Health, Wealth, and Home: DIY Wampa Rug

If your child wants a Star Wars room, I'm sure you've come across the Wampa Rug. If you cringed when you saw the size and price of it then you're not alone. Feeling brave (or desperate)? You can make your own! I am totally not skilled with sewing and crafts. I can follow directions but things usually don't turn out as planned when I try my own thing (see my trash bag for the car post for proof). If I can do it without any help, you can do it! Hopefully, my guide will be helpful to you.

My total cost was $47 but if you have a JoAnn's near you then get one of their 50% off coupons and get the fabric there. Furry fabric isn't the cheapest stuff ever. Here are the quantities I bought:
1/2 yard black vinyl
1/2 yard grey vinyl
1 1/2 yards faux fur (curly Mongolian white is what mine was called)
1 1/2 yards wintry fleece (ivory) (or whatever you want to use if you want a backing)

1. Cut out fur and backing. I used my 9 year old for the shape. If you want the fabrics to match then cut them right sides together. If you use an Xacto knife you should have less cut fur around the edges. Since I was sewing the fur to the backing I didn't worry about it.

2. Sew the fabrics together with right sides facing in. Only sew to the lower sides of the arms. You want to be able to sew the claws in the hands. If you want claws on the feet, leave open space for them as well. (I know, the pictures are crappy. Sorry!)

3. Cut the claws out of the black vinyl. Just cut long triangles. Sew the long edge of the triangles with right sides facing in. Turn right side out and fill with fiberfill or cotton balls (anything soft will work).

4. While you have the black thread in your machine (if you switched), go ahead and make the horn things. I just made one big C and fed it through two holes in the fur. Mine ended up being way too long so I used a rubber band to scrunch it up smaller in the middle where you can't see it. I cut mine too thin so I had to make two of them and sew them together.

5. With right sides facing, sew along the outer edge. Leave room at the end to turn it right-side out. You'll really enjoy that step. I used a metal chopstick to help. After you get it turned right-side out, fill the horn with fiberfill (or whatever you're using). Sew up the end. (I tried to use the sewing machine for this but the sewing machine told me, "No way.".)

6. Make the brains of the Wampa. Whatever you want to do that makes it puff out like a head. I used leftover fabric and just put rubber bands around it to keep it in a ball.

7. Sew the claws on the Wampa; 5 on each hand (I couldn't say for sure about the feet. We chose not to do the feet.). Your Wampa will still be inside out. When you sew the claws, you shouldn't see them sticking out. I wish I had made mine a little bit longer to give me more sewing room.

8. Turn the hands right side out to check that you sewed them on correctly. Turn it back inside out.

9. Put the brain inside the Wampa (shove it down out of your way). Sew up most of the Wampa, leaving space to get everything right-side out. Turn it right-side out.

10. Sew up the opening. The sewing machine was okay doing this part.

11. Make the face. I just used heavy duty glue for this (E6000). Cut out the grey vinyl in a football shape. Cut out the black vinyl in a smaller football shape. Cut out some scrap fleece in triangles for the teeth. Glue the grey onto the black then glue the teeth onto the black. For the eyes, just cut out grey vinyl in whatever shape that's supposed to be and cut the black vinyl for the eyes. Glue the eyes onto the grey.

12. Glue the face onto the Wampa. Watch out for where you want the fur to be-under the face or in the eyes.
13. Cut two small slits in the head for the horn then run the horn through the holes. I did put some Fray Check on the slits to keep the fur from shedding.
14. Sew behind the head to keep the brains in place. I just did a few really long stitches through the fur and backing.