Make a Paper Pieced Santa Claus Christmas Wall Art Display

This Santa Claus project will add some old world charm and elegance to your home this holiday season! It uses advanced paper-piecing techniques by utilizing an electronic cutting machine and an SVG file that you can size to your specifications.

What are SVG files? They are scalable files that you can size and cut without any resolution loss using third party software and your own electronic cutting machine.

Note: For a list of which cutting machines can utilize third party software and SVG files, view this chart.

Refer to my slideshow for close-up photos of the paper-piecing process.

Supply List for Elegant Santa Claus Wall Art

• Electronic Cutting Machine
• Lettering Delights Father Christmas SVG Set
  
• Third Party Software (Sure Cuts A Lot or Make the Cut)
• Solid or textured scrapbook papers: green, red, cream, tan, black, light green, gold, silver
• Patterned Christmas themed scrapbook papers
• Ink pads in gray, black, and brown
• Glue
• Black pen
• Scissors, ruler, pencil
• 10 small green rhinestones
• 3 medium green rhinestones
• 5 medium clear rhinestones
• 1 silver snowflake brad
• Trendy Twine in Peppermint Stick
• 1 Frame with 3 5x7 matted openings (optional)

Part I: Use the Father Christmas SVG Set

1. Purchase and download the Father Christmas SVG set on the computer that you use to connect to your cutting machine.
2. Choose 3 images that you want to paper-piece and import or open them in your third party software program. Work with one Santa figure at a time to save your sanity!
3. Select the entire image and change the size proportionately. In the photo example, the Santa figures are all 5 inches tall. Do a Save As and save the file before you break it apart.
4. Break apart (or ungroup) a Santa figure in the software. Begin pulling the pieces apart by color and notice how they are layered. I saved each color into a separate file and deleted the other pieces., leaving the master file as a reference.
5. Decide on your paper color choices.
6. Send each color to your cutting machine and cut it using your machine's specifications. Cut all the colors before doing any assembly.

Part 2: Assemble the Santa Paper Pieces

1. Refer to the photos in my slideshow. Lay out all the pieces for 1 Santa figure on your surface.
2. Be sure that all the pieces are cut to scale and that they fit together before doing any gluing!
3. Apply ink to the edges of the paper, if desired. This step will give dimension to your finished project.
4. Layer the pieces together, starting with the foundation and build upwards.
5. Glue pieces together. You may find that you assemble the face and beard sections separately from the body sections. If some pieces are too small (such as eyes), do not use them. You can draw these items in later.
6. Glue completed sections together and allow the Santa figure to dry completely.
7. Draw any details using the black pen such as eyes.
8. Add embellishments such as rhinestones or snowflake brads.

Part 3: Finish the Santa Claus Project

1. Cut 3 background pieces from the silver scrapbook paper, making sure they fit the openings of your mat and that there is enough room for a Santa figure to fit without coming too close to any particular edge.
2. Center each Santa figure on a silver background.
3. Glue in place.
4. Add decorative accents to the silver background such as twine. In the article example, I tied bows in some Peppermint Stick twine. I then added a bow to the top of 2 Santa figures and added a bow to the bottom of the middle Santa figure.
5. Allow to dry overnight.
6. Mat and frame your completed Santa figures.

Each paper-pieced Santa figure takes an hour or so to assemble, assuming that you are comfortable with your software and cutting machine. Have fun with the paper choices and embellishments! Make one for your own home and then change the color scheme and make one for a friend.