How to Sew a Mrs. Claus Dress

Make the Mrs. Claus dress a reflection of her husband's suit.

The Santa Claus suit -- bright red with white trim and black boots -- is an easily recognizable outfit. When making a dress for Mrs. Claus, go for the "his and her" look to stay consistent with fashion from the North Pole. Spending a bit of time planning and organizing your sewing project -- such as having everything ready at hand -- will save you time when you start working on the dress for Mrs. Claus.

Things You'll Need

• Red fabric
• Faux fur or a string of pom-poms
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Patterns
• Needle and thread
• Zipper

Instructions

1. Design, buy or download a dress pattern. Find one with long sleeves and a gathered waist.

2. Select a lush-looking red fabric. Silk velvet is ideal, but very expensive. Corduroy is more affordable, has a rich look and is easier to work with.

3. Measure the length of the dress. If you want to give Mrs. Claus a more conservative look, go with making the outfit floor-length. For a saucy Mrs. Claus with boots ensemble, opt for just below the knee.

4. Pin the pattern to the fabric. Cut carefully; leave ½ inch for a seam allowance.

5. Sew the top pieces of the dress together after pinning them so the right sides face each other. Stitch in the long sleeves by hand to get them properly positioned and then reinforce on the sewing machine. Pin in the zipper and then sew.

6. Tack the gathered skirt to the waistband by hand. Make sure it is evenly distributed and doesn't bunch up anywhere. Reinforce on the sewing machine once it is in place.

7. Sew -- either on the machine or by hand, depending on the fabric -- the faux rabbit fur or pom-poms to the bottom of the sleeves and the hem of the skirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a matching gathered red hat and trim it with white lace to go with the outfit. Add a pair of black boots, and a black belt if you like, and the outfit is complete.

• If you decide to pick a pattern with a Peter Pan collar, trim it with lace, rather than faux fur.

References

• Family Vacation Getaways at Los Angeles: Santa Costume Ideas
• New Mexico State University: Sewing Shortcuts