FELT HAND PUPPET

Felt hand puppets can be made entirely from felt, with a felt head attached to the body, or they can have a sculpted head, made from papier mache, clay, or even the toe part of an old sock, or a styrofoam ball. In order to attach the head to the felt glove body, and allow for head movement, a cylinder of cardboard (approximately 4" x 2" flat, rolled to fit the middle finger and taped) needs to be inserted through the top part of the body, into the head. When the puppeteer is working the puppet, this cylinder allows him to turn the head, or nod it up and down.

Materials

•  
• Felt
• Cardboard cylinder made from 4" x 2" rectangle
• Needle and thread
• Fabric scraps, ribbons, yarn, buttons for decoration
• Head: made from felt, the toe of an old sock stuffed with cotton or polyester batting, or papier mache.

Presentation

Show the child how to fold the felt in half and pin the straight side of the pattern along the folded edge. Cut two main body pieces, and head pieces (if using a felt head) and four "hands" or "paws".

For inside the neck, cut a piece of heavy construction paper or lightweight cardboard, 4" long and 2" wide. Roll it around the middle finger and tape.

To make the body, first attach the hands to the end of the arms on both body sections. Sew. Then, with right sides together, stitch the body sections, leaving the bottom and neck edge and hands open.

Turn right side out and sew the hands together.

Felt Head

If making a felt head, the features should be sewn to only one side of the face, so the stuffing and fingers will fit. The head can be stuffed with old stockings, cotton, rags, or polyester batting.

Sock Head

To make a sock head, cut off the toe and sole part of a sock. Stuff until the head is the right size. With you finger, poke a hole in the head stuffing and push the paper neck cylinder into the head. Tie the sock around the cylinder with a string. Trim off extra fabric and sew the neck to the lower edge of the head. Decorate using fabric scraps, ribbon, yarn, buttons, etc.

To attach the head to the body, insert the head into the neck opening of the body and sew.

Papier Mache Head

To make papier mache, first tear newspaper into 1" squares. Mix with hot water. Let the newspaper soak long enough to shred easily. Once the compound has been well ground up, squeeze it out well. Add a small amount of this paste into the compound and mix well, in order to obtain a good modeling mixture.

Once the papier mache has been made, show the child to build up the head around a cardboard tube (made from a 4" x 2"rectangle, rolled into a tube and fastened with a strip of tape). Roughly shape the head, and add chin nose, mouth, eyes, and ears. From time to time, have the child close his eyes and "see" the head with his hands. As it is shaped, paste white tissue paper over it to smooth out the surfaces.

The head should dry in the open air. When it is dry, it can be painted and decorated as before. The head and"neck" can be attached to the body the same way as the sock head.