Felted Santa

In ten steps you can make your own Santa. Using felt, fabric, pom poms and some other materials you can have a Santa decoration in your home. Looks nice for a gift too.
 

Materials:

• STYROFOAM* Brand Foam:
  • Balls, one each: 1"; 2"; 3"; 6"
  • Eggs: 3-1/16", two; 3-13/16", one
• Fabrics: red fleece, 15" square; red plaid flannel, 10" x 15"
• Felt: 36" navy blue, 1/2 yd.; tan plush, 6" x 12"; black, off white, 9" x 12" sheet each; dark green plush, dark brown, 4" square each
• Flat red buttons, 1/2", two
• Black beads: 6mm, four; 8mm, two
• Brown pom poms, 1/2", two
• Brown embroidery floss
• Natural wool doll hair, 1 yd.
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Fine-line black permanent marker
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Compass
• Scissors
• Sewing needle
• Strong white thread
• Extra-long straight pins
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue
• Cosmetic blush (optional)
• Pattern

Instructions:

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut foam eggs in half lengthwise. Cut 2" foam ball in half. Slice one-third from top of 6" foam ball; save both pieces. Press one side of 3" foam ball against table to flatten slightly.
    
2. Place egg halves flat side down on fabrics as follows, then trace shapes 2" beyond foam edge: two small, tan plush (reindeer heads); two small, flannel (Santa's arms); two large, black felt (boots). Tracing shapes at foam edge, trace second pair of small eggs on tan plush (backs of heads) and second pair of large eggs on black (boot soles). Cut out eggs.
    
3. Cut patterns from fabrics as indicated. Cut following, using compass to draw circles required: navy blue, one 15" circle, two 3/4" x 7" strips; off-white, one 8" circle; flannel, one 9" circle; fleece, two 4" circles.
    
4. To cover foam shapes, center shapes rounded side down on corresponding fabric pieces: bottom of 6" ball, 15" navy circle (pants); top of 6" ball, 9" flannel circle (shirt); eggs, larger shapes cut in Step 2 (reindeer heads, Santa's arms, boots); 3" ball, 8" off-white circle (Santa's head); 2" ball halves, 4" fleece circles (mittens).
    
5. For each foam shape, bring felt or fabric edges up to flat side of shape. Pin at four opposite points. Adjust excess fabric between pins; glue to secure. Let dry. Note: Alternate method is to sew gathering stitch around each felt or fabric shape; pull stitches tight around foam shape, then knot and clip thread.
    
6. Remove pins. Glue backs to reindeer heads and soles to boots; let dry.
    
7. Sew gathering stitch around Santa's nose. Pull stitches tight; knot and clip thread. Position flat edge of head to back. Glue nose to center of face. If desired, use finger or brush to blush cheeks. Use sharp scissors point to poke two small eye holes. Glue 8mm beads into holes. Cut four 6" lengths from doll hair for beard. Bundle lengths and tie center with thread; glue under nose. Cut 8" length of doll hair; glue around face.
    
8. With right sides of hat together, glue or sew long open edges together. Turn hat right side out; turn brim up 1". With seam to back, place hat on head. Sew gathering stitch around pom pom. Place 1" foam ball in center of pom pom; pull stitches tight, then knot and clip thread. Glue pom pom to tip of hat.
    
9. Using photo as guide, glue pants and shirt together. Glue boots to pants, wider end toward front and angled slightly out. Glue head and arms to shirt. Glue mittens to ends of arms. Glue one end of 3/4" navy straps to front of pants. Bring straps over shoulders and glue to back, overlapping at center back of pants. Glue buttons to front of straps. Spot glue pom pom to arm.
    
10. If desired, blush reindeer cheeks. Use scissors to poke eye holes. Glue 6mm beads into holes. Glue pom pom noses to faces. Glue two pieces together for each ear and antler; glue ears and antlers to heads. Glue bottom of heads to back of Santa's arms and mittens.