How To Make A Felt Dinosaur Purse Tutorial

We are so excited to share this adorable handbag tutorial with you! These little dinosaur bags are a hit wherever they go with us and we’ve been wanting to share them with you. Many people ask us if we sell them, but (as you will see) they are quite a labor of love and we can’t pump these guys out fast enough. That’s why we decided to create this SUPER detailed, step-by-step tutorial for those of you who want to build your own and customize it with your own colors to fit your wardrobe and personality!

Please share your completed dinosaur creations with us! We can’t wait to see you wearing these cuties around. Tag us on Instagram @dapperanimals and use our hashtags #livethecutelife, #dapperanimals.

Step 1: Gather Your Dinosaur Felt Bag Materials!

The very first step for a successful crafting session is having all your materials in hand. There’s nothing more frustrating than starting a project and having to stop to find a missing material or tool. Below is a list of all the materials and tools you will need to complete this adorable dinosaur felt purse tutorial.

• Dinosaur Bag Template
• 8 felt sheets (12″x 9″). Choose 2 contrasting colors.
• Cardboard
• White Construction Paper
• Masking Tape
• Paper scissors
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing needle
• Sharpie
• Glue Gun
• Glue Sticks

Step 2: Download, Print, & Cut Template

Once you’ve downloaded your template above, print the FREE Dinosaur Bag template on 11″x17″ paper. If you don’t have a large format printer, go to a Fedex or Office Depot to print the two page template.

Then cut every shape on the template.

Step 3: Trace Template Pieces

The template will tell you how many times to trace each shape. It will also specify what material each shape needs to be. For example, the arm says “2x Cardboard” and “4x Felt”. This means you will need to cut 2 cardboard arms and 4 felt arms.

Tracing the felt scallops

The template has a circle called scallops. This will be the scales all over the dinosaur bag. It says to cut a GAZILLION, but more specifically you will need to cut 8 sheets of felt (12″ x 9″) – four sheets of each color. The dinosaur we are making has two contrasting colors.

Cutting a gazillion circles will be easier if you use a Sizzix, Cricut, or felt puncher. If you decide you do this by hand, fabric scissors will definitely be better than paper scissors.

Step 4: Curve the Belly Cardboard Piece

Now that you have cut out all your cardboard pieces, curve the belly piece along the ridges of the cardboard.

Step 5: Tape The Curved Belly to the 2 Side Pieces

Tape the belly to both sides of the dinosaur using masking tape. Start with the two pointy ends that make up the tail. Make sure all the pieces are flush and sturdy.

Step 6: Tape the “Face” Sides of The Head with the “Top of The Head” Piece

When taping these three pieces together, the “Top of Head” piece fits perfectly in the slant of the side “Face” pieces. This helps make sure you tape it in the correct direction.

Step 7: Tape the “Top” Piece Along the Edges of the “Face” Pieces

Tape the “Top” Piece all along the “Face” cardboard pieces until you reach the round bottom part of the face. Whenever you reach the edge of the face, bend the cardboard to match the rest of the face.

Fold The Jaw

Fold the remainder cardboard piece once more leaving a quarter inch piece of cardboard left. The new fold is the dinosaur’s lower jaw. Tape the 2 pieces of cardboard you just folded together. Watch the video tutorial to see how we fold & tape the jaw.

Step 8: Glue & Tape Dinosaur Head To Body

Using the remaining quarter inch of cardboard from the “Top” piece, glue the head to the body. Once the glue dries, tape the head to the body to make sure it’s secure.

Tape The Head To The Body From The Inside

Use the remaining “Belly” piece of cardboard to attach the head of the dinosaur to the body from within the bag.

Step 9: Add The Neck Piece To The Head

Fold the cardboard at the two dips of the “Neck” piece.

Insert the neck piece into the bottom of the head and tape it together.

Step 10: Cover the Arms and Legs with Felt

Using a glue gun wrap the side piece all around the arms and legs – small sections at a time. Don’t glue the entire arm because the glue will dry before you place all the felt. Use the needle to wedge the felt between the fingers. (See video tutorial for details).

Then, glue the flat felt piece on top and bottom of each arm and leg.

Step 11: Glue Legs To Body

Test the position of the legs before attaching them to the body. You want to make sure your dinosaur doesn’t fall forward when it’s standing on its own. Once you know the correct position, using the glue gun, use lots of glue to attach the legs.

Step 12: Glue Scallops To Body & Head

Scallop The Belly

Start gluing in the middle of the belly with one line of overlapping felt circles. We like to use the darker color of felt on the belly. Glue all the circles from the middle of the belly in rows towards the tail. Then, repeat the process from the middle towards the head.

Scallop Sides

Glue the brighter color felt circles on the body starting at the bottom next to the leg. Work your way up gluing rows of circles until you reach and cover the head.

Scallop Head

Step 13: Glue Arms

Pick the spot where you’d like to glue your arms. Make sure to only add glue to half of the arm, because the other half of the arm will be sticking out. Use plenty of glue to make sure they don’t fall off.

Step 14: Make & Glue Teeth

Cut Out Teeth

Trace the teeth template on white felt and white construction paper and cut out.

Build Teeth

Using a ruler, fold the construction paper teeth so that only the pointy teeth are showing. Cut the felt teeth to fit the folded pointy teeth and glue the felt to the construction paper using your glue gun.

Insert the teeth into the side of the jaw to measure the length of teeth. Fold the teeth at each corner of the mouth by cutting a slit on the construction paper. The teeth will look like a little set of dentures when you are completed.

Glue Teeth

Glue the teeth to the top of the mouth using the folded piece of construction paper.

Final Step 15 Glue Eyes:

Using the glue gun, glue the eyes on each side of the face.

Congrats! You made a Felt Dinosaur Bag!

Now show us your completed adorable dinosaur bag! We can’t wait to see you wearing these cuties around.

Tag us on Instagram @dapperanimals and use our hashtags #livethecutelife, #dapperanimals.