Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Fold the 1/2 yard of costume fabric in half. Measure the circumference of the doll's waist and add 1/4 inch. Measure the width and length of the doll's legs. Add 1/4 inch to the width and 1/2 inch to the length. Use these measurements to draw a fin-less tail on the wrong side of the costume fabric. It should look like a narrow triangle with a flattened tip that rests on the fold. Cut it out and leave it folded.
On the wrong side of the tail fabric, make a mark every 1/4 inch along the length of the triangle. Do this on both sides. Lightly brush fabric glue over each mark. Let it dry completely. Punch a hole on each glue spot. The glue will help keep the holes from stretching. Cut two 6-inch lengths of ribbon. Your kit's recipient will use the ribbon to lace up the mermaid's tail.
For the fins, fold the translucent fabric in half with the right sides touching. Draw a fin shape on the fabric and cut it out through both layers. Turn the fins over so that the wrong sides touch. Stitch them together but leave the top open so that it can connect with the tail.
Tuck the tail into the open space between the fins and sew it in place. If the end of the tail is too wide, gather the fabric by sewing large stitches around it and pulling them tightly.
Measure the circumference of the doll's bust and add 1/4 inch. Cut a strip of leftover tail fabric of this length and a width of 1/2 inch. Wrap the strip around the doll to form the mermaid's top. Add one Velcro dot to one end of the strip and one to where both ends meet.
Cut a 1-inch thickness of lambswool or yarn. Tie it together in the middle with the ribbon or an additional length of yarn to keep it together. The kit's recipient will glue on the hair herself.
Line the box with tissue paper. Put the doll, tail, ribbons, top, and bundle of hair inside. Add a pair of safety scissors, a 5-oz. bottle of craft glue, and two or three markers for drawing the doll's face.