Sandworm Tree Garland

Hey ghouls and creeps! With us already two weeks into November, you know what that means, bring on the Creepmas tutorials! First up in the line up is this super cute and quirky sandworm garland, inspired by the Beetlejuice movie. The plan is to have a Tim Burton inspired tree this year, so this will be one of a couple Burton icons gracing our tree’s small but mighty branches this year. Since we live in a smaller living space, our tree is also smaller than standard. I see this as an opportunity to hopefully provide some decorating inspiration for all you small, average and large tree people out there! In addition, I really want to start repping the underrepresented little tree as a more than worthy contender to its 9’< comrades. Let’s do this!

The sandworm tree garland project does require a little time dedication and focus to accomplish. It can also be a little tricky negotiating some of the Poly-filled head parts through the sewing machine. However, if you are looking for a challenge this sandworm is so worth the effort!

*All seam allowances are a 1/4” unless otherwise stated.

Step 1: Cutting Your Pieces: Download the PDF below to cut the pieces for your sandworm! Follow cutting instructions and fabric details on each pattern.

Step 2: Assembling Small Head: Begin by separating out the pieces for the small head from your stack of cut pieces. Take tongue halves and put right sides together. Sew around edge, making sure to leave to back of the tongue open for turning and stuffing. Trim to remove excess fabric at the tip of the tongue (be careful not to remove too much though!), Turn the tongue right side out and use a bodkin to poke out the tip completely.

Fill the tongue with poly-fil, making sure that the back of the tongue can still go through your sewing machine. Fold tongue in half, matching seams on the top and bottom and pin to the center back of one of the mouth pieces. Stitch an 1/8” from the edge back and forth over the tongue to keep in place. Audit your work by checking to make sure that all layers were caught in your stitch line.

Take both red mouth pieces and use the notches on the pattern to evenly distribute teeth. Pin teeth in place, and stitch along the bottom of each 1/8” from the edge.

Using the light pink bias (the gums), match raw edges along the front of the mouth. Sew together, and clip around curves within the seam allowance. This will allow the seam to appear smoother when turned right side out. Repeat this step for the other mouth piece.

Fold turquoise bias (the lips) in half lengthwise and press. Align the raw edges of the turquoise bias with the other side of the light pink bias on the mouth pieces, and sew in place.

Take white bottom jaw piece, and lay with right sides together on mouth piece with tongue. Stitch around the front of jaw, leaving back open for turning. Pro-tip: Sew these pieces together with the red side on top, this way you can see the seam where the lips connect with the gums. Stitch directly on top of these stitches to conceal them. Careful to not catch the seam where the gums were sewn to the mouth pieces, this will make your pieces lay weird! Clip around curves and turn bottom jaw right side out.

Punch out reference marks on small head pattern with a hole punch. Use the pattern as a template to transfer red dot placement. Before transferring marks, be sure to mirror head pieces. I used a pencil to make my marks on my fabric, and then painted over them.

Peel paper backing off eye appliques and iron in place, using the placement guide on the pattern for reference. Edge stitch around appliques with matching thread.

With right sides together, stitch around the top of the head, leaving bottom and back open.

Clip around curve and place on top of remaining mouth piece with right sides together. Sew around the front of the jaw, leaving back edge open. Trim notches around jaw curve, and turn right side out.

Step 3: Assembling Large Head: In pairs, place teeth pieces with right sides together. Stitch around the perimeter of each pair, leaving the bottom edge open for turning. Trim excess fabric away from teeth points, and turn pairs right side out.

Take both red pieces for the large head, and use the notches on the pattern to evenly distribute teeth. Pin teeth in place, and stitch along the bottom of each 1/8” from the edge. Fold turquoise bias in half lengthwise and press. Line up raw edges of the turquoise bias with the front edge of each jaw piece, and stitch together.

Take both halves of the small head, and place on top of the mouth parts for the big head. Centering small head halves, and lining up back edges, stitch between the layers of the small head. Stitch in a straight line down the center of the large head’s mouth for about 2 1/2”. This will keep the mouth of the big head flush with the outside of the small head.

Fill the small head’s halves with poly-fil. Stitch back edges together, about an 1/8” from the edge.

Place black bottom jaw piece on top of the mouth piece attached to the bottom jaw of the small head. Stitch around the front of the jaw, leaving the back open. Clip curve, and turn right side out. Piece together the outside of the top jaw. Once complete, lay with right sides together, on top of remaining mouth piece set. Stitch around the front of the jaw, leaving the back edge open. Clip curve, and turn right side out.

Put the top jaw parts on top of the bottom jaw parts. Line up the back edge, matching centers of the small head and the lips and gums. Pin in place and stitch only the mouth parts of the large head and the small head together, exempt the outside layers of the big head. I found that this was a little too bulky for my sewing machine, so I opted to do a tight hand stitch to make my seam. Be sure to stitch the full width (or corner to corner) of the large head’s mouth.

Step 4: Making the Body: Use the piecing diagram below for assembly sequence. Each band will be referenced by the number in the order that is attached.

Take band one, and iron eye appliques centering them in relation to the top, bottom and sides 4″ apart. Edge stitch appliques with matching thread.

Fold band in half width wise, with right sides together, and seam the ends. Place eye band around mouth parts. Match the center bottom and top of the band with the center of the outside layers of the big head’s top and bottom jaws. Stitch all the way around, catching the corners of the big head’s mouth adequately.

Put fin parts together, right sides together, and sew around the perimeter leaving bottom edge open. Trim excess material away from the fin tip, and turn right side out.

Fill the fin with poly-fil, and center it on one of the ends of band two. Fold band two in half width wise with the fin in between the band layers. Seam the short ends, making sure to catch all fin and band layers.

Match top and bottom centers of band one and two and pin in place. Stitch completely around body circumference. Repeat these steps with exception to the fin steps for bands three and four.

Cut four strips white and four strips black all measuring 3”XWOF (width of fabric). Seam them together alternating colors until you’re out of strips.

Cut the width of the material down into 10” increments, you should be able to get four sets.

Seam the ends of your sets together to make one continuous strip.

Fold your strip in half lengthwise with right sides together and stitch about 12” in from one end to begin creating your body tube.

Take the tubed end of the body strip and line it up with the raw edge of the last band attached to the head. Stitch around the circumference of the tube.

Starting from the tail end of the body strip, continue seaming your strip into a tube. Keep sewing until you reach the point where you will leave a 3” opening in your tube. This opening is to be able to turn the rest of your body tube right side out.

Sew your tail point, by putting these pieces right sides together and stitching all the way around with exception to the bottom edge. Trim excess fabric away from tip, and turn right side out. Line up raw edges with the end of the body tube, and sew around the circumference. Turn the second half of the body tube right side out through 3” opening.

Use the 3” opening to fill the big head with poly-fil up until the back edge of the third band. I then did a tight hand stitch to seal off the poly-fil by stitching in the ditch of the third and fourth bands. Slipstitch the 3” opening closed. Press the body so it’s crisp, clean and flawless!

Congrats you finished this bear of a project! Now you have your own sandworm garland! Use it to decorate your Christmas tree, in a Nursery or as bedroom decor of a Beetlejuice super fan!

Liking the content you see here on Britni Jade DIY? Make sure to subscribe to the email list and follow Britni Jade DIY on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! Links are provided below!

Ready for your next project? Here are some tutorials on the blog I think you’ll like! Frame Flip tutorial: https://britnijade.com/frame-flip/, Macrame Wall Hanging: https://britnijade.com/macrame-wall-hanging-w-bones/, or the Spider Web Macrame: https://britnijade.com/spider-web-macrame/. Enjoy!