Skeleton in the Trunk - Car Decoration

Last year I saw Jo-Ann Stores had lower skeleton legs for sale. I immediately thought that a skeleton might have been unfortunate enough to get caught in my trunk (in my case my hatch)!

All I had to do was add some fabric and a piece of pipe to hold the legs in place and keep them from slipping out my hatch. Pretty simple for a fun car decoration!

Supplies

2 - Skeleton Legs (lower half). I was fortunate to get a left and right leg :-)

1 - Fabric. Enough to go from the leg into the trunk and around a piece of pipe. For my application about 5" x 22" was sufficient to make both legs. Go long so that you have enough - you can trim it shorter if necessary.

2 - 3/4" dia PVC pipe 2.5" long

Hot Glue Gun and Glue Stick

PVC Pipe Cutter

Scissors

Screw Driver

Tape Measure

Pen

Sharp Nail or Awl

Step 1: Prepare the Legs

I noted that the leg had part of the joint intended to connect to the rest of the skeleton. This would get in the way and be distracting. So I cut it off!

Step 2: Prepare the Cloth

I wanted to prevent the cloth from fraying so I wanted to add a hem. However, not everyone is handy with, or has access to, a sewing machine so I decided to 'sew' my seams with hot glue.

Just run a bead of hot glue and fold the cloth over. You can additionally seal the edge by running a second bead just under the edge of the cloth.

My finished cloth was about 2-1/4" wide (the width of the bone) and about 11" long.

Step 3: Fasten the Cloth to the Leg

I took the leg apart at the top by removing 3 screws. I marked the holes on the cloth and made holes with a nail for the screws to go through we I reassembled it. I put the screws back in their holes and pushed them through the cloth.

I then covered the joint with hot glue and screwed the halves back together.

This is a bit complicated for fastening cloth to a plastic skeleton leg.... So you can just hot glue the cloth to the back of the leg to make it easy if you desire!

Step 4: Determine the Plastic Pipe Location

I wanted to make sure the skeleton leg did not slip away and give someone driving behind me a 'life changing experience"... :-o

I took a look at the construction of how the rear hatch matched the rear of the car, paying particular attention to the space from the outside gasket joint, the bumper, and the interior trim. I put the parts into position, closed the hatch and went to the inside and marked the location of the tube.

If you are actually mounting in a trunk you might have to do some guess work unless you can get someone to be locked in a trunk with a flashlight and pen to mark you cloth for the tube location. (Just leave them in there until next Halloween and you'll have another skeleton to add to your collection -- Now I am just KIDDING!)

Step 5: Glue the Plastic Pipe to the Cloth

Cut your PVC pipe to size - mine was about 2-1/4".

Take the cloth and the plastic pipe and do a test fit to the mark you made, allowing for a hem. Cut the cloth to the right length. Put a 'hot glue hem' in the end of the cloth to keep it from fraying.

Apply hot glue all over the cloth and place the plastic pipe in position and roll the cloth over the pipe.

Repeat the process for the other leg...

You are just about finished!

Step 6: Install Your Skeleton Legs in the Trunk

Open your Hatch/Trunk and put the legs into position. Carefully close the Hatch/Trunk and there you have it, an unwilling traveller trapped in your vehicle!

Now drive around giving those following you a reason to give a BIG smile next Halloween Season!

Enjoy!