MATERIALS NEEDED:


Tracing or pattern paper 
Pencil 
Ruler 
Basket with handle, 10" wide x 13" deep x 5" high plus handle 
4" Styrofoam ball 
44" wide cotton or cotton/polyester fabrics--1/2 yd. each of navy denim, tan denim, and red gingham 
Scraps of bright print fabrics 
Two 3 3/4" pieces of 1/4" wide elastic 
9" x 12" pieces of felt--one black and two tan 
Raffia 
Polyester stuffing 
Matching thread 
Straight pins without glass or plastic heads 
Standard sewing supplies 
Glue gun and glue sticks 
Acrylic or fabric paints--blue, red, black and white 
Small round paintbrush

CUTTING:

Trace patterns onto tracing or pattern paper and cut out patterns. Cut out fabrics as directed on pattern pieces.

Also cut these pieces: From black felt, cut two 8"x3" rectangles. From navy denim, cut one 15" square and one 5 1/2"x4", two 3 1/2"x10" and two 10"x13" pieces. From gingham, cut one 15"x7" and two 10"x14" pieces. From tan denim, cut one 16" circle. From tan felt, cut one 9" and one 7" circle. Cut patches from print scraps.

Pieces include 1/4" seam allowances, unless otherwise indicated. Sew with matching thread and a small straight stitch, placing right sides together and backstitching at beginning and ends of seams.

PATCHES: Sew small scrap patches randomly to 10"x13" navy denim leg pieces and 10"x14" gingham sleeve pieces, adding short pieces of raffia under the patches if desired. (You can use a navy zigzag stitch to apply the leg patches and white thread to apply the sleeve patches)

LEGS/FEET: Fold patched 10"x13" navy denim leg pieces in half lengthwise. Stitch long edges together, forming two tubes. Turn each right side out.

Fold each 8"x3" black felt piece in half crosswise. Stitch short edges together. Trim seam to 1/8. Pin one open end of each around a foot bottom piece with seam at center. Stitch in a 1/8" seam.

Firmly stuff 1" of each foot. Match seams and fit open end of foot inside one end of each leg so foot side/bottom sticks out 1" below lower edge of leg. Tie with raffia 1 1/4" above lower edge of leg, securing foot. Lift up lower edge of leg and glue upper part of foot to leg, pressing leg back into place.

Stuff legs to 3 1/2" from openings. As in Fig. 2, glue legs closed to inside basket front so legs extend out, seams at bottom (2 1/2" of each leg is glued in basket).

BODY: For straps, fold each 3 1/2" x 10" navy denim piece in half lengthwise. Stitch long edges together and turn right side out. Press with seam centered on wrong side.

Ravel 1/4" along one long edge of 5 1/2"x 4" navy denim bib piece. Fold under 1/4" on short edges of piece.

Pin bib and straps to 15" x 7" gingham shirt piece as shown in Fig. 1. Edge stitch folded edges of bib and just below fringe on upper edge of bib.

With bib between layers, pin bib edge of shirt piece to one edge of 15" square navy denim pants piece. Stitch and press.<BR.
Place shirt/pants piece in basket, pushing center of piece into basket so edge of bib is at top edge of basket. Fold edges under around basket, allowing straps to extend out. Glue folded edges to top inside edge of basket all around, covering ends of legs.

SLEEVES/HANDS: For sleeve ruffles, fold under 1 1/4" on one short end of each patched 1-"x14" gingham sleeve piece. To form casings, stitch 1/4" from inside raw edges (1" from fold) and 5/8" from folded edges. Insert a 3 3/4" long piece of elastic between stitching lines of casings, basting ends close to raw edges.

Fold sleeves in half lengthwise. Catching ends of elastic, stitch long edges together, forming two tubes. Turn right side out.

Stitch hand pieces together in pairs, leaving straight edge open. Turn right side out and stuf. Pin each opening closed.

Cut twelve 4" pieces of raffia. For each hand, fold six raffia pieces over raw edge of hand, so half of each piece is on top of hand and half is on the bottom. Baste 1/4" from raw edge of hand over raffia.

Submitted by Nobie