Easy Sewn Wolverine Claws + Pattern

Hello, Folks.

We're slowly getting Halloween ready in this home.  This guy decided months ago that he wanted to be Wolverine.  I don't know why, but the idea has stuck so we're going with it.  Two days ago he asked me when I was going to start on his costume-- and could I pleeeeeease do the claws first?

Well, I spent a little while thinking things out as I always do and was inspired by these claws found on Ebay.  Then using the felt I already had on hand I made up some easy sewn wolverine claws.

Here's how I did it:

MATERIALS:

1.  Gray felt

2. Dark Blue felt

3. Hot Glue

4. Cotton

5. Printed out Wolverine Claw Pattern

STEP ONE:  The Wolverine Claw Pattern that I have was made specifically for my 4 1/2 year old son.  It fits him, so to speak, like a glove.  You can either use this pattern and adjust it from there or make your own.  Here's how to make your own pattern:

Trace around your child's hand, going up n the sides where you want the glove to end.

  Add about a 1/2" on all sides for the correct glove side.

STEP TWO: Using the wolverine pattern mentioned or your own, cut out six pieces of felt for your glove pieces.

STEP THREE:  Cut out 12 claw pieces.

STEP FOUR:  Sew around the sides of the claw, leaving the bottom open.

STEP FOUR:  Clip on the curves so it will turn inside out easily.

STEP FIVE:  Turn right side out, using a pin.  Make sure to get the very tip turned out.  Repeat for all 6 claw pieces.

STEP SIX: Mark where you want your claws to go and how long on two of your glove pieces.

STEP SEVEN:  Using a seam ripper make a teeny hole, then very carefully cut the six straight lines.  I used my teeny embroidery scissors.

STEP EIGHT:  Stuff each claw with cotton.  

Try to find a nice balance between full, but not over stuffed. 

STEP NINE: Place each claw in the slit in the glove top.

STEP TEN:  Spread out the bottom of the claw and hot glue down, attaching the underside of the claw to the glove.  Repeat for both gloves.

STEP ELEVEN:  Hot glue one glove piece to the back of the clawed glove piece. Sealing the hot glued ends together. Repeat for both gloves.

STEP TWELVE:  Sew in the ends that won't be sewn to the extra glove piece, across the top of the gloves, the thumbs, and the bottom and up the sides.  As pictured below.

STEP THIRTEEN:  Last step is to sew the glove pieces to the back (unused) glove piece.  Sew together in the places shown below (but of course not actually on the claws-- pretend the claws were moved out of the way).  I have to leave a part open so they would open enough to fit his fist.

You can see they split open on the sides, which he thinks is really cool.

Now go get your inner Wolverine on.

"Oh, yeah!!"  As soon as he put these on I heard things like, "You wanna fight bad guys?"  "You want me to slice that door off?"  and "I have to be careful what I grab or I could slice things all up."

Now imagine these claws with the rest of his outfit...maybe a little something like this:

Imagination rendered below.

And we'll be all set.  I've got some sewing ahead of me.