How to Make a Raggedy Ann Costume

Be a doll for Halloween or just for fun.

Raggedy Ann was a fictional rag doll, with yarn hair and triangle nose, created by American writer Johnny Gruelle. She first appeared in a series of children's books in the early part of the 20th century.The doll was marketed with the book to great success. The Raggedy Ann doll, along with her companion Raggedy Andy, have been popular with children ever since. She is also still quite popular as a fun, colorful, easy to make and, considering she is suppose to be "raggedy," rather inexpensive costume.

Things You'll Need

• Blue print dress with long sleeves
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• Straight, white sundress
• 6 white cloth ribons, 1½ inches wide by 12 inches long
• White leggings
• Sewing pins
• Safety pins
• Striped socks, red and white
• 2 cloth circles, 21-inch diameter
• ½-inch-by-50-inch pink ribbon
• Thin piece of pink chalk
• Ball of red yarn
• 30-inch-by-30-inch cardboard piece
• 8-inch-by-8-inch cardboard piece
• Red knit cap
• Face paint in white, red, black
• Black Mary Jane shoes
• Large yarn needle

Instructions

Pinafore

1. Cut the sundress all the way up the back.

2. Hem the cut edges.

3. Sew two white ribbons to the back at the waist and two at the top on either side of the cut as apron strings.

4. Trim hem of dress to just above the hem of the blue dress.

5. If straps of dress are less a than 1½-inches wide, replace with other two white ribbons.

Pantaloons

1. Cut the leggings off about 3 inches below the knee.

2. Hem the cut edges.

3. Draw a line about 2 inches from the edge of the hem with chalk. Cut ½-inch slits across the line 1½ inches apart.

4. Cut a 15-inch piece of pink ribbon and weave it in and out of the slits. Tighten the ribbon making a ruffle. Tie in a bow.

5. Repeat with the other leg.

Mop Hat

1. Sew the two circles together leaving a small inch-long gap. Turn it inside out through the gap and sew the gap closed.

2. With the chalk, draw another circle on the cloth about an 1½ inch smaller. Pin the two layers together along this circle.

3. Cut half-inch slits across the drawn circle about 2 inches apart all the way through both layers.

4. Weave the rest of the pink ribbon in and out of the slits. Tighten to fit the wearer's head and tie in a bow.

Yarn Wig

1. Wrap yarn around the large piece of cardboard about 30 times. Snip the yarn from the skein.

2. Gather and tightly tie the yarn together on one end of the cardboard with a double knot. Cut the yarn on the other side of the cardboard. You will have a bundle of yarn tied in the middle. Make 11 yarn bundles.

3. Pin one bundle to the crown of the hat at the middle with a safety pin. Pin three bundles in front of the hat about 1/2 an half apart along where a middle hair part would be. Pin three bundles directly behind the crown across the back. Pin two on each side near the back bundles.

4. Use the 8-inch piece of cardboard to make four sets of shorter bundles. Attach shorter bundles along the front of the cap, right under your last center bundle. These will be your bangs.

5. Try the wig on and adjust bundles for best coverage.
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6. Sew bundles to cap with the large yarn needle and yarn.

7. Trim the wig to the desired length.

Final Touches

1. Apply white face paint to yourself or the one who will be dressing up. Add round red cheeks, a black stitched-on smile and long painted-on eye lashes. Paint a red triangle on the nose.

2. Dress yourself or your model in the dress, pantaloons, striped socks, pinafore and Mary Jane shoes.

3. Put on the wig and tighten the mop cap over it.

References

• Coolest-homemade-costumes.com Coolest Homemade Doll Costumes and Photos