October 29, 2018
Tutorial: “Soot Sprites”
by Rae Blackledge
I decided to dress up as Totoro for our employee Halloween party this year, of course, I needed to add in a little handmade touch to my costume.
Our Faux Fur Pom Poms were the perfect answer to add in a whimsical extra touch from the film. A few minutes of crafting let me create a handful of Soot Sprites, a must have for any Totoro costume.
Needed Supplies:
- Premier® Yarns Pom Pom – Large in POM-02 Panther
- 2” x 3” piece of white felt
- Small black buttons
- Scissors
- Tacky Glue
- Optional – 2-hole bar pin backs
Directions:
- Cut an elongated oval out of the felt for the first eye.

- Place the first eye back on the felt and cut around it for the second eye.

- Lay them out so they are mirror images of each other.

- Fold and cut a small slit in each eye for the back of the button to poke through. Before cutting it’s a good idea to play with the placement of where you want your buttons to sit, this is where your sprite will get his expression from.

- Insert the buttons through the slits.

- Place your Pom Pom with the attached ties against the table. Spread open the fur to get a smooth spot where you want your eyes to attach.

- Place a generous amount of tacky glue to the back of the eye, centered on the back of the button.

- Press the eye onto the Pom Pom.

- Repeat for the 2nd Let the Pom Pom sit undisturbed for about an hour to allow the glue to set up.
Optional – attach pin to Pom Pom so you can pin it onto a costume.
- Use the 2 ties that come attached at the bottom of the Pom Pom to attach a 2-hold bar pin back. Thread a tie through each hole and knot several times. Cut off leaving ties about an inch long.
