instructables

How to Build a Quality Puppet

by TheLlama

The Muppets have had a huge impact on our culture. As the foundation for the puppet. I will be using the
So much so that the Smithsonian has an exhibit Roly Pattern from Project Puppet.com. Because this is
detailing how the Muppets have impacted our world. their pattern, I will not be showing all the pattern
The creations of Jim Henson have certainly impacted parts. The pattern costs about $25 and is a
my life. downloadable PDF le. What I will do, however, is
show you how to hand sew the puppets so as to hide
Because of the Muppets, I have a love of puppetry. the seams and to give you some tips and tricks for
And it's because of this love that I started to look for assembly.
ways to create my own puppets. Sadly, however, most
of the information available only teaches poor and I would also like to note that a puppet is a type of
sloppy puppet building techniques. Thus began my working sculpture. It is your creation. What sets a
quest to nd quality instruction for the building of quality puppet apart from a disaster is the amount of
puppets. time you spend paying attention to the DETA IL S .
Things like, "Can the seams be seen," and "Are the eye
After searching through countless forums and pupils perfectly round or were they poorly hand
Youtube videos containing hideous monstrosities painted on," make ALL the di erence. If you take your
claiming to be puppets, I came across this website time while making your puppet, you will have a
www.projectpuppet.com. On this site you will nd a project that you can be proud of ; even if it doesn't
pattern for every skill level. And each pattern is like a look like a "Muppet."
lesson in crafting quality puppets.
If you would like to watch a YouTube video of this
The puppet that I'm making here will cost about $35 pattern being constructed with Faux Fur, check out
in materials. This assumes that you already have this link at Puppeteers Unite!
needles, scissors and a low temperature Hot Glue Gun.

How to Build a Quality Puppet: Page 1

Step 1: Materials

3/4 yard of fabric (Antron/Nylon eece or Anti-Pill eece)

6 X 9 piece of 1/2 inch polyfoam or reticulated foam (a.k.a. speaker foam)
71/2 X 11 of 1/2 inch polyfoam or reticulated foam\
1 sheet of pattern plastic used by quilters to create patterns.
1 square of Black Felt
Hot glue and glue gun. (it's worth the money!)
Quality Thread the same color as your eece.
Bees Wax
1 inch elastic
Polyester ber ll
Sharpie Fine Point marker.
Basic sewing supplies

Note:
A great source for Antron or Nylon Fleece is Puppet Pelts.

How to Build a Quality Puppet: Page 2

If you would like a di erent material for the body you can reduce your eece purchase by 1/4 yard and get 1/4 yard
of another material for the body.

I found everything on this list at Jo-Ann's Fabric

Note:
This pattern will create a very small puppet. You can increase its size by enlarging the pattern on a photocopier.

Step 2: Trace and Cut the Materials

I never recommend building a puppet from scratch puppet. Other wise the seam will be obvious no
until you have a basic understanding of puppet matter how you sew it together.
construction.
Use the Sharpie to trace the pattern. Do n' t pre s s
Because we are going to hand sew this puppet you ha rd! You don't want the marker to bleed through
will not need the sewing machine allowance drawn on the fabric.
the pattern for the head or body.
Do the same for the foam. You can cut out the Foam
Place the pattern on the back side of the fabric. It's with a sharp pair of scissors, Exact-o knife or razor
also known as the "wrong" side of the fabric. You do blade. The foam will dull the blade.
this so as to not get marker on the front of the
puppet where people will see it. For the Mouthplate, if you can't nd sti ened felt you
can use plastic pattern sheets in place of the sti felt
IM PO RTANT !! When placing the pattern on the listed on the Puppet Project pattern. Be sure to snip
eece for the head, make sure the pattern is sitting on o the very tip of the sharp corners. This will help
the fabric so the fabric stretches from the front of the make sure a hole is not created in the puppet's mouth
puppet to the back of the puppet. Not up and down. over time.
Also make sure the "Nap" or "Grain" of the fabric is
going the same directions for both halves of the

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Step 3: Foam Skull and Mouthplate

The mouthplate is the foundation for this type of 4

puppet. There are many ways to make to make a Start by taking the two plastic mouthplate pieces and
mouthplate; this is simply one way. In general, the gluing them to the foam mouthplate as shown in this
cheaper the materials you use, the less durable the photo.
puppet will be. No puppet will last for ever. If, for I then add the elastic to the back of the mouthplate
example, you use cardboard for your mouth plate; you on the half that will be the top of the mouth. This
can expect your puppet to fall apart in short order, as helps to keep your hand in place for this kind of
cardboard is not very durable. puppet.

Next glue the foam skull pieces together. First glue each other, and hold it in the most natural position
the individual seams then glue the two halves possible. Foam will stretch and although this can be a
together. redeeming feature it can also be a downfall. Again, try
At this juncture do not glue the mouthplate to the to keep the foam in a natural position and allow the
skull. If you do it will make putting the mouth plate in glue to cool completely.
the puppet more di cult.
--Look ahead to ensure your seams are ending where
Here are a few tips on hot gluing foam: they should. Foam will stretch, but it is better to make
--Apply the hot glue to only one edge of the seam, adjustments gradually and not all at once.
but be generous.

--When applying the glue, get close to the edge but No t e : A lot of people will say you need to use Contact
not over. Cement to put the puppet together. However, the fumes
from this process are harmful if proper ventilation is not
--Glue one to two inches at a time, less if you are available. I recommend using a low temperature Hot Glue
gluing around a tight curve. Gun. You'll get great results without the harmful fumes.

--Press your seams together, line the surfaces with

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Step 4: The Henson Stitch

If you want the skin of your puppet to t the foam 3. Push your needle through the fabric starting from
structure, you will have to sew di erent pieces of the underside. Pull the thread all the way to the knot.
fabric together. This should be about 1/8 of an inch or less from the
edge of the fabric. (if the knot comes out, make the knot
When you do this, it creates seams. These seams can bigger and try again.)
be hidden, however, using a stitch Jim Henson
developed. 4. Take the needle and push it into the other piece of
fabric from the top. Do not push the needle all the
This stitch is often referred to as the Henson Stitch, way through.
Puppet Stitch, or Ladder Stitch as seen in this link by
TheCreatureWorks. 5. Catch a small amount of material on the needle, like
a quilter would do, and pull the thread through. Do
This stitch works best on fabrics that are fuzz y. If you not pull this stitch tight.
try to use this on non-fuzz y fabric you will get a
strange zigzag e ect on the seam. Fuzz y fabric hides 6. Now go back across to the other piece and, starting
this. close to the rst stitch, repeat the above step.

This stitch can be used while the fabric is on or o the 7. Do this for 5 to 6 stitches; keeping the stitches loose.
foam base.
8. Pull the stitches tight. This pulls the fabric together.
For this demonstration by Tom Stewart, a thread color
di erent than the color of the eece is used so you 9. With the tip of the needle, gently pull out the eece
can see what is being done. that was trapped in the seam. Be careful not to pull
out your stitches.
1. Place the two pieces of fabric side by side, right
sides up. 10. Repeat this process all along the seam.

2. Put a knot in the end of your thread that has been You now have a seam that is very hard to see and
waxed using bee's wax so your thread won't tangle. gives your puppet a professional look.

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Step 5: The Head

Sew the two halves of the head together using the mouth.
Henson Stitch as described in the previous step. Do
NOT put right sides together for this as it will put the Line up the felt mouth with the eece; right sides
seam on the outside of the puppet. together.

You need to put the pieces next to each other with Using a whip stitch, attach the felt to the eece. You're
right sides facing up. Start by sewing the relief seams going to have to work to keep the edges ush as you
rst. Make sure you line up all of your seams. You sew around the mouth. The extra e ort it
want your puppet to look symmetrical. takes,however, is worth it in the end.

Now turn the head inside out so we can add the felt

Step 6: The Body

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Now sew the two halves of the body together and Attach the arms to the body.
then turn inside out so the right side of the fabric is
on the outside. You can can sew the body and arms An option for this, if you like, is to use a di erent
with the sewing machine if you like. material for the body. You can do this so you don't
have to put "clothes' on the puppet.
Also sew up the arms. (right sides together) Turn them
"inside out" so the right side of the fabric is now on
the outside and the seams are on the inside. stu the
arms with the polyester ber ll.

Step 7: The Mouthplate

With the puppet head still inside out, glue the mouthplate to the felt mouth; making sure everything is lined up.
Take your time on this and don't rush it.

Be sure to use glue all along the edges of the felt.

Don't glue the eece to the mouth plate.

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Step 8: Attach Skull to Mouthplate

Determine which half of the mouthplate is the top half.

Glue the skull to the mouthplate making sure the skull is centered.

Step 9: Turn Puppet Head Right Side Out

Turn everything right side out. The puppet may be stubborn but with a little work and patience it will happen.

Step 10: Attach Head to Body

Using the Henson stitch, attach the body to the head. Again line up the body. To get the best results, pin the two
together so the fabric stays centered as you sew.

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Step 11: Adding Character Features

There are so many possibilities when it comes to -Plastic spoons

character features, I can’t even begin to think of -Felt
everything that might work. I strongly suggest -Marbles
referring to your original character sketches or -Fake eyelashes
character ideas. The goal is to nd, in the three-
dimensional world, a way to mimic the two- Hair:
dimensional features drawn on paper. Always stay -Fake fur
true to your character. Some suggestions of materials -Old wigs / hair pieces
you may consider are listed below. -Feather boas / Ostrich feather boas
-Yarn
A no t e o n e y e s : -Craft feathers
Because of the round head, you must make the pupil of
the eye focus towards the nose. This gives the puppet Noses:
focus. Otherwise it looks like the puppet has two lazy eyes. -Foam balls
If done correctly, the puppet won't look like it's eyes are -Foam golf balls
crossed. -Patterned sheet foam
-Carved foam
Eyes: -Sewn noses
-Ping pong balls -Teady Bear Safety eyes covered in material
-racquetballs
-Foam practice golf balls

Is Blizzard Fleece any good for using the Jim Henson stitch?

Yes I have found that Blizzard Fleece is an acceptable substitute for Antron fleece. The pile is not
as high but there is still enough to hide the stitches. I don't, however, recommend using any Anti-
Pill fleece as the pile is too short.
I need to change my answer to this. I got my fleece types mixed up. I use Anti-Pill fleece, not
Blizzard Fleece.
Latest Projects

This is my muppet. That's all I have to say...............

How to Build a Quality Puppet: Page 9

Fantastic!

Your instructables are great, but your puppet instructables are even better! You should make more
of them! I would like to see how much your puppet skills have improved since you made this
"Quality Puppet" instructable. You probably have the skills of a real, genuine muppet builder from
"Jim Henson's Creature Shop" by now.
The Snoofers made it!

What size puppet does this make? I looked at the Roly pattern on the site, and it didn't give any
dimensions.
The pattern itself is fairly small. I wear a large size glove and my hand is a tight fit in the puppet.
However, the nice thing about the pattern is that you can enlarge it to fit your needs.
I would like to make my grandson a lamb puppet like the one on Baby Einstein. I have never made
anything so any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Reverse engineering anyone else's work by visuals alone is a daunting task. Especially if you've
never before built a puppet. For your first puppet, I would recommend a glorified sock puppet from
project puppet
That said, here's what I can glean from the images I've seen.
The Puppet is made from at least two different material types and a variety of colors. The main
fabric is "Minky Sherpa Cuddle White" wich will run you about $12 - $13 per yard. The other fabrics
will be a dark tan anti-pill fleece and some felt for the eyes. I can also tell you that the puppet gets
its structure and shape from the pattern, or how the fabric is cut, as opposed to a foam base.
I can also see that the puppet was sewn by machine.
Good luck in your puppet making adventures!
Any thoughts on paper mache over foam? I see the guys over at http://puppet.farm go that route
and it seems more cost-effective.. Plus you can use more recycled goods. Also, what about using
third-party services such as http://mascotsandpuppets.com - they have REALLY good build quality!
Is anyone offering a more "bare bones" solution so you have a quickstart?
Well, the difference between paper mache and foam is flexibility and breathability. If you want a
non-flexible puppet then use paper mache. As to cost, speaker foam only costs about $21 for a
21"x18"x1/2" sheet at Wal-Mart. It's also lightweight and makes the perfect foundation for Muppet
style puppets.

In regards to having someone building your puppet for you, custom puppets are very expensive.
Depending on construction they can cost upwards of $1000.00.

To my knowledge, the best source for building your own Muppet style puppet is Project Puppet.

No matter what kind of puppet you build, take your time and pay attention to details. By doing so
you will have a quality puppet of which you can be proud.
dude, there are zillions type of foam, wich one should we use ? PU ? where to fuind some ?

How to Build a Quality Puppet: Page 10

I like to use reticulated foam with a density of around 30-35 PPI. If your foam is being covered by
fabric, speaker foam works well and is cheaper.
I made a Fizzgig inspired puppet this weekend and your foam mouth pallet method was a big help.
Much nicer fit than cardboard and should be more durable, like you said. Thanks for all the great
info!

After playing around with the Anti-Pill fleece, I have been able to hide the seams even when they
have been Machine sewn.
I was asked what color fleece this puppet used. After much research I can safely say Croissant.

i will try this

this is cool

Thanks for posting my video tutorial! Love to see it is helping people and the positive feedback it
generated. Thanks again and keep building :-)
Tom
There aren't many quality video's on the Henson stitch. Thanks for putting in the effort. It helps so
much!
I still don't know how to make a puppet

Start with a pattern from project puppet. This 'ible is designed to give tips and tricks. Because this
pattern is from Project Puppet, I can't show the full pattern.
Omg I love this love love love love love it

Thank you!

Thank-you for showing how to make the Henson stitch! Now the puppets that I make can look like
the real-deal! It's so much easer to do that I thought it would be....
The key to the whole thing is to use waxed thread and small stitches. Antron Fleece is best for
hiding those stitches. A close second is Polar Fleece.
I will keep that in mind... thank-you again. :)

Do you have ANY idea how long I've been looking for a decent 'ible for making custom puppets?
Excellent 'ible! It answers all the questions I've had!
What a cool 'ible! Good job!

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