Doorway Puppet Show-Felt Hand Puppets Tutorial

My son is into sock puppets lately. A little too into them if you ask me. We've been discussing whether or not it is OK to use the sock off of your foot as a puppet to help you pick up your food for dinner. I vote not.

I thought that maybe if I made him some puppets he may leave his socks on his feet for the time being-or at least the next ten minutes. (he is a toddler after all)

Since I've been working my way through my felt scraps, I decided to use some more of them for the little puppets. And what is a puppet show without a red velvet curtain? After about five years of having some old red velvet curtains in the linen closet, I decided now was as good as any time to begin re purposing them!

On with the tutorial...

You will need:
Template PDF provided here (note: my drafting program was acting up. you'll have to deal with my photoshop drawings)
1 spring-tension rod

felt scraps
-or-
1 9x12 light blue sheet
1 9x12 gold sheet
1 9x12 light pink sheet
1 9x12 blue sheet
1 9x12 tan sheet
1 9x12 dark pink sheet
1 9x12 white sheet
1 9x12 black sheet
1 9x12 orange sheet
1 9x12 ivory sheet

yellow embroidery floss
red embroidery floss
blue embroidery floss
pipe cleaner

2-20"x32" rectangles of red fabric
2-20"x32" rectangles of lining fabric

CURTAIN
1/2" seams unless otherwise noted
1. Cut 2 rectangles of red velvet at 20"x32" for curtain front.
2. Cut 2 rectangles of polka dot fabric at 20"x32" for lining.




3. Place one red velvet rectangle and one polka dot rectangle right sides (the side you want to show) together. Pin.



4. Repeat to the other set.
5. Beginning at the top of one of the long sides, sew all the way around the rectangle, leaving about a 3" opening.
6. Clip corners.
7. Turn right side out.
8. Poke corners with scissors to make a neat corner.



9. Finger press the seam where it was left open.





10. Pin. (this will be the top of your curtain)
11. Fold the top of the curtain over 2". Pin.



12. Sew with 1/8" seam allowance along the edge of the curtain. (this will make the pocket for your spring rod)
13. Repeat to the other two rectangles completing your curtain set!

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LION
1. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece provided of yellow felt.
2. Cut out 4 of the pattern piece for the ears of yellow felt.
3. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece for the ear inside of ivory felt.
4. Cut out 1 of the pattern piece for the nose of red felt.
5. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece for the eyes of black felt.
6. Cut out XXX of assorted felt colors for the mane.
7. Glue the ivory top onto one of the ear pieces. Place the other ear piece, wrong sides together, and blanket stitch around the perimeter. Repeat for the other ear.
8. Using 2 strands of embroidery thread, top stitch them into place on the lion front.
9. Glue on the eyes and nose.
10. Using a top stitch and all 6 strands of embroidery thread, embroider the mouth for the lion.



11. Fold the pieces for the mane in half. Lay them into position on the lion's head. Attach them all together using a top stitch. (this will make them easier to attach to the actual puppet piece)



12. Now pin the front puppet piece to the back puppet piece, wrong sides together.
13. Insert the lion's mane in between the two pieces.
14. Sew around the perimeter of the pattern with 1/8" seam allowance. (I initially used a blanket stitch because I thought it looked nicer-My son took about two minutes to reteach me the lesson of function over form. You have the option to use either.)



15. You're done with the lion!




PIG
1. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece of pink felt.
2. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece for the ear inside of white felt
3. Cut out 4 of the pattern piece for the ear of pink felt.
4. Cut out 2 of the eye pattern of black felt.
5. Cut out 1 of the pattern piece for the snout of raspberry felt
6. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece for the nostril of pink felt.
7. Cut out 2 of the pattern piece for the hoof of white felt.
8. Cut out 1 rectangle measured at 3/4" x 4 1/2"
9. Measure the pipe cleaner to 4 1/4" and cut.
10. Glue or sew the nostril pieces onto the snout.
11. Glue or sew the snout and eyes into place. Embroider a mouth.
12. Glue the ear insert onto an ear piece. Using 2 strands of pink embroidery floss, attach another ear piece to the back by a blanket stitch.
13. Pin the ears into place.
14. Fold the felt for the tail piece in half. Insert the pipe cleaner into the fold. Beginning on the short end, blanket stitch around the perimeter of the rectangle.
15. Pin the tail into place.
16. Beginning at one of the bottom corners, work your way around the puppet on your machine with 1/8" seam allowance. Be careful of the ears and tail!
17. You're done with your pig!




ELEPHANT
1. Cut 2 of the pattern piece for the puppet of light blue felt.
2. Cut 2 of the pattern piece for the ears of dark blue felt.
3. Cut 1 of the pattern piece for the trunk of light blue felt.
4. Cut 1 of the pattern piece for the trunk back of dark blue felt.
5. Cut 2 of the pattern piece for the eyes of black felt.
6. Cut 2 of the pattern piece for the peanut of tan felt.
7. Lay the peanut pieces wrong sides together. Using 6 strands of ivory embroidery floss, stitch the detail onto the peanut. Set aside.
8. Using 2 strands of dark blue embroidery floss, stitch the detail onto the trunk of the elephant.
9. Glue or sew the trunk onto the trunk backing piece.
10. Glue or sew this piece to the puppet base.
11. Glue or sew the eyes into place.
12. Lay the two puppet pieces wrong sides together.
13. Fit the ears into place. Pin
14. Beginning at one of the bottom corners, begin to sew around the three sides of the puppet with 1/8" seam allowance.
15. Add your peanut under the trunk.
16. You're now finished with your elephant puppet!




PLAY
1. Insert little hands into the puppets and have fun!