Puppeteers Unite has just posted its first video tutorial - Making A Blink Mechanism. It just may be the perfect thing to send your new monster puppet, built with the Mostro Pattern, over the top. We’re looking forward to many more quick and easy video tutorials from Puppeteers Unite! Thanks Tom!

By the way, the tutorial is based on a drawing by the great Terry Angus that has been in circulation for a few years, and has undoubtedly inspired many a puppet builder. Thanks Terry!

Step 8-1
Bend the wire arm rod at a 90° angle as shown. The length of the arm rod above the bend is your choice. Consider the final use of the puppet and what is most comfortable for you personally.

Step 8-2
Cut the wire rod just past the bend. To gauge where to cut the rod, keep in mind that once the rod is inserted into the hole in the handle, it should not extend out of the opposite side. Use the 5-Minute Epoxy to secure the rod to the handle. Allow the epoxy time to fully set.

Step 8-3
Tape the handle for added strength and a better grip surface. We have found gaffers tape to be excellent for the job.

That’s it! You’ve just added permanent arm rods and posable hands to your puppet character!

In reality, a handle or grip can be added to each arm rod by simply cutting a wooden dowel to an appropriate length and securing it to the end of each rod with strong tape. That’s as simple as it gets and technically all that is required. The following steps are slightly more involved in an effort to ensure the handle’s sturdiness and improve the rods’ manipulation possibilities to some degree.

Notice, also, that a square dowel is used. This not only makes building the handle an easier task, but improves the grip of the completed arm rod. A 1/2 inch square basswood stick was used for the handle in this tutorial. Basswood, in a variety of shapes and forms, should be readily available at your local hobby shop.

Step 7-1
First cut the wooden dowel to an appropriate length. In this particular case, we cut the dowel at four inches.

Next, drill a small hole about 3/4 of an inch from the top and centered on the dowel. The drilled hole should be large enough for the wire rod to fit. Cut a groove parallel with the dowel from the hole to the top of the handle. Basswood can be easily cut and carved with an X-Acto™ knife. The groove will subsequently help keep the wire rod in line with the handle.

The ladder stitch is a very useful stitch in puppet building. It will allow you to stitch an opening closed from the right side of the fabric with a virtually invisible seam. Learn the ladder stitch and keep it in your bag of tricks. You will find it comes in very handy.

The Ladder Stitch
First, insert the threaded needle through the wrong side of the fabric near the start of the opening, pulling the thread through so that it comes out of the right side of the fabric and allowing the knot to catch. Now you are ready to start the stitch.

Bring the needle to the fabric edge on the opposite side of the opening from where you started. Insert the needle into the right side of the fabric, parallel to the fabric’s edge and directly across from the point where the thread is coming out of the fabric on the opposite side. Push the needle out, still parallel with the edge of the fabric, about 1/8 inch or so down from the needle’s insertion point. Pull the thread through and that is the stitch! Repeat the stitch, back and forth on both sides, until the opening is sewn shut.

Step 6-1
Insert the completed foam hand into the fabric hand through the opening you left earlier. This may be a bit difficult, but not impossible. Here’s a tip. Start by putting the foam thumb into the fabric hand thumb, then the foam forefinger into the fabric forefinger and so on.

Step 6-2
Hand-stitch the opening in the fabric hands using a ladder stitch. Start from the base of the finger and work back, tying off the stitch right before the wire rod enters the puppet’s wrist.

Step 5-1
Now we’ll round out the foam hands. Apply contact cement to the edges of the foam hand, thumb, and fingers. Once the glue has dried, carefully pinch the outer edges of the top and bottom Foam Hand Pieces together. You may find it helpful to use a straight pin or an upholstery needle (as shown) to press down the foam between the two edges. Continue around the edge of each hand, with the exception of the base of the palm, until complete.

Step 4-1
Once the epoxy sets, position and attach one side of the Palm Support Piece to one of the Foam Hand Pieces. You may use hot glue or contact cement to do so.

Step 4-2
Using the contact cement, glue the other Foam Hand Piece on top. Apply the contact cement to both surfaces using a craft brush. Allow the adhesive to dry until tacky. Then glue the pieces together, lining up the edges of the hand, thumb, and fingers. Make sure the florist wire runs down the center of the thumb and fingers as you glue the top Foam Hand Piece in place.

Step 3-1
Use 5-Minute Epoxy to set the florist wire and the arm rods in place permanently, as shown in the picture above. Be generous with the epoxy. Remember, although the epoxy sets in five minutes, it does not reach a usable strength until eight hours later and fully cures only after twenty-four hours. Allow the epoxy time to fully set, preferably overnight.

Note: If the Palm Support Piece is plastic, it’s a good idea to roughen the surface with sand paper to ensure a strong bond when the epoxy is applied.

Step 2-1
Next bend the arm rod. In this particular case, the rod was marked at 1 3/4 inches from the end. About 1/2 inch was bent at an approximate 45° angle and then bent again at a 90° angle on the 1 3/4 inch mark.

Any ideas for the reason for the extra 45° bend?

Step 1-1
First, cut eight pieces of florist wire at 2-3 inches in length. (Remember, this length is specific to the hand pattern used in this tutorial. Use the Foam Hand Pattern as a guide to determine a good length to cut the florist wire. In general, cut the wire an inch or so longer than the thumb and fingers to ensure plenty of wire with which to work.)

Step 1-2
Using a pair of needlenose pliers, bend a loop at the end of each piece of florist wire. Lay one Foam Hand Piece flat with the Palm Support Piece on top in the correct position. Center each of the wire pieces on the foam thumb and fingers with the loop end toward the tip and the other end in line with its respective hole in the Palm Support Piece. Mark, bend, and cut the latter end of each wire to create a fish hook shape as shown above.

Insert each hooked end through the appropriate hole in the Palm Support Piece and pinch closed to keep the wires from moving. The picture above shows the backside of the Palm Support Piece with the wires pinched in place.