Leprechaun Large Hanging Wall Decoration

Hanging decoration for St. Patrick’s Day is composed 

of head/torso under which arms and legs can be attached 

(either permanently or with temp adhesive to facilitate 

disassembly and storage.) All components are assembled 

of multiple shapes that are glued together and pressed 

under flat weights for sturdy thickness then fit together. 

Accent shapes provide abundant details 

for features and clothing. 

Figure measures approx. 15.5” wide x 16.2” long 

when fully assembled. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the foundation shapes:

A torso/head main shape (4)

B torso/head "bottom" layer with post triangle cutouts

C torso/head underneath layers (with arm & leg insert areas)

D post triangles: 4 sets of 5 each

E & F right & left arm shapes (4 each)

G & H right & left leg shapes (4 each)

NOTE: the sample was created with layered beige solid

papers from more than one paper pad, where dye lots

were obviously slightly different; when layered and

glued up, only the outside layers are visible.

TIP: Paper selection for accent front layer for all other

components should probably follow here, but since

the layering and glue up requires possible "overnight"

multiple hours to be assembled and pressed for complete

drying, it is suggested that assembly SKIP to Step 6.

to complete those steps.

2. Select and cut the shapes for the torso/head:

vest with collar, face base, beard, eyes and brows,

nose, mustache, mouth (inner) and lower lip

not shown: pants waist/crotch semi-circle

3. Select and cut the shapes for the hat and bowtie:

shamrock base and top shaped layer,

hat crown, band, brim and buckle,

bowtie base, bow loops and knot. 

4. Select and cut the shapes for the arms/hands:

hand base (show-thru for hand contrast),

hand overlay, cuff with button, sleeve.

5. Select and cut the shapes for the legs and feet:

pants with buttons, hose/leg, bootie top, band with buckle,

bootie bottom, heel stack and show-thru underlay.

6. Layer the multiple shapes for leg and arms

and glue together, taking care to line up as precisely

as possible all cut edges and post cutout windows.

Once multiple shapes are stacked and glued, press each

stack under a flat, heavy object such as this thick book volume

(or several), wood planks, fabric-covered re-purposed free weight

 bars, etc. Leave under the weight until liquid adhesive is

completely and thoroughly dried to avoid or minimize

curling or warping that will otherwise occur.

The drying process may require several hours or over night.

NOTE: this pressing process is recommended for ALL steps

where large shapes are layered and glued together

with liquid adhesive, including stacks and accent assemblies.

7. Repeat the stacking and gluing process for the head/torso

shapes: A) back built up layers with cutout shaping to

accept arm ends and tops of legs;

B) main torso/head layers and . . . 

. . . bottom layer with triangle post position cutouts.

8. When the above A and B stacks are completed,

pressed and dried, position the back stack onto

the backside of the main torso/head stack

(on the post cutouts layer), attach in place

and press to allow for final thorough drying.

9. Prepare the triangle post stacks by layering and

gluing 5 triangle cutouts into each of 4 stacks, 

carefully lining up cut edges; press stacks until dry.

10. Position each stack and securely glue in place

in each of the four triangle cutouts on the torso/head

assembly, shown here in closeup, and . . . 

. . . here with broader view; press with weights

to help secure in place.

11. Assemble and glue together the torso/head

accent clusters:

A) position and attach beard on top of face base;

B) position lower lip shape under mouth opening,

centered, with corresponding edges aligned;

C) position and attach nose onto mustache base

then position and attach above mouth cutout;

D) position and attach collar along top edge of vest

E) position and attach eyebrows above eye cutouts

NOTE: some shapes will be saved to attach in place

once the assemblies are attached to built-up base:

eye circles; inner mouth, vest buttons

12. Assemble and glue together the hat and bowtie units:

A) layer shamrock shaped layer onto base;

B) layer hat crown with band on top aligned at

lower edge, brim aligned at lower edge over band,

buckle fit into place near center with lower edges

abutting brim;

C) bowtie base with loops shapes on top, knot

roundish shape over center where edges align.

13. Assemble the torso/head accent shapes onto

the built-up base:

A) position and attach pants semi-circle at bottom,

centered, with offset margin along curve edge;

B) position and attach vest/collar unit overlapping pants shape,

centered, with side edges of vest offset in from stack side

edges where the shaping matches; add vest buttons;

C) position and attach hat unit at top of stack,

with hang hole matched, even offset margins

around sides and top;

D) position and attach head/face unit centered, with top edge

snugly abutted under hat brim edge, beard overlapped

onto collar/vest unit;

E) position and attach bowtie unit;

F) position and attach eyes into socket cutouts,

inner mouth into mouth socket cutout;

G) position and attach shamrock onto hat.

14. Pre-assemble arms and hands units:

A) layer hands overlay over contrast base layers

(NOTE: the model cardstock base contrast layer

was hybrid-ed to conserve the contrast selected paper

by cutting a different [non-showing] cardstock and

joining the contrast with abutted ends; normally one piece)

B) position and attach cuffs snugly against hand overlay

straight edge, and add button;

C) position and attach sleeve snugly against cuff straight edge.

15. Complete the arm/hand units by centering

the unit from step 13 onto the layered arm base,

with post hole edges aligned, and even offset margin

 all around, and gluing in place.

16. Pre-assemble the bootie units by layering

onto the base show-thru shape the bootie bottom,

band, bootie top shape, snugly abutting and aligning

edges at each addition; add buckles.

17. Complete leg assembly by positioning and attaching

onto the built-up stacks:

A) pant leg with adjacent straight edges aligned exactly

with corresponding straight edges of built up stack,

triangle post opening aligned, and even offset margin

at inner and outer leg edges as shown; add buttons;

B) hose shape abutted snugly along pant lower edge

with offset margins at sides;

C) bootie assembly under hose shape with

shaped edges abutted snugly, offset margins

around bootie edges;

D) heel stack snugly abutted under bootie edge.

18. Prepare to assemble the figure by positioning

arms (thumbs up) behind torso edge . . . 

. . . with rounded inward end oriented to fit triangle opening

over post of torso. Other members fit similarly,

with leg straight edges snugly abutting the torso shaped

cutout edges and each other at centerline.

Legs and arms will probably NOT stay in place without

adhesive assistance. If storage of the large format is NOT

an issue, glue or permanently join the member in place.

If disassembly is desirable, use a "temp" tape adhesive

(NOT SHOWN) to keep legs and arms in place during display.

Here is the figure fully assembled.

If desired, attach a ribbon or string loop

through top hang hole, or simply insert over a wall nail.

St. Patrick's Day Greetings and Happy Hijinks!

Leprechaun Torso 3D Block

Multi-facet shaped box has edge that forms around 

the leprechaun body, arms, beard and hat to create a whimsical 

and unique display “block” for St. Patrick’s 

Day decor. Build the box “lid” and “base”, fit together, 

then add decorative shapes, including a nose circle 

cut out for optional 1/2” wooden “plug” mushroom 

to add even more dimension. 

Measures approx. 7.125” wide x 8.25” tall x 

1.75” deep when assembled. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A Lid front panel (with nose hole)
B Lid top boxing strip
C Lid right side boxing strip
D Lid left side boxing strip
E Lid bottom boxing strip
F Base back panel
G Base top boxing strip
H Base right side boxing strip
I Base left side boxing strip
J Base bottom boxing strip
L Hat area cross brace
M Neck area cross brace
N Upper (triangle) support strip
O Mid (square) support strip

P* jacket accent   Q* head/hands accent
R hat band strip   S hat main base
T hat band base  U hat band contrast  V Hat buckle
W beard shape   X eye circles
(Wood mushroom plug NOSE shown below eyes:
if preferred cut nose circle(s) in place of plug)
Z shamrock    Y belt
*these shapes have been modified in final version

2.  Begin the leprechaun front panel assembly

by layering hat band contrast onto base,

with buckle on top, and attaching all together.

Position and attach belt and shamrock using

hole punch as a guide.

3. Continue assembly by positioning and attaching 
hat brim over lower portion of hat,
shirt over lower portion of body so that sleeve
end "straight edge" aligns at similar shape at hand.

4. Complete assembly by positioning and attaching
hat band over hat crown so that buckle is above brim.
Position beard shape so that top straight edges
align, and so that head/face edges are concealed.
NOTE: if using liquid adhesive, consider placing
the assemblies under flat weights to press flat
until glue is completely dry, to avoid warping or curling.

5. Locate the cut symbols in the end tabs or

near ends of each of boxing strips for LID and

BASE. NOTE that the base symbols are "double" symbols.

Refer to this illustration to see where the boxing strip

ends will join, according to the symbols on each strip.

Also NOTE that there is a tiny 'T' cut into the TOP

panel's flange as shown here.

6. Prepare the boxing strips for LID and BASE

by bending back on all segment ends and flanges.

Become familiar with the symbols cut into end tabs

and flanges. Here is the right end of TOP strip

with the single circle punch cut into top flange,

which corresponds with . . . 

. . . the end tab/flange of the right side boxing strip
flange which has a single circle symbol.
(BASE boxing strips will follow similar, mirror
image pattern with double symbols.)

7. Arrange the boxing strips around the LID front
panel, re-bending the strip perforations to follow
the shape angles (inward or outward).
Coordinating the symbols at strip ends will help
to get the strips in the correct position.
With the LID face up as shown, the boxing strips
should have the attachment flanges at top,
just as if the front panel could be placed on
top of them to assemble the LID.
(BASE will follow similar pattern, but will be
appropriately arranged in mirror image as designed.)

8. Start boxing assembly at TOP of front panel,

positioning the 'T' flange next to the top edge

of panel, then overlap panel's straight edge over

flange to align at perf line, then adjust for

end to end alignment, and glue in place.

9. Bend the next segments of boxing into position
along the front panel edges, overlap and align
edges with flange perf edges, and glue each in place.
Work for more accurate alignment as each is joined.

10. Repeat step 9 for the opposite side segments
of hat area.

11. Position the right side boxing strip end flange
next to the end of TOP strip, overlap straight edge
over end flange, adjust for ends alignment, and join.

12. Bend the boxing strip into position to overlap
panel straight edge to corresponding flange perf edge,
and join. Continue in the same fashion to position,
align/adjust and join each segment flange in place
along the front panel edge. Align and join all segments
of the right side strip.

13. Position and join the bottom boxing strip end
to bottom end of right side boxing strip,
then continue in same manner to position and join
segments to corresponding edges of front panel.
14. Join the left side strip and join in place in same manner,
pausing when the final two segments need to be joined . . .

. . . to apply adhesive to the final end flange tab
so that the final segments AND end flange can
be positioned and join in the same step.
15. Repeat steps 8-14 to prepare BASE in same way.

16. Prepare the neck area cross brace by bending
end flanges back.
DO NOT bend back end flanges 
of longer hat brace strip.

16. Position neck cross brace inside the BASE
across the narrowest expanse at neck angles.
Attach each end tab to walls to help stabilize
the base shape. 

17. Position the hat cross brace in similar manner,

except the end tabs can simply be laid on top of

lower hat angle, perforations aligned at angle,

and glued in place.

18. Prepare the interior triangle (bottom) and
square supports by bending back on all segment
ends and end flange perforations, and bend
upper and lower edge tabs forward, as shown.

19. Form the supports into rings to join end 

edges and flanges.

20. Apply glue to bottom tabs of each support
(in turn), then position each, centered, as shown here:
triangle support in hat area, square support in
body area. Apply pressure to secure in place.

21. Position the leprechaun head/body assembly

on the front panel, with offset edges all around,

and with nose circle cutouts aligned as indicated

and attach in place.

22. Position the hat assembly above the head

with straight edges abutted together,

and attach in place.

23. Glue eye circles into eye recesses.

Position, insert and glue in place the painted

nose mushroom button. Or, alternately, position

and attach the paper nose circle or stack of circles

over the hole.

24. Apply glue to the support top tabs, and . . . 

. . . to the lower margin along BASE boxing strips

all around, then . . . 

. . . position and slide the LID onto the BASE.

Quickly apply pressure all around - and especially

at inward angles - to make sure

that the LID shape conforms to the stabilized BASE

shape. Use heavy objects placed next to and touching

the boxing strips in strategic positions as necessary

to assist with this until the glue is dry.

Here is the completed leprechaun torso box.

(Pssst: here's a secret --
the leprechaun torso box fits very neatly on top
of the "Irish Blessings Blocks Ensemble"
for an extra special combination display!)