Introduction: Pardon My Duct Tape Turkey-- Happy Thanksgiving

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About: Let the fun begin. I am Tofugami. Please check out my other sites to more fun DIYs on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and tofugami.com

It's that dreaded time of the year when every turkey sweats joining the Thanksgiving Day dinner table. And all turkeys around the U.S. are hoping to be that one, lucky turkey that the President will pardon so that he may get to live many happy years without ever fearing the holiday seasons again.

Well, I say, let there be turkeys who may join us in giving thanks without worrying that they will be on the chopping block, to be stuffed, cooked, and feasted on.

And hence my idea for the duct tape turkey that will join in on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table without fear. Pardon My Duct Tape Turkey but he's just too cute and too small to cook.

The "ingredients" you will need to make a duct tape turkey are:
-duct tape rolls (colors: brown, black, yellow, orange, red, and white)
-scissor (titanium works best for cutting without getting too sticky)
-self-healing cutting mat or a ruler
-pen
-cardboard
-wax paper
-duct tape scraps, plastic bags or paper scraps
-optional: razor or X-Acto cutter








Step 1: Turkey Skeleton

The basic turkey skeleton is the body, head, and the neck. I work a lot with duct tape and because it can be pricey, I always save the scraps/ leftovers pieces and the mishaps (such as my duct tape roses). If you don't have a pile of this laying around, you can use plastic bags or paper scraps.


1) Rolled scraps into a 1 and 1/2 inch ball for the head. Roll a 3 inches round for the body. The 1 inch neck neck is rolled as a more slightly coned shaped in which I trimmed the ends off. When rolling used duct tape for the body parts, roll the tape firm but not too compact. It should still have some give to allow for being able to press down a shape if need be. When shaping the body, the body starts off round but gradually there are two sides that are slightly flatter. The bottom should be flat enough so that the turkey can and be stable. The back should also be slightly flat to allow for the tail. Smooth over bumps by cutting duct tape and covering the pieces with brown duct tape. *Note that in the picture I used brown and yellow so that you can see better details.
(Pics 1-3 is head, 4-5 is body, and 6-8 is neck.)

2) For the neck cut 2 piece of brown tape that is 2 inches long. Gently roll the cut tape to cover the neck on one side then the other. Carefully cut several incisions (1/4 inch apart) lengthwise into the tape from the edge of the tape towards the neck. Do this on both sides. Then attach the bottom sticky pieces on to the body and the head. Secure with more duct tape if necessary.

Step 2: Dress the Feathers and Wings

1) Draw on cardboard and cut 2 wings in size of 2 inches x 1 inches in shape as shown in picture 1. They are shaped slightly like a jelly bean with one side smaller than the other side. Using brown tape cover both sides of the wings and re-cut to shape. Using brown tapes add wings to body. Make sure that only the front of the wings is taped down so that the turkey has freedom to flap his wings.

2) To make feathers cut off brown duct tape 1 and 1/ 2 inches long. Fold lengthwise a third of that piece down so that only 1/3 of the sticky is left showing. Then cut vertically up and down the pieces to make app. 5 pieces equal lengthen. To add a nice dimension to the feathers tapered the feathers by slightly cutting off at an angle the sides of the feathers, so that the sticky side is tapered but not too noticeable. For the brown feathers, you will need 150-200 individual feathers. But make them as you go. (Pic 3)

3) Using the same technique as for the brown feathers, cut 8 individual feathers in red, orange, and yellow which will be used for the wings.

4) For the wings, start off at the fatter tips of the wings and lay down the feathers going down, red, yellow, and orange. Use the sticky side to tape the wings down. Allow 1/3 inch of spacing for the feathers to show. Start the second row of feathers with colors going down: orange, red, and yellow. Continue the rest of the rows with brown feathers. Repeat this for both sides of the two wings.

5) To add feathers to the body, start off towards the butt of the turkey by taping the feathers on individually. Using the same technique of allowing app 1/3 inch of the feathers to show, continues to layer the feathers. Begin angle the feathers going upwards to the neck.

6) Continue to cover the body with feathers up to the neck.

Step 3: Tall Tail and Pilgrim Hat

For the Tail:
1) Cut a cardboard piece shaped like a fan out. The size is 6 inches by 4 inches high. The bottom of the fan is 2 inches. Cut out a piece of wax paper to overlap the cardboard. With the more waxed side of the paper facing up using a pen, etch out a curved lengthwise line across the middle of the waxed paper. Add an additional line 1/2 inch below that one. Then create 5 vertically tapered lines from top to bottom.

2) Use the coordinating color scheme shown in the picture, cut and lay onto the wax paper the design etched. When finished, carefully peel off the design off the wax paper and cover over the cardboard tail. Repeat the same steps to with NEW waxed paper and adhere design to the back of the cardboard tail.

3) Using a black permanent marker, write out neatly, "HAPPY THANKSGIVING" on the tail. Add thin strips of brown and carefully attach to body.

For the Hat:
1) Cut a strip of cardboard 4 and 1/2 inches by 1 inch for the side of the hat. Cut out a donut shape for the brim 2 and 1/2 inch round on outside and 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the top of the hat as a circle 1 and 1/4 inches thick.
2) Cover all cardboard pieces in black tape and using black duct tape strips, attach the pieces to each other to make the hat.
3) Cut a 1/2 inch thick piece of brown tape to bottom of sides.
4) Use a razor to cut on mat a yellow 3/4 inch square with the inside also cut out. to attach to the side of the hat as the buckle.

Step 4: Face to Feet, Oh What a Handsome Turkey

The face consists of the beak, the red hanging thing called the wattle, and the eyes.

For Beak:
1) Using yellow duct tape create the upper and lower beak. Both pieces are triangular in shape and is 3/4 inch long bit. Attach beak on to the face of the turkey using yellow duct tape strips.

For Wattle:
2)For the red part, cut out the 2 and 1/4 inches wattle shape and use red duct tape to secure it on.
3) Once secure, use strips of brown duct tape to correct and cover the parts yellow and red duct tape that might be showing improperly on the turkey's face.

For Eyes:
1) Cut out oval white duct tape for eyes. Cut out two smaller brown and even two small yellow for the pupils of the eyes. Cut 2 half circles in black duct tape for the eyelids of the turkey. Overlap pieces together to create eyes as shown and attach on face.

For Feet:
1) Cut out 2 pieces of duct tape strips 6 inches long in black, orange, and yellow. Roll into a long thin strip and lightly scrunch together. Tape one of each color together with a yellow piece of duct tape on thee end. Braid the 3 colors and tape end with brown piece of duct tape. Do the same for the other 3 duct tape to create other leg or turkey.
2) To make the feet, cut another strip of yellow duct tape 6 inches long and thin roll flat. Cut this strip into 6 pieces even pieces, an inch long.
3) Use yellow duct tape attach the 3 "toes" to the yellow end of the braided leg. Repeat with the other leg.
4) Attach with brown duct tape the brown end of the 2 legs to the bottom of the turkey.


Finally you can enjoy your long-lasting Duct Tape Turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!