Lost a T. Rex Hand? Make Your Own Replacement Hands!

It’s all fun and games until someone loses a hand…and then T. Rex is sad.  I’ve yet to find a source for replacement hands, and with multiple requests on the blog and my friend’s wedding coming up in Las Vegas (she too is handless), I decided to make my own.  You can too!  I’ve digitized the dinosaur skin pattern and am sharing the pattern below.  Make your T. Rex happy again!

 

 

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You could search for the exact color match ripstop fabric at the fabric store (good luck with that insanity) or you could get a *close enough* orange shopping bag, which will be plenty of fabric for two replacement hands.  I found mine on Amazon (single: ChicoBag Original Compact Reusable Shopping Bag, Orange Peel or multiple: LIHI Ripstop Reusable Grocery Bags, 5PCS Orange).

 

 

You’re welcome to download the PDF pattern below, I made it one size fits most, it may need to be scaled for kids or men with huge hands (or if you just want more room).  Painting the dinosaur skin pattern is completely optional of course.  I cut my stencil on 2mm foam with my Cricut.

 

 

Painting ripstop/vinyl, it is recommended to use the appropriate paint (and keep in mind vigorous T. Rexing may rub off the paint anyway, so don’t blame me for your shenanigans).  I used Krylon Fusion All-In-One paint and primer in Black and Otter Brown as pictured above, but at minimum the paint should be for plastic (Krylon Fusion for Plastic Spray Paint, Satin Black and Krylon Fusion for Plastic Spray Paint, Satin Khaki).  Also, using magnets was very helpful in keeping light-as-a-feather foam from flying away during spray painting.  I *should’ve* used more magnets or a thicker foam as some of the detailed strips raised up during spraying.  I’m still absolutely fine with how they turned out!

 

 

I sprayed one layer of black first, let dry, then sprayed a light layer of the brown/khaki.  The black borders are the seam allowance so they won’t be visible.

 

 

With right sides together, a 5/8″ seam allowance was perfect.  While inside out, I turned in the base and strung an 8″ elastic strip (sewn or hot glued two elastic ends together).  I suppose a draw string would work just as well!  On the first hand I had to seam rip to get the elastic through, but on the second hand I cut the excess seam allowance so I didn’t have to cut anything.  Your method is up to you.

 

 

What do you think?  Better than naked human hands in an inflatable T. Rex costume?

Download my PDF Rex Replacement Hands pattern here:  TRexHandsPatternRSRW

And if you have any paint/fabric/stencil suggestions, please leave comments below for others.  Friends don’t let friends T. Rex alone!

 

 

Other T. Rex adventures on Red Shoes. Red Wine.

T. Rex Shenanigans (The Beginning)

How to Increase Your T. Rex Suit Awesomeness (Installing a 2nd Fan)

Costuming Jimmy Buffett/Margarita Guy from Jurassic World

Enchanted Rock Trip Report: Camping, T. Rexing, & Wine Tasting

Ghosts of Costumes Past: DragonCon 2016

 

     

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