Specifically, the beard.
I don’t sew, but in the past I have cobbled together some very nice costumes for the kids. This year I’m feeling rather apathetic about the whole thing, and I can’t seem to get the creative juices flowing, so I turn to the Dopers.
If you were going to make a Santa Claus beard for an eight-year-old without sewing or spending much money, how would you do it? And if you have anything to say about the rest of the costume, I’m open to suggestions for that too.
I did make him a beard once by tearing a sheet into strips and knotting the strips onto a longer one which tied around his head. It made a nice long raggedy beard for a wizard, but I’m thinking I need to get much fluffier on this one.
Try quilt batting or fiberfill, available at the local craft or fabric store. (Or from an old quilt or pillow.) Loose fill can be pulled to the right configuration and pinned or sewn to the hat. It does have a tendancy to sag. Bonded batting comes in rolls and has fine netting, heat treatment or resin finish that holds the fibers in place. It can be cut to the right shape and size and pinned to the hat. Carefully remove the surface from one side to reveal the fluffy interior. It is less fluffy, but holds up better than the loose fill.
That sounds pretty good, Peri. I’ll look for it.
For an additional bit of security (and to prevent the “sag”), the batting or fiberfill can be secured to a cheap, white paper plate cut into the shape of the beard and secured by yarn tied to the plate and looped around the ears.
Aha! How did you know I was scouring the house last night looking for an old white pillowcase or something? Paper plates I got. 