One of the things I love about this Nativity Scene, is as you create each figure, you start to envision other ways of displaying the figures. You can make smaller vignettes if you are tight on display space! One of my favourites is just Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus, The Angel and some animals for a more intimate scene.
Like Joseph, Mary has minimal embroidery work, just a few accent stitches but no beadwork. If you are trying to save on using Sulky, this is one figure freezer paper could work well, if you're comfortable doing the bit of embroidery freehand.
In this video, at 3min55sec into it, there's a mini tutorial on coffee staining the fabrics and how I paint the shawl fabric. Is this necessary? As you know, I love incorporating other textures and fabrics with the felt, and I have lots of painting supplies around from doll making. But if this isn't for you, do you have a scrap of a knit or vintage-looking fabric around you could use for her shawl? A very thin knit fabric purchased at the fabric store could also work for Baby Jesus - and honestly to dye the cheesecloth, if you have leftover coffee from your morning, just use that to dye it!
Mary's body has a similar construction to the Second Wise Man because she is kneeling, so like that figure, pay attention to the stars for lining up and orienting her skirt pieces correctly.
Can't find or don't have access to small twigs for the manger? Consider using popsicle sticks or stir sticks - you could stain or paint the manger afterwards a nice dark walnut, or pre-paint the sticks!
Just two figures left before we move onto the animals! Next up is The Angel..