Lady Fromage Rod Puppet, Part 22

Now fabrication of the puppet's head can begin. I will be using Antron Fleece (commonly known as “Muppet Fleece”), to cover the puppet's head.

Begin fabrication by draping your fabric over the puppet's head. Stretch it around to get as much coverage as possible, and pin it in place. Because the head is round, darts will need to be cut to achieve the proper shape. Gather the excess fabric evenly on both sides of the puppet's head.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: More Craft Fur

I'm using the same fur that I used for the puppets hair to embellish the cheeks.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Craft Fur

The hair for this cat puppet's head is made from a wonderful craft fur. I like it because it's long, colorful, and has a great texture. I have been able to find this fur in three colors blue, cream and orange. A while back I used the cream for the cheeks of Tiger from Tiger and Mousedeer. Fur like this can't be found at your run of the mill fabric store - I bought this at Michael Levine, a huge fabric store located in Los Angeles's Fashion District. When selecting fur for your project don't settle for the cheep stuff, look for something with a unique color or texture.



Using a razor blade (see previous post) cut the fur out and sew it to the top of the head.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Puppet Head Fabrication, Step 8

Using the stitch I've detailed in a previous post, sew up the cuts.



Sometimes it is necessary to use small patches to fill in blank spots. If this occurs, it is really easy to remedy.

1) Cut out a patch of material just big enough to cover the hole.

2) Pin the material in place.

3) Stitch it up.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Puppet Head Fabrication, Step 6

Whenever I am fabricating the face of a puppet, I try to keep most of the seams on the back of the head. Using the stitch I discussed before is a great way to hide seams, but keeping them out of sight is even better.

1) Stretch the fabric across the face and around the back. It is important to get as much coverage from a single piece of fabric as possible to limit the number of seams.

2) Gather the excess fabric along your intended seam lines. In this case the excess fabric has been gathered along the back of the head and back of the cheeks. I've gathered the fabric so that it follows the contours of the head, this will help keep the seams out of sight. Another way to hide seams is to gather the extra fabric in a part of the head that will be covered up by hair, feathers, or a costume. Miss Piggy is a good example of this, her neck is not connected to the body, and this is cleverly disguised by her trade mark pearl necklace.



3) Pin the fabric in place. I've put pins all around the top of the head, because I'll be sewing on a piece of craft fur for the puppets head.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Puppet Head Fabrication, Step 5

Stretch the terry cloth over the puppets head. Using a thin layer of barge cement glue the fabric to the foam in just a few key places. In my case I'm tacking it down around the muzzle. By doing this I can keep it from slipping.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Puppet Head Fabrication, Step 2

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great New Year's celebration, and got 2006 off to a good start. Now the party is over over, and it's back to the work shop.

For the fabrication of the puppet's head I'll be adapting many of the same techniques I introduced in earlier posts.

1) Like the bottom and top jaw, stretch the material over the foam structure.

2) Pin the material down all around the muzzle.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Fabrication, The Top Jaw

Fabricating the puppets top jaw is very similar to fabricating the bottom jaw. Click the links for more detailed descriptions of each step.

1) Pin the fabric in place.



2) Because of the shape of he top jaw, gather the extra fabric on the sides rather then the center, and cut.



3) Sew up the cut using the stitch I talked about before.



4) Glue the material down.



5) Trim away the extra material.



6) The top jaw is done. Next we'll starting fabricating the puppets face.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Fabrication, Step 4 - The Stitch

This is the best stitch I've learned for puppet making. When done right it is virtually invisible, allowing you to have seams in seemingly unsightly places. This comes in handy especially if you are creating a puppet with an unusual shape. Here is how it's done.

1) Anchor the thread at the start of the cut with a secure knot.



2) Starting to the left of the cut, thread your needle in and out about a quarter of an inch from the cut. This stitch should run parallel to the cut.



3) Bring the needle to the right side of the cut and parallel to the in point of your first stitch. Thread it in and out about a quarter of an inch from the cut, creating a parallel stitch. You should now have two stitches that are side by side.

4) Bring your needle to the out point of your first stitch on the left of the cut and thread it in and out just as before.

4) Bring the needle to the right side of the cut and parallel to the in point of your second stitch. Thread it in and out, creating another parallel stitch

5) Continue in this fashion until the whole cut is sewn up.



Essentially this stitch is pulling together the two sides of the fabric while burying the cut ends.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Fabrication, Step 3

Once you have gathered the excess fabric to the center of the puppet's bottom jaw and it is pinned into place, you are ready for the next step. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut away the excess material.

B.A.R.K. Production Journal: Fabrication, Step 1

Now that my fabric is dyed I can begin puppet fabrication. I'll be working on the bottom jaw first. To begin, cut the fabric to the right size - remember to always give yourself a little extra to work with. Now simply glue the fabric down, right along the inside lip. Make sure apply just enough Barge cement to the fabric to get a good bond. If you use too much you can stain your fabric.