In
Irish folklore, a leprechaun is a type of male faerie said to live on the island of Ireland. Their trade is typically a cobbler
or shoemaker. The leprechaun is said to be very wealthy with treasures buried in secret places. A popular belief is that you
may find a leprechaun and his pot of gold sitting at the end of a rainbow.
Have
fun creating your own leprechaun, see directions below. Kathy from The Shuttle Shop
in Warsaw, Indiana gave me the idea for the leprechaun. Thanks, Kathy!
The
leprechaun above was made using the Gnome & Mushroom pattern. Follow the gnome pattern exactly, the only differences
being the pointy-hat brim. Here, use two strands of green worsted weight yarn carried together rather than one strand. This
makes for a thicker, wider brim.This leprechaun was knit using Jo Sharp Classic DK weight, #354 Pine, and size 10-1/2 double point needles. I knit the shoes in green too, but
I would do them in black yarn next time.
The
beard was needle felted using 'pumpkin' wool roving. I made the beard long with a slight twist at the end just above the shoes.
Gold buttons adorn the green jacket. The fabric store sells a novelty trim called black 'pleather'. It comes in about a 3/8
to 1/2-inch wide band. The band has the look of fake leather. Wrap the band around the hat just at the brim, then attach a
gold buckle or button to the band. A black satin ribbon will work the same magic in place of the pleather. A small shamrock
using pale green wool roving was needle felted on the leprechaun's behind. And finally, stick a corn-cob pipe in his
mouth, see the gnome pattern for directions, and your leprechaun is ready for business.
Happy Saint Pat's Day!
