Kids Girls Mary Nativity Christmas Fancy Dress Costume

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You’ll need: A white sheet, some gold/silver pipe cleaners or gold/silver tinsel to thread around the pipe cleaners, hot glue, a headband and a pair of wings (available from most pound shops)

But a tunic. I didn’t really want to sew, so I debated using a pillowcase and cutting head and arm holes. The only problem was getting that on and off. N’s not as small as he used to be so I didn’t think a pillowcase would fit. Make the crown by cutting the gold card with points, then decorate it with glitter and shiny paper. Fasten so that it’s the correct size for your child. An angel Nativity costume is another easy one to rustle up. You may already have a fairy or angel costume at home, or at least a tutu, some fairy wings or a halo or tiara in your dressing-up box. The most popular addition is the old striped tea towel wrapped around the head. If you don't have a suitable tea towel, you can try using a pashmina which can be wrapped around your child's head, turban-style. Cut around the semi-circle so that your child has a hole to put their head through. If you like, you could stop here with the tabard, but if you want to make it neater then follow the next steps.

The process is very similar to making a costume for Joseph or an innkeeper, involving stripy tea towels, a length of rope, and a homemade tabard.

To make a Joseph costume you’ll need: A cream or brown pillowcase (buy cheap or dye one if needed), a long skirt, a stretchy hairband, a length of brown fabric, a leather belt, some sandals and possibly a robe. Cut around the semi-circle so that your child has a hole to put their head through. If you like, you could stop here with the dress, but if you want to make it neater then follow the next steps.

A Joseph costume is one of the easiest costumes to make. Make a plain or stripy tunic (an old striped duvet cover or baggy t-shirt will do) and tie around the waist with a length of rope or a belt. To neaten up the tabard, you can hem the edges. You can do this with a sewing machine if you have one, but for a no-sew option use something like Wonderweb hemming tape. Place the tape on the inside of the fabric, a couple of inches up from the edge. Then, fold the rough edge of the fabric so that it covers the hemming tape. You can then place a damp cloth on top and run a hot iron along the hem to bond the tape in place. Mary is often depicted in a lovely blue robe with a white headpiece. She’s one of the three main figures of the Holy Family, along with Joseph and the Holy Babe. These costumes are perfect for your Nativity scene or church play. There’s a Virgin Mary costume for children and for adult women.

Decorate their robe by using safety pins to fasten on strands of tinsel of all colours. Tie the robe with gold rope or ribbon. Simply place the tape a few inches up from the edge and fold the fabric over. Then place a damp cloth over the top and iron to bond the tape in place.

Then, simply use an old striped tea towel to wrap around the head; this look works for a shepherd or innkeeper costume too. If you don't have a suitable tea towel, try using a pashmina which can be wrapped around your child's head. For this iconic Nativity character, create a tunic from blue material, or perhaps use an old, large blue pillowcase or sheet which can be cut at the bottom and sides to make a simple tunic. It all was going swimmingly until I cut the hole out. N refused to try it on, so it ended up being too big. I’d need to get the needle and thread out, and probably would need to sew up some of the sides as well to make it easier to wear. We love this shepherd's stripy tabard – all she needs now is a toy sheep and a crook to complete the look.

There’s no need to cut it, no sewing required. Just put on, add a belt and the costume is ready. They’re all in bare feet anyway, and I gave him along sleeved t-shirt in a similar colour in case he needed an additional layerHowever, amongst all the excitement you've probably got the stress of making their Nativity play costume yourself. If you need to provide your own baby Jesus prop, you can use a child's doll, swaddled in a blanket or towel, for your little Mary to carry. In each interactive tutorial, our digital teacher explains the method, shows you examples and then gives you a chance to practise what you've learned. Find out more. Fold the sheet in half and cut a line in the fold for your child’s head to fit through. Don’t cut too far, or else it will slip over their shoulders. Try it on – you may need to cut along the bottom if it’s too long.