Before we even begin, remember that thrift stores can be your best friend. It may be worth a trip or two to see if you can find the fabric and trim you need. Don't forget to look at the belt rack. There's usually a good selection, and you can't beat the price.
If you're not handy with a needle or need a Santa suit fast, start with an extra large red sweatshirt, hoodie or sweater, and red sweatpants. Look in your area thrift stores. Buying these new costs as much as an inexpensive Santa Suit.
Remove the cuffs and the elasticized shirt bottom. Sew or glue a strip of white faux fur up the middle of the shirt's front. You may also want to consider chenille for the trim, which is much cheaper.
Add another strip of faux fur or chenille along the shirt's bottom (replacing the elasticized material) until it meets the center strip on either side. Sew fur onto the sleeve ends to replace the cuffs.
Finally, sew or glue a strip of faux fur around the collar, bringing it down
slightly in front so that the upper corners meet the center strip. This will
create
the illusion of a fold-over collar.
If you make or buy boot tops with "fur" trim, you won't need to alter the sweat pants at all. Just stuff them into your boot toppers. Leave them a little baggy to create the illusion of bulk.
You can make Santa's whiskers for just a few dollars. Jumbo loopy chenille has that Santa look if you stretch it out a bit. Get some thin elastic to thread through it, and you'll be able to loop it over your ears. Spray your hair white with temporary hair dye.
If you have a Hobby
Lobby in town, you may be able to get chenille there. Don't forget to see the Accessories chapter of this article
to ensure that your Santa outfit is complete.
For those of you with sewing skills, you can find the classic Butterick Santa
costume pattern here.
If it's not available, chances are you can still find it on Ebay.
You have plenty of fabric options, but be sure to choose something without a lot of stretch. After all, if you use a pillow to fill out Santa's belly, you don't want the fabric sagging to your knees!
The most inexpensive Santa suits use poly flannel. Mid-range suits use cotton flannel, velour, fleece and even corduroy. Upper end suits tend to use velvet.
Here are some of the best deals that we've found:
Fashion
Fabrics Club
(flannel: There's more than one page of swatches. Look until you find red.)
Denver
Fabrics
(low cost velvet)
That should about do it. We'll watch for your sleigh! Ho, ho, ho...
Merry Christmas!
