(c)"Jump for Joy Puppet" Instructions
by Ethel Hiday Wicksey
email ethel_wicksey@live.ca
Web page http://ethelswritings.yolasite.com/
E mail me if you want the paterns.
Ethel
To make puppets you will need.
I pair of girls or men's socks any color. To make skin color soak white socks in tea water till off white rinse well and dry in dryer.
Scrap wool to make pon-pons for hair, old wigs or fake fur. I buy small pon-pons for the eyes and nose. You can also use plastic eyes but glue them on well with hot glue. I poke a hole with a big nail and push plastic eyes into head. I put hot glue in the eye hole and push eye into the hole. You can also use plastic black noses.
Two-pieces of foam rubber 3‑4 inches and 1 ½ inches thick. Make sure it is big enough for the patterns.
If your foam is not long, enough glue two pieces together with hot glue gun or tacky glue.
One piece of plastic cardboard the size of the two mouths.
Duct tape
Scrap piece of cotton material
Masking tape, to tape the foam rubber head to mouth.
Tacky glue
Glue gun and glue sticks
One square of coloured felt, for mouth. A small piece of red or dark pink felt for the tongue
One medium baby sleeper
One bag of white stuffing to stuff the body
Pins Needles and heavy thread
PUPPET INSTRUCTION
Trace pattern for head on two pieces of plastic cardboard and to pieces of foam rubber. Cut out and shape head foam with scissors. Cut out hole for hand and thumb from back bottom of foam. Hint. Do not make it to big. Can cut more, later on if it does not fit.
I use an old electric knife to ct the foam.
Cut two 6-inch pieces of duct tape and put them on the table sticky side up. Cut one piece of cotton material one inch, by 6 inch and place it in the middle of duct tape. Put the two-piece of plastic cardboard on material leaving a 1/2 inch gap. Place the other piece of duct tape on one side of the plastic cardboard. Press the duck tape into the gap with your Popsicle stick, and then press it onto the other side. Cut off edges.
IMPORTANT PUT FOAM FOR HEAD ON THIS SIDE
Tape the top then bottom head to cardboard with masking tape. I do four thicknesses where the eyes will go into the head. Cover the bottom plastic so glue will stick better.
Take two socks and cut them down the middle to about 4 inches from the toe.
Put the two socks edges together and sew from the top of the sock to within about 5 inches of the toe, slanting off the sewing near the cut. Mark it with pins until you get used to it. Trim seam and turn sock seam side in.
If sock has a heal, sew across one heal, before you turn it.
Pull sock over taped mouth. IMPORTANT: Put hand into mouth and make sure mouth opens and closes well at this time or puppet won't work right.
You can take out stitches and add more until mouth opens and closes right. All socks are different sizes.
If mouth does not stay shut, pull some of the sock forward off the head or cut down the center of the sock a little bit more.
Place mouth on a piece of coloured felt and trace with a pencil.1/2 inch from edge Cut out.
Use Popsicle stick to glue sock to plastic form.
I find if I put glue on the inside of the mouth instead of the felt, it works better. Cover the whole area well then put felt into mouth and press into place. It is important to put hand in mouth and make sure it opens and closes well. Trim felt around the edge or tuck in holding with pins until set to give you a finished look.
Glue on tongue and black throat at this time. I use a hair dryer to set glue faster. IT WORKS GOOD
I like to add eyes and nose at this time.
IT IS HARDER TO DO, ONCE BODY IS JOINED TO PUPPET
BODY
To put body on puppet I cut a hole in the back of the body. Follow instruction on pattern. Put foam cylinder inside back of sewn socks. Pull sock through hole. Make sure head is on straight and you have enough neck. When you are ready, pin sleeper to sock neck. Tuck in around cut hole at the back of body and pin it. Sew around neck with heavy thread. Stuff the baby sleeper and sew where it is marked on pattern. You sew it by hand with heavy thread See how the puppet sits and works before closing it up.
DO NOT OVERSTUFF OR THE ARMS AND LEGS WILL BE STIFF.
HAIR
Add hair and ears at this time. Use your imagination.
I also use clown wigs and real wigs for hair. Try using strips of fake fur or anything you can think of.
I make pon pon's from wool. I just cut out about I meter of wool and keep wrapping it around four fingers until it is all gone. I tie it twice in the middle and then cut the ends. I use a hot glue gun to put pon pon's on the head. Try using pins to get them where you want them first. Remove one pin at a time and glue the pon-pons on.
NOW THE FUN BEGINS. Sit in front of a mirror with your puppet on your knee. THINK OF A GOOD NAME. See all the fun things your puppet can do. Try speaking to your puppet, like you would in a conversation using a deeper or softer voice for you puppet, and your own voice for yourself. Do not worry about moving your lips. Most children are looking at the puppet not at you. Share the love of Jesus Christ and have fun.
Love from the Puppet Lady.
Ethel Hiday Wicksey
Good luck
