Pipe Cleaner & Felt Leprechaun Family

Every St. Patrick's Day, my girls are so excited to create a Leprechaun Trap and try to catch one of those tricky little guys.  It's a tradition they started in school, but we've brought it home with us.

This is a Leprechaun Trap we made a couple of years ago.  We figured the leprechauns would make their way up the licorice rainbow to get to the Lucky Charms and the pot of gold.  Once they made it inside, they would be stuck there with no way out.  A good trap will have something to entice the leprechaun in and a way to keep him there once he is in.  The possibilities are endless and a great way to exercise your child's creativity and imagination. 

Despite our best efforts, so far those lucky Leprechauns have just been too elusive.  We came close once.  One little guy left behind this hat and boot as he escaped!  The girls were very excited that they got that close.  Still, they get so disappointed that they haven't seen one yet.  Maybe this is our year!

I searched all the stores for any kind of leprechaun doll.  I found a ceramic statue, but nothing that I thought would be good for my girls to trap.  I decided I would have to make my own.  I was inspired by a post by So Many Tables, and went to JoAnn's to buy felt, pipe cleaners, and wood beads for their heads.  I didn't want to just make one leprechaun, but a whole family. 

I made both a sew and no sew version.  Both start out the same.  Insert two body colored pipe cleaners into a wood bead.  I found ones that already had faces on them in the doll section.  Otherwise you can draw faces on later with a sharpie.  Add a dab of glue into the bead hole to keep your pipe cleaners in place.

To create your arms, wrap a third pipe cleaner around your first two, right under your head.  You can trim the extra length, making your arms to whatever length you would like. 

Now it is time to make your clothes.  I used a piece of paper to make a pattern so I could draw and redo it until I got it just right.  Use this pattern to cut out your pattern in the felt.  This is my dress pattern. 

Place the clothes onto your leprechaun.  Using a thread and needle, whip stitch them in place.  I made my seams noticeable.  I think it gives it a more authentic look.  If you don't want to sew, you could always glue the edges of your clothing.

Now the finishing details.  Wrap an orange pipe cleaner or two around the dolls head as hair.  Glue in place.  I used e6000 glue but you could use hot glue as well.  I folded the ends of the pipe cleaner arms in little loops to make hands and bent the legs up to make feet.

 

Next I wanted to make a Leprechaun boy!  He started out much the same way, but when I inserted the two body pipe cleaners, I also added a very short orange piece to the top of his head to create his hair.  The pieces were much shorter as well.  Instead of using two separate pipe cleaners, I folded one in half to make the body.  Glue all three in place in the bead.  Wrap a short piece around for your arms. 



Instead of sewing clothes, I made his clothes out of more pipe cleaners.  I simply wrapped green pipe cleaners around his arms and torso to make his shirt.  I wrapped brown pipe cleaners to make his shorts.  Easy no-sew option!

I think they both are quite cute and I loved how my family was coming along! 

Now it was time for Dad!  I made a shirt out of the same pattern I used for my dress, just making it shorter.  I also cut out a pair of pants.  I really just eye balled these, but I think making them out of paper first really helps so you can get it just how you want it. 

Place your clothing on your Leprechaun man and stitch in place, very much like you did your dress.  Slide your pants on and stitch up one side, stitch up and down the inseam, and then stitch closed the other side seam.  Once all sides are sewn up, slide the pants up under his shirt.  Add a drop of glue to the back side of the pants or the under side of the shirt to keep them in place.  We don't want Dad's pants falling down!

 

Our happy little Leprechaun Family is ready for St. Patrick's Day!  They are sneaky and quick, but hopefully this is the year we find them caught in our Leprechaun Trap!!  Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Leprechaun Trap

Every year the girls love to make their own Leprechaun Trap in hopes of finally catching a leprechaun. 

We are usually able to make it with things we've found around the house. 

This year all we had to buy was Rainbow Twizzlers and Lucky Charms. 

We could never catch a leprechaun without Twizzlers & Lucky Charms!!!

We started by building the rainbow ramp.  To find the gold at the end of the rainbow, we knew leprechauns would be looking for rainbows.  He could follow the rainbow, straight into our trap!

To make the ramp, we glued rainbow Twizzlers to a piece of cardboard.  Just trim the extra cardboard off.

Next we made our pot of gold.  Roll up a strip of black construction paper and glue or tape together.  Tape your pot in place in the bottom of your trap.  Our trap was an old pretzel container.  We liked it since we could see through the clear plastic. 

Crumple up a piece of gold tissue paper and put it in your pot to create your gold.  Now just add lucky charms to the bottom of your trap.  This is just extra incentive to lure in the leprechaun.  We all know they love gold and Lucky Charms!  Tape your rainbow ramp in place. 

Now your trap is set!  The leprechaun will make his way up the rainbow ramp and see the Lucky Charms and the pot of gold.  He will jump in to get them both before he realizes that there is no way out!  You've caught your leprechaun!

Hopefully he won't escape, but if he does maybe he will leave behind a Boot or Hat in your trap!

I hope you have fun creating your own Leprechaun Trap!

Leprechaun Boot & Hat for your Trap!

Have you ever caught anything in your Leprechaun Trap?

Every year the girls plan out the trap that they will set out on St. Patrick's Day in order to catch a leprechaun.  It's usually made out of every day items we have around the house, like shoe boxes and construction paper.  Last year we used the plastic containers that you get strawberries in.  Every year they are so optimistic that they will actually catch a leprechaun!  I'm not sure what they are going to do with him once they actually catch him.  Every year they are just a little bit disappointed that the trap is empty.  At least they are quick to start planning for next year's trap.  Building it is always a fun family project.

This year I thought it would be fun for the girls to actually catch something in their trap.  I'm not sure where to find a leprechaun, but I thought it would be cool if he lost a shoe or a hat as he was escaping!  This was an easy project that I put together in just a few minutes.  All you need is a piece of green felt and a needle and thread.

Fold one of your corners of your felt in half at the corner.  About an inch in, cut your corner piece off. 

With the piece still folded, cut a notch out of the top to make the ankle part of your shoe.  

Using your needle and matching thread, sew up the pieces that will make your back heel.  It doesn't matter how neat it is since it was sewn by a leprechaun.  We all know how crazy they can be!  Now sew the pointed toe end up to the top of the shoe.  Make sure to leave an opening at the top for him to put it on his foot.  You should now have a cute little leprechaun boot!

I wanted each of my older two girls to be able to find something that the leprechaun left behind, but I didn't think he would lose both shoes.  So I decided to make a hat! 

 I started by drawing a two inch line on my felt.  I added a second line, forming about a 150 degree angle.  (I totally guessed on that.  I just eyeballed it!)  To make the line that will be the rim of the hat, I used a piece of string.  Hook a loop around your pen or pencil and line it up on the end of one of your lines.  Hold the other end of the string on the center of the angle.  Hold the string in place and draw a line from the end of one line to the end of the other. 

Cut out your hat piece.  It should look pretty similar to mine above.

Roll your hat so that the two straight pieces are touching each other.  Using your thread and needle, sew the two edges together.  Tie off your thread.  Quick and simple.

I know the girls are going to be so excited to see that a leprechaun had been in their trap.  He may have gotten away, but not before losing a little souvenir for each of them to keep!  Maybe we'll get him next year!