Quick and Easy Skeleton Costume for a Doll

How to make this doll's costume from recycled plush and plastic.

       This is a good idea for reusing some of your old holiday plush. Why not unstuff it and make quick doll costumes for a doll's party? It takes so little effort and the results are inspirational. Before you know it, you can create an entire cast of characters for a doll play, parade, or trick-or-treat adventure.

Above is the skeleton novelty plush and skull
with plastic arms that I used to make a quick,
simple doll costume for Barbie and Ken's son.

Supply List:

• small sharp scissors
• snap or Velcro
• black ribbon or seam binding tape
• stuffed novelty plush
• plastic skeleton parts
• threads to match
• No-Fray (optional)
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. First measure the length and width of a doll that you wish to make this costume for. Compare these measurements to the length and the width of the stuffed novelty plush. Are the two similar? If so, you will be able to un-stuff the plush and use it for your doll.
2. Next, you will need to use small sharp scissors to clip off the end pieces of the arms and legs. Try to remove very little of these and tack their edges under using a threaded needle, if possible.
3. Clip off the head of the skeleton as well so that your doll may be fitted properly to the costume. You will also need to clip a 1'' seam down the backside of the plush in order to work the doll in and out of the body suit.
4. Remove all of the cotton filling from the plush.
5. I folded a small black ribbon around the edge of the opening in back and ran this up along the neck and back down the other half of this cut, sewing it in place with a black thread and needle so that the raw edge would be covered. Raw edges can tear and run after just a small amount of use, so these must not be ignored. You could use a No-Fray or No-Sew glue around these raw edges if you finishing such tiny seams is too difficult or time consuming for you.
6. Attach a snap or a piece of Velcro at the back to hold the costume closed while your doll is wearing it.
7. I cut the arm bones from the plastic skeleton, (above right), with a sharp pair of scissors.
8. Then I threaded a sharp needle with twine and attached a piece of it to either side of the skeleton's mask so that I could tie it at the back of my doll's head with a simple knot and bow. Now this boy Barbie doll is ready to go trick-or-treating with his doll parents or perhaps he can wear the costume to a party or march in a Mardi Gras parade!

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