Cardboard Tube Santa Claus Craft

Far left, you can see that I've sealed the bottom of my tube with a cardboard end and painted this black. Center, I also added a bit of faux fur trim to Santa's cuffs with a glue gun. Right, I dabbed on a couple of layers of different shades of red to mimic the red velvet texture of Santa's hat. I used grey, tan, ivory and white to drybrush his beard.

Supply List:

• jingle-bell
• cardboard tube
• faux fur trim
• acrylic paints: red, yellow, black, flesh, white, ivory, pale blue, brown
• acrylic varnish
• velvet fabric scrap
• needle and red thread
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• scrap cardboard
• scissors
• pencil
• cotton batting stuffing
• wire or ribbon hook for hanging

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  Trace around the end of your cardboard tube on top of a piece of scrap cardboard. Cut this circle out and glue it onto one end of your tube. Let dry.
2. Draw and then paint a Santa figure onto the cardboard tube. Make sure that the sealed end is the base of the figure.
3. Stuff the tube to the top with cotton batting stuffing.
4. Measure the circumference of your tube by wrapping a piece of yarn or thread around it's end. Cut this to size. Now lay this piece of yarn out straight on top of your velvet fabric scrap. Cut out a tall narrow triangle adding approximately 1/4th for a seam allowance to it's circumference. This triangle should be about the length of your cardboard tube; it's measurement doesn't need to be exact. The triangle doesn't need to be perfectly drawn. It will look cute even if it is not perfect.
5. Sew up the two longest sides of the velvet triangle with the two ends facing together. Leave the shorter end open. Turn the triangle inside out. Whip stitch a small bell the it's end.
6. Glue the open end of the triangle to the open end of the tube with hot glue.
7. Varnish the paper tube and let it dry.
8. Now measure and glue the faux fur trim and hot glue this piece over the edge of Santa's hat.
9. Attach a ribbon or wire hook through the velvet hat for hanging.
   

Santa's red velvet hat is simply a triangle with it's two longest sides sewn together. If you cut your triangle too large, simply gather it to fit around the end of your tube before using the hot glue to attach it. The edge of this cap will be covered eventually with faux fur trim and it won't be visible.

• A child's version of this same craft project is here.

More Santas Made Using Cardboard Tubes:

• How to make a toilet roll Santa using felt
• Cardboard tube Santa made with crepe papers
• DIY Toilet Paper Roll Santa Claus Candy Box