Buzz
Master the art of cutting, folding, and adhering DIY Shrek ears for a costume.
Procedures
Trimming the Components
Purchase light green felt. Acquire light green felt resembling Shrek's color from a fabric store or online. Felt typically comes in squares or rectangles measuring at least 8 in (20 cm) by 8 in (20 cm), sufficient for crafting Shrek ears.
- If buying in person, request a store employee to cut from a large roll to avoid surplus.
- When purchasing online, select a pack with assorted colors for future DIY projects.
Sketch a fan-shaped piece on the felt for 1 of the ears using a marker. Begin by drawing a straight horizontal line approximately 2–2.5 in (5.1–6.4 cm) in length. Then, draw a slightly longer curved horizontal line with downward-facing ends, positioned about 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm) above the first line. Connect the ends of these lines with 2 angled vertical lines.
- Don't fret too much about the angles of the side line; focus on ensuring the bottom is narrower than the top. You'll adjust the ears' shape when rolling and gluing the pieces together.
Hint: Start working from the edge of your felt to save as much felt as possible and avoid wastage.
Outline a circle with a diameter of about 1 in (2.5 cm). Draw the circle either just above or adjacent to the first shape you sketched. If drawing circles proves challenging, trace around something like a quarter. This circle serves as the ears' base.
- The circle need not be perfectly round; its purpose is to form the ears' bottom and attach them to the headband. You can trim any excess felt from the circles when gluing the ears together for a tidy finish.
Use scissors to carefully cut out the first 2 shapes you drew. Employ sharp all-purpose or fabric scissors for neat cutting of the fan shape and circle.
- Exercise caution when handling sharp scissors to avoid finger injuries.
Trace another fan shape for the second ear and 3 more circles for the ear bottoms.
Position the fan-shaped ear piece on the felt near the first cutout. Secure it in place and trace around it. Proceed to trace the circle piece 3 times on nearby felt.
- You'll utilize 2 circles per ear to affix the ears to the headband, hence the 4 instead of 2.
Use scissors to cut out the remaining pieces. Carefully cut around the second bread loaf shape, and then proceed to cut out the remaining 3 circle pieces.
- You can set the felt aside for now, but keep it nearby for the final steps in completing the ears. It will be used to cover the headband in green.
Assembling the Ears
Roll up each ear piece and secure them with glue where they overlap. Take one of the fan-shaped pieces and roll it into a cylinder, with a diameter of about 1 in (2.5 cm). Apply a line of super glue or hot glue along one of the overlapping sides, then press the sides together to form the ear in a funnel shape. Repeat this process for the other ear piece.
- Due to the tapered shape of the ear pieces, the top will naturally narrow up from the bottom, resembling Shrek's ears!
Attach the round pieces to the narrow bottom end of each ear piece using glue. Apply a line of super glue or hot glue around the rim of the bottom of an ear piece. Affix one of the circle pieces to the bottom to glue it in place. Repeat this step for the other ear.
- Don't worry if the circles don't fit perfectly—they can be trimmed for a better fit later.
Trim any excess felt from the round pieces. Carefully use scissors to cut off any extra felt around the base of one of Shrek's ears. Repeat this process for the other ear, if needed.
Allow the assembled ears to dry for approximately 10 minutes. Gently place the ears on a flat surface and leave them undisturbed for at least 10 minutes to allow the super glue or hot glue to set, ensuring the pieces bond securely.
Securely affix the ears symmetrically onto the top of a plastic headband. Apply a small amount of super glue or hot glue to one side of the headband, just above where your actual ears would be positioned. Position the Shrek ear so that it protrudes from your head at a 45-degree angle. Attach the circular bottom of the felt ear to the headband, then glue one of the remaining felt circle pieces underneath the headband and ear. Repeat this process for the other ear on the opposite side of the headband.
- Ensure that you firmly glue the remaining circle pieces underneath the ears to sandwich the headband between the felt pieces, securing the ears in place.
Wrap the exposed plastic headband with green felt, securing it in place as you proceed. Cut at least three long strips from the remaining felt. Apply a line of glue along the top and bottom of approximately one-third of the exposed plastic headband, starting from one end. Wrap the strip of felt tightly around the headband in a spiral fashion. Repeat this process for the remaining exposed sections of the headband until it is completely covered in green.
- This step provides the final touch to mimic Shrek's green, bald head with the headband. However, you may skip this step if you are only interested in the ears themselves.
Alternative suggestion: Alternatively, you can use a green headband to save time.
Useful Tips
- If you don’t plan on using felt for other projects, consider purchasing it from a fabric shop where they can cut a small piece for you, rather than ordering in bulk online.
- To enhance the appearance of your Shrek ears, gently pull up on the tips to stretch out the felt and give them a more flared look.
Cautionary Notes
- Exercise caution when using a hot glue gun to avoid touching the tip.
- Be careful while cutting felt with sharp scissors to prevent injury. Keep your fingers and other body parts away from the blades.
- If using super glue, take care to avoid contact with your skin.
Materials Needed
- Green felt
- Marker
- Scissors
- Super glue or hot glue gun
- Headband
