How to Start Puppet Making

From simple sock puppets to intricate marionettes, the answer to the question ‘what is puppet making’ has lots of answers, but they all have one thing in common – making puppets is a creative, easy, and enjoyable hobby.

Welcome to the wonderful world of puppets, a cornucopia of cuteness where you can use all sorts of materials, unleash your imagination, and create unique companions for play or display.

So without further ado, let’s find out how to start puppet making!

Puppetry has been used for entertainment, religious ceremonies, and storytelling for thousands of years, with roots in ancient civilisations like Egypt and Greece. The earliest written references to puppets are thought to be from Greek historians somewhere around the fifth century BC and they were called nevrospastos, which roughly translates to ‘drawn by strings.’

Indeed almost all ancient civilisations have a history of puppet making, including ancient China, India and Japan, the indigenous populations of North and South America, and Africa.

No-one knows with any degree of certainty when the first puppet shows were performed in Britain, but they may date back as early as the 1300s. The earliest displays may have been based on stories from the Bible as well as Roman and Greek legends, and puppet shows became common in town fairs and markets, and even in wealthy private households, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Unlike modern times where puppet shows are mainly for children, back then they were considered fashionable entertainment for adults.

Perhaps the most famous puppets of them all are Punch & Judy. Mr. Punch grew from the Italian commedia dell-arte, where he was known as Pulcinella, later anglicised to Punchinello. After first appearing in England in 1662, they became a staple of the British seaside, and even today kids gather around the Punch & Judy booth for laughs, and adults for nostalgia.

One of the greatest benefits of creating sock puppets, paper bag puppets, lolly stick puppets and even complex marionettes, is its simple and cost-effective nature. Using everyday materials like old socks, fabric scraps, and recycled items, you can make amazing puppets. It’s an accessible and enjoyable hobby that encourages creativity and can be shared with family and friends, and the variety of styles means there’s something for everyone to try.

The best part about making puppets is that you don’t need loads of expensive supplies to get started! A few basic materials and a simple pattern are all you need to embark on this exciting escapade.

Puppet Patterns or Templates: Begin by sketching your own puppet designs or use pre-made patterns. These templates will guide you on the road learning how to start puppet making.

Fabric: Choose easy-to-handle fabrics like felt, cotton, or fleece. You’ll need a variety of colours for the puppet itself, its clothing, and any accessories you want to add, like a hat.

Scissors: Invest in a sharp pair of fabric scissors to ensure clean and precise cuts.

Needle & Thread: Use a needle and thread to sew your fabric pieces together. Select thread colours that match your fabrics for a seamless look.

Glue: Opt for non-toxic glue, especially if children are making the puppets. Glue is perfect for attaching smaller parts like eyes and noses.

Stuffing: Give your puppet shape and volume with stuffing materials such as polyester fibre fill, foam, or wool roving.

Markers or Paint: Bring your puppet to life by adding facial features, clothing details, and accessories using markers, felt-tip pens or paint.

Added Extras: Enhance your puppet’s personality with things like buttons, beads, coloured yarn, pipe cleaners, and other crafty bits.

There are hundreds of imaginative ways to answer the question ‘what is puppet making’, each offering a unique creative journey and a great way to repurpose single socks and leftover crafting supplies. To get you started, here’s a basic guide to making a simple stuffed puppet. Feel free to add your personal touches wherever you like! Remember, if you’re crafting with children, supervise the use of scissors and glue.

Choose Your Design

Decide on the character you’d like to bring to life, whether it’s an animal, a cartoon character, a friend, or a fantastical creature. Your choice will inspire the colours, fabrics, and features you select.

Create a Pattern or Template

Sketch your puppet’s design on paper or find a printable template online. Cut the patterns out to use as guides for cutting your fabric pieces.

Cut the Fabric

Using your chosen pattern, cut out the puppet’s body and other parts from your fabrics. Remember, you’ll need two identical pieces for the body – one for the front and one for the back.

Sewing & Turning the Body

Place the two body pieces together with the right sides (the side that will show) facing each other. Sew around the edges, leaving a small opening at the bottom for stuffing. Once it’s been sewn, gently turn the sewn body inside out through the opening. Use a pencil or chopstick to push out the corners and curves, giving your puppet a smooth shape.

Stuffing & Closing

This is the fun part! Fill the puppet with your stuffing material. Add enough to give it shape and volume, but not so much that it becomes stiff. Once it’s stuffed, sew up the opening.

Add the Facial Features

Bring your puppet to life by adding eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Use markers, fabric paint, or sew on pieces of felt or buttons to create expressive features.

Attach the Arms

Cut two pieces of fabric for the arms. Sew or glue them onto the sides of the body to give your puppet mobility and character.

Embellish Your Puppet

Personalise your puppet with additional details like clothing, hair, and accessories. Buttons, beads, string, and things like funny googly eyes can add charm and individuality to your puppet making.

Remember, this is just one method, the possibilities are endless, so let your creativity soar!

Making sock puppets is a fun and easy craft project that everyone can enjoy. With just a few materials and a dash of creativity, you’ll have a family of fun friends for storytelling or playtime.

Materials

You really don’t need much to make a sock puppet. The most important thing is an old sock, preferably clean and with no holes. Also, if you want to use one of mum or dad’s socks, make sure you ask first! Other than that, you’ll need fabric glue, a pair of scissors, buttons or googly eyes, coloured wool for the hair, scraps of felt or fabric for tongue, ears and lips, and any other adornments you want to add, like sequins or beads. Here’s how to make a sock puppet.

Design & Create the Mouth

Put your hand inside the sock with your fingers in the toe area and your thumb in the heel area to form a mouth shape. Mark the inside of the mouth area with a fabric marker. Next, cut a small oval piece from red or pink felt to serve as the inside of the mouth. Glue it to the marked area on the sock’s underside where your fingers and thumb meet.

Add the Eyes

Glue buttons or googly eyes onto the top of the sock, just above the mouth. Position them close together or further apart, depending on the character you want to create.

Attach the Hair

Cut lengths of string to your desired hair length. Glue or stitch them onto the top of the sock behind the eyes. You can style the hair by trimming or plaiting the string.

Decorate the Face

Use markers or fabric paint to add eyebrows, freckles, or other facial details. Felt or fabric scraps can be cut into shapes for a nose, ears, or a moustache and glued in place.

Personalise Your Puppet

You can add anything you like, including a ribbon bow tie, sequins for sparkle, or small fabric pieces for clothing.

Let it Dry

Allow all glued parts to dry completely before using your puppet. This ensures all the features stay in place during play.

Once everything’s done, put the puppet onto your hand, and use your fingers and thumb to open and close the mouth. Give your puppet a name and a unique voice and let the fun begin!

Puppet making isn’t just a fun and exciting way to spend your time; it’s also an opportunity to unleash your creative potential or even kickstart your own imagination! It’s a fab journey packed with creativity, a sense of achievement, and, most importantly, lots and lots of fun!