Winter is in full swing! The slopes are packed with snow which means it's time to get your gear together and head out to the mountains! Whether you're dreaming of being as great a skier as your favorite Olympic champion, or you're just in it to have fun & create lasting memories - we've got a tutorial you're sure to love! Follow along as we show you how to make skis and ski poles for your 18-inch doll!
There's a few pretty cool sets available from American Girl for skiing and snowboarding, but they don't ship to all countries and they seem to be frequently out of stock. We've got you covered, try this creative tutorial brought to you by @forofsuch today!
Supplies Needed:
Step 1: Cut your colored craft foam into two pieces, each measuring 1.5 inches by 12 inches (you could also use white craft foam and cover the whole “ski” in patterned or solid scrap book paper).
Using something curved to trace around (we used the side of our glue bottle), draw a curved line at each end of each foam board piece and cut along this line using your craft knife.
Now you have 2 skis!
Step 2: Cut 4 pieces of craft foam measuring 1.5 by 4 inches each.
Take one of your doll shoes/boots, and place it in the center of one of the skis. Using 1 piece of craft foam, drape the craft foam over the toe of the shoe, only covering about ½ an inch of the end of the shoe, and, holding the shoe firmly in place, wrap the foam around the shoe and the ski, and hot glue the edges to the bottom of the ski. You want this piece to be a bit snug for the shoe, but not so snug you can’t get the shoe out. Also, you may need to trim your craft foam to fit in order to glue it down flush on the bottom of the ski.
Repeat this process for the heel of the shoe using another piece of craft foam. You will see from the photos that the foam pieces should be angled up a bit to cradle the shoe, while still allowing room for the shoe to be removed.
Step 3: Once the first ski is done, set the second ski next to it and the second shoe on the ski, lining up all the ski ends and the placement of the shoes before repeating step 2 to apply the remaining foam pieces to the second ski.
Now you have two skis ready to go, or you can take a few moments to decorate them in the next step!
Step 4: Using your patterned scrapbook paper, decide on a design for your skis. We cut strips of paper half an inch wide and laid them diagonally on our skis, glued them down, then trimmed them to fit. Then we repeated this on the back of the skis, changing up the diagonal direction. But you could do any kind of design you can think of! Cut out stars, hearts, snowflakes, or stripes!
After this, your skis are done and you can set them aside while we make the ski poles!
Step 5: To make the ski poles, first cut your dowel into two 13 inch lengths. We used craft scissors this time, but you can use a craft knife or small hand saw to do this.
Step 6: If you are using the small wooden wheels to make the tips for your poles, go ahead first and make sure the dowel pieces fit into the holes on them. We had to whittle our dowels down just a bit, but then they fit in tightly and securely.
(If you want to skip this step, you could wrap colored cardstock around the end of your poles, or paint the tips a different color than the rest of the pole, but you’ll do either of those options after the poles are painted.)
Next we paint! Separate your dowels and wheels, and paint them individually with your acrylic craft paint. (The small dish of water is to dip your brush in before you dip into the paint. Acrylic craft paints always paint better if you do this first!) We chose a periwinkle blue for the poles and a pink to match our craft foam for the wheels. Once they are painted and dry, you can reinsert the poles into the wheels. Ours fit tightly enough that we did not need glue, but you may want or need to glue yours in.
Step 7: Next we need to make the handles for the doll’s hands. Cut 2 pieces of elastic measuring 4 inches long each. Fold these in on themselves in thirds and hot glue the two overlapping ends together.
Now we need two more pieces of craft foam. Cut each of these to be 1 1/8 inch by 2 inches long.
Stick one piece of craft foam into each elastic loop you just made. Hot glue the foam to the elastic on one side only.
Lay one ski pole down into the center of the elastic with the craft foam sticking out on either side and hot glue this down. Make sure you have about 1 to 1/18 inches of ski pole remaining above this. Also make sure the free loop of elastic that is not glued to the craft foam is facing the table during this step.
The last step is to wrap the craft foam snuggly around the pole, one end at a time, and hot glue these ends down. Once the glue has cooled, your ski poles are finished!
Now your doll can hit the slopes in style! She’ll be confident to try new things using her new, made with love, ski equipment.
We'd love to see your creations too, so if you make one, please tag us on Instagram @PixieFaire and @forofsuch
You can also share pictures in the Pixie Faire Inspritation Gallery right here on the website, either use the #pixiefaire when posting on IG, or just click the little + box to upload your picture right here on the website!
Thanks everyone!
For Pixie Faire, @forofsuch
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We’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and tell us, Which would you rather - Hit The Slopes OR Sip Hot Chocolate in the Ski Lodge?
Count me in for the hot chocolate!
I would like to hit the slopes like I did 50 years ago with my two boys and husband. I don’t know where the years h as be gone.
Sip Hot Chocolate in the Ski Lodge!
Sip hot chocolate in the lodge!
I’m the one sitting by a nice fire sipping hot chocolate.
Both! Nothing better than a good run and then hot chocolate by the fire!!!
I would rather sip hot chocolate. At my age I can’t afford to break any bones.
I would take the hot chocolate, and go sledding.
I have never went skiing.
I would rather hit the slopes, you meet lots of interesting people on the ski lift. I once rode to the top of the mountain with Robert Redford.
I love this craft!
I would LOVE to hit the slopes!!!! Haven’t done it in MANY years however, so maybe not the best idea, but sure would love to try again.
Sip Hot Chocolate in the Ski Lodge. I am not a skier but love chocolate.
My mother skiied. I live in a great area for winter sports.
I’d rather hit the slopes! It would be so exciting to learn to ski and enjoy the beautiful winter weather and views!
I would like to try skiing. I would also be happy sitting next to a warm fire with friends sipping hot chocolate.
I’d much rather sip hot chocolate in the lodge and maybe work on a dolly knitting project.
Samantha Harrington would hit the slopes with her new skies. I sit in the lodge next to the roaring fire and sip hot cocoa.
I’ve never learned to ski! I’d love to try, looks like so much fun!
Bad knees make me a hot cocoa in the lodge type, but I sure love watching skiers take the slopes!
Thanks for the tutorial; our AG friends will be having some winter time fun, soon!
I would ski, but through the woods cross-country!
Sunny days and sparkling snow are wonderful!
The “I’m in denial of my age” me wants to hit the slopes! Sadly, I messed up my ankle a couple of years ago, so I am more likely to sit and watch everyone else having fun, while reminiscing about the “Good ’Ol Days”.
I’d rather be sipping hot chocolate and reading a good book, in front of a roaring fire 😀
I’d rather be sipping Hot Chocolate, watching others ski down the slopes.
Since I’ve never skied and already had a broken leg. I think I’ll stick with the hot chocolate!
I’m the one sitting with a bottle of water or a thermos of tea in the lodge or car while they ski. If we are lucky enough to stay at the hill I make the hot lunch hopefully at exactly the correct moment they take a break to inhale the food and hit the slopes again
I’d be the one sitting in the lodge drinking hot chocolate!
In my younger days it would be “hit the slopes” and I did frequently….but now in my old age it would be sipping hot chocolate (with an additive) in the lodge.
I would definitely like to try hitting the slopes, since I’ve never been skiing before, but would be just as happy snuggled up by the fire sipping on my hot cocoa, watching it snow! 🥰
Skiing was something I had always hoped to do…but alas, never happened. So, guess I’ll be sipping hot chocolate by the roaring fire!
Sip hot chocolate.
I would rather sip hot cocoa by the fireplace in the ski lodge and watch everyone else ski.
Downhill skiing
Once upon a time it would have been hitting the slopes. I’m at the sipping hot chocolate stage now.
Sip hot chocolate.
Can’t ski if my life depended on it lol
Sip hot chocolate, definitely!!
Ski! I’ve only been skiing once, but loved it and would love to teach my children. If only it was as cheap as some craft foam and wooden dowels ;)
Hot chocolat, I love the cosiness near a dire place with à nice hot chocolat after a day out in the cold. It a nice way to relax and relax with the feet up with a warm blanket over my sholder. NICE
I would rather sit in the lodge and sip hot chocolate!
I would love to do both, first I would hit the slopes and then come in and sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate.
I’ve only gone skiing twice in my life, and I was much younger then. Give me the hot chocolate in the ski lodge!
Oh, give me a nice warm cup of hot chocolate to sip in front of the fireplace in the lodge!
Although at one time I would have been on the slopes, at this time in my life, I’m definitely going to be in the lodge sipping hot chocolate with marshmallow, whipped cream and a cherry on top. Yum. All comfy and warm with no strain on my old arthritic joints.
I’d like to try skiing but then warm up with the hot chocolate.
Sip hot chocolate in the Lodge and watch others ski.
At my age skiing would not be a good thing. Being able to sit by a fire in a ski lodge would be more my speed.
Ski? Oh I would love to ski!
Hot chocolate in the ski lodge works for me. Tried down hill skiing when I was younger. Even then I preferred the chalet.
I would much rather sip hot chocolate in the ski lodge, thank you! 🎿
These days it would be coffee or tea in the lodge. Cross country skiing was more my style. I did field work in the snow with snow mobiles and snowshoes.
These days it would be coffee or tea in the lodge. Cross country skiing was more my style. I did field work in the snow with snow mobiles and snowshoes.
Hot chocolate in the lodge please! I’ll let my children do the skiing
Very cute.
Curl up in a blanket with a good book and sip hot chocolate
Sip hot chocolate at the lodge with a good book.
Definitely hot chocolate with some Irish Cream.
I would hit the slopes of course it would be the bunny hill. Then I’d go for the hot chocolate
When I was younger, it was hit the hills with a sled! But now I am 80, so you find me watching out the window with my cocoa.
I’m not a downhill skier (although I have done it years ago.). Cross country skiing is my winter sport now! Such a great workout.
Thank for this tutorial. It’s going to be fun to make!
Would be sipping hot cocoa in lodge watching family ski. Skied when younger, too afraid of falling due to age now.
I’m 70 years old and sipping hot chocolate by a crackling fire is enough excitement for me! 😄
I would love to try my luck on the slopes but I am sure I would be safer with the hot chocolate!
I would love to try my luck on the slopes but I am sure I would be safer with the hot chocolate!
I’d rather ski, but I have replacement knees now—so not a good idea.
I’d rather sip hot chocolate in the lodge. I enjoy looking at the snow out the window at this stage of my life.
I’d rather have the hot chocolate at this point in my life!! When I was a lot younger, I may have enjoyed skiing! I love the snow!
Too old to enjoy skiing so I’ll sit and watch my granddaughters as I sip my hot chocolate – maybe with a little Amaretto in it!
Hot chocolate for me. I tried skiing a couple of times. Now I watch my granddaughter ski. She’s quite a little “hot dogger” at 10!
I’ll compromise and cross country ski trails – then hit the hot chocolate!
Hot chocolate by the fire watching the skiers on the slopes.
Sip hot chocolate in the ski lodge!
Hot chocolate!! And watching the skiers!
my granddaughter will love these I glad you sent the post thank you
Hot chocolate. Cute pattern
Not a skier….so I’d been drinking hot chocolate and visiting with anyone who had a ski accident or is like me and just loves to watch!
Hot chocolate!! ☕️
Hot chocolate
I would enjoy sipping hot chocolate in the lodge.
As a Southerner, I never learned to snow ski. I never even learned to water ski, although I drove a number of boats for others to water ski. so, I guess I am in the sipping hot chocolate group. Truly, I would rather be designing and sewing. Where we live if it snows it doesn’t stick very often and when it does it causes us all to be homebound since we have no snow plows, etc.
I would sip the hot chocolate. 15 years ago I would have picked the skiing.
Sip hot cocoa said Chicken Mary
I am all for the hot chocolate – too old to learn how to ski – I might break something. But it would be nice to watch everyone else have fun on the slopes.
I loved to ski! On a sunny day in The Colorado Rockies- the beauty and air is next to G*d. Hot cocoa during a break is a great sweet warmup. Can we do both?!!
I would love to be on the hill skiing, but this back injury prohibits that. So I would be in the lodge sipping hot chocolate watching my friend ski down the hills and cheering them on!
I would rather hit the slopes
Sip hot chocolate obviously! X
I would be sipping hot chocolate
Sip hot chocolate! I’m not a fan of hot or cold weather. LOL, I live on the wrong planet!
Sip hot chocolate in the lodge, please.
Great accessories for my doll! I’d love to go skiing again but the cold makes me stay in the lodge with a hot toddy.
No mountains here, but I enjoy making snowmen and watching my grandkids sled.
I would love to learn how to ski but I will have to settle for hot chocolate in the lodge
I would like to sit by a fire with a cup of hot chocolate in the lodge. I might try a snowman, but mostly snow is something I prefer to watch from a window.
Hot chocolate in the lodge, all the way. When I was young I pretzelled myself accidentally going down hill on cross country skis….
30 years ago I loved being on the slopes as well as the hot chocolate in the lodge but now I’ll sit in the lodge while my son and the grandkids do the skiing.
I’d rather sit in the lodge sipping hot chocolate in front of a huge fireplace watching the skiers on the slopes!
Sipping Hot Chocolate was always my choice, while my friends were skiing
I am 50/50. I prefer to ski in the morning and then sip hot chocolate with a good book while I wait for the kids to finish up their day.
Jo
February 10, 2022
I haven’t skied in many years, so I would first go and have some hot chocolate before trying my luck on the beginner slope.