own unique Santa and Mrs. Claus suits for your Barbie and Ken dolls. There are no right or wrong materials to use. Have fun creating your individual style!

Fran Matthews is a mom who enjoys crafts and cooking. For photos of this project, see http://www.bestdesignercrafts.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fran_Matthews

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