With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to create a set of Lucky Leprechauns!  Crafted from metallic chenille bumps, spun cotton, crepe paper and Dresden foils, these wee gentlemen are high-impact yet fun and easy to make.  Add a little charm by standing one against a vase of flowers, tucking one into a mantel display or securing one to the top of a gift for a lucky someone.  Completed figures are about 4-1/4" tall. 

Supplies:

3/4" Spun Cotton Heads: SC111 or SC111-Y

Spun Cotton "Shoes": SC200 and DFW852

3-1/4" Chenille Bumps: Metallic Green, Metallic Gold

Top Hats: HAT-04-BK

Festive Miniatures: Fabric Shamrocks, Lacquered Shamrocks

Dresden Trims: Shamrocks, Bows, and Small Border DFW278

Crepe Paper

Clear-drying Glue (like Alleen's Quick Dry or E6000)

Needle-nose Pliers, Scissors, Narrow Paint Brush Handle

Vest Template

Template: Click here to download a free pdf of our Leprechaun Vest Template. (Print at "actual size.")

Step 1: Arrange your supplies.  To make 1 leprechaun you will need: 1 head, 3 chenille bumps (1 for arms, 2 chenille bumps folded in half for body/legs), 1 vest, 1 bow and 1 piece of Dresden border for buttons. 1-2 items to hold, 2 spun cotton shoes, 2 Dresden stars, 1 top hat, 1 piece of Dresden border for hat band and 1 shamrock for hat.

Step 2: Embellish hat and shoes.

Hat: Glue a small piece of Dresden trim onto hat as a hat band.  Glue a Dresden shamrock or mini fabric shamrock onto hat.  Let dry.

Shoes: Glue a small Dresden star onto the top of each spun cotton shoe.

Step 3: Bend two chenille bumps in half to create the body and legs.  If needed, pinch the top of the bumps together with your pliers so it will better fit in the spun cotton head.

Step 4: Create arms by placing 1 chenille bump between the bent bumps. Just below the arms, twist the "body" 1 full turn to secure the arms in place and make a unitized figure.  Bend the arms slightly downward.

Step 5: Cut vest pieces out of crepe paper.  On vest back, fold small tabs on shoulders and at sides.  Apply glue to shoulder tabs and glue vest pieces together.  Let dry.

Step 6: Put vest onto figure and glue at sides.  Let dry.  Glue Dresden trim down center of vest.

Step 7: Put spun cotton head onto figure and adjust vest if needed.  Glue head into place  Glue bow slightly under beard.  Let dry.

Step 8: Glue on shoes and top hat.  Let dry.  Shoes can be bent upward slightly and hat can be glued to the side .

Step 9:  Select an item for the leprechaun to hold.  Trim stem as need.  Wrap stem end around a narrow paint bush handle to form a twist, if desired.  

Step 10: Use pliers to create a small loop that will serve as your leprechaun's "hand" for holding his item.  Apply a small drop of glue in the loop, hand him his item and let dry.  

Tips and Notes:

-- Embellishing hats and shoes before leprechaun assembly makes for a streamlined process.

-- It takes about 17 tiny flowers from Dresden border # DFW278 to create the hat band on HAT-04.  It takes 7 tiny flowers to create the button effect on the crepe vest.

-- These wee gentlemen are one of our favorite types of projects: high-impact and charming while fun and easy to create!