Craft: Make a No-Sew Tissue Paper Queen Bee Costume for your Doll!

Hello everyone!

I’m Sarah! You may remember me from the original Yaldah website. I am so thrilled that I get to continue to share crafts and inspiration with all of you here at JGU!

Today, we are going to make this whimsical, no-sew tissue paper bee costume! Let’s Begin!

Supplies you will need:

Tissue Paper
Tape
Crayons
Glitter glue/glitter and glue
2 small pieces of string/twine/ribbon (length may vary)
Pipe cleaner(s)
Measuring Tape
Ruler
Scissors
Pen
Decorative items such as rhinestones, paper flowers, buttons, bows, etc.
The template provided.

Template: If you click on the template below, it will enlarge for printing purposes. This template was designed for an 18 inch doll. You can modify the dimensions according to the size of your doll. If you would like, you could also modify the dimensions to make a tissue paper costume in your size!

Step 1: Using the template as a guide, cut out all of the pieces. This picture shows two 4 1/8 in. by 3 in. pieces. However, only one was necessary for this craft. All of the pieces were cut on the fold in order to create several layers of tissue paper per individual piece. This gave the tissue paper strength and opacity. I used tape to secure the layers of tissue paper together.

Step 2: Tape all of the petal-shaped pieces to the 12 1/2 inch waistband. Continue adding petal pieces until the skirt is layered to the desired amount.

The front should look neat and finished:

Step 3: Tape the 4 1/8 in. by 3 in. rectangular piece to the skirt as shown below.

View from the front:

Step 4: At this point, you can decorate your beautiful dress! I used smooth crayons, glitter glue, metallic decorative flowers, and rhinestones. Use your imagination to create a one of a kind costume for your doll! “Bee” creative with the supplies you have!

Step 5: Attach the straps to the dress using tape as shown below. The dress should look similar to an apron at this point.

Step 6: Tape the strings to each side of the back of the dress where the straps meet the waistband. The strings should resemble apron strings.

Step 7: Tie the dress onto your doll! If you find the dress is having difficulty staying in place on the doll’s body, feel free to add more tape. Before tying the dress onto my doll, I dressed her in tights and a simple collared shirt. Experiment by layering this piece over clothing your doll already has in her wardrobe!

Variations: Keep in mind that you do not have to follow this pattern exactly. You can modify it to your taste or to better fit your doll. To create a simple yet beautiful tutu for your doll, follow the instructions until Step 2. Then, tape the strings to the waistband as shown in Step 6. Finish by decorating your masterpiece! This variation will be less time-consuming, and will still be a unique addition to your doll’s closet!

Using the pipe cleaners, I created wings and a sparkly tiara for my queen bee! You could even create a magic wand/scepter to match the royal ensemble!