L is for Llama and also for lovable with this DIY plush llama decor. This cute llama wall art is perfect for a nursery or kids room. It’s an easy-to-do project using supplies like cardboard, felt, fluffy fake fur, and a hot glue gun. The FREE llama pattern and step by step directions in the tutorial below will help you create your own version for your favorite little person.
Designed to look like an oversized alphabet card, this dimensional wall decor measures 36 inches tall. It makes a statement no matter where you hang it.
Soothing colors + all of that plush softness = irresistible kids room art.
This baby llama decor is an easy weekend project—- you can make it start-to-finish in a few hours.
Have fun creating!
gather these supplies for your llama decor
- fake fur (a little less than 1 yd)
- fleece or felt (1/3 of a yard)
- button for eye
- scissors
- hot glue gun and glue sticks
- sheet of cardboard or foam board
- quilt batting (optional, but nice for adding plush softness)
- X-Acto knife or craft knife (for cutting cardboard)
- 24 x 36 wood panel to use as a background frame
- alphabet stencils or Citrasolv for transferring letters
- epoxy adhesive like Gorilla Clear Epoxy or JB Weld Clear Epoxy for attaching llama to wood panel frame
step 1: download the free llama pattern
Download the free llama pattern. Your llama pattern will print out on 9 separate pages. Arrange the pages together as shown below.
Use scissors to cut out the pieces, and tape together to make a giant llama shape. Then use a pencil to trace around the pattern onto sturdy cardboard or foam board.
Now use a craft knife or X-Acto knife to cut the llama shape out of the cardboard or foam board.
step 2: make your llama decor
Cut shapes from either felt or fleece to use for covering the legs and nose.
A little double-sided tape or Pellon double-sided fabric adhesive works great for securing the felt in place on the front side of the legs.
Flip the llama over to the back. Fold the felt or fleece over the edges of the cardboard, and use hot glue to attach the raw edges to the back. For tight curves, like the narrow tips of the legs, it helps to use scissors to cut notches in the fabric so that it is easier to wrap and glue.
When you flip the llama back to the front, it should look like this.
This next step is optional but will definitely add to the plush feel of your llama art—cut several layers of quilt batting to pad the cardboard. This will be sandwiched in between the cardboard and the fake fur. Four layers of natural, organic cotton batting are shown in the photo below, but polyester batting will also work.
Next, cut the fake fur layer that will go on top. Cut the fur with a wide margin so that there will be enough to wrap around the thick layers of batting as well as the cardboard.
This fluffy fake fur came from JoAnn, but any well-stocked fabric store will have a multitude of options.
Sandwich the batting between the cardboard and fake fur. Then wrap the fur around the cardboard edge, and secure to back of cardboard with hot glue. To ease with wrapping, cut slits in the fabric near legs and neck so that the fake fur will stretch around corners.
Add a button eye. You can hot glue the button in place, but since a button can be a choking hazard, it’s a good idea to use needle and thread to secure it, if possible.
For ears, use the oval llama ear pattern to cut 2 ears from felt or fleece. Then fold each ear in half, lengthwise, and use glue to attach to the head.
Your adorable llama is now done, and ready to attach to a wood panel.
to attach the plush llama to a wood panel—
Trying to glue the back of the llama directly to a wood panel can be tricky because the fur wrapped edges make it difficult for the cardboard back to lie flat against the wood surface.
A better method is to use clear epoxy glue to adhere thin wood strips (such as paint stir sticks) to the llama’s cardboard back. As soon as the adhesive has set (usually in less than 15 minutes), apply additional epoxy glue to those wood strips and adhere the llama to the center front of the wood panel.
A 24 x 36 inch Ampersand birch wood painting panel, painted white, was used for the llama art below.
to make the alphabet card lettering
To create the capital L at the top of the art, and also the word “llama” at the bottom, you can free-hand the letters, use stencils, or try transferring the text with a creative method such as using Citrasolv. Here is how the Citrasolv method works:
Print this “L” and “llama” downloadable text using a toner-based, laser printer at home (or have the text printed at an office supply store like Staples, Kinko’s or Office Depot on a toner-based printer). Inkjet copies will not work.
When printed, the letters will be in reverse.
Tape the two sections together to form the word “llama”. Then position the word face down, centered at the bottom of the painted wood background board. Secure with tape. Sensitive surface tape is perfect for this.
Next dampen cotton balls with Citrasolv. Apply to the paper, just enough to dampen but not over saturate.
Use the back or rounded handle of a metal spoon to rub firmly over the letters, several times. This will cause the toner pigment to transfer from the paper to the surface of the painted wood panel.
The visibility of the letters will be light to medium.
Next use paint that matches your room decor to paint over the letters. Sensitive surface painter’s tape can help you get crisp straight lines.
Your adorable 3D plush llama wall decor is now ready to decorate the room of someone you love!
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