I made a puppet using Helen's pattern from her business "Church Puppets".  This is Radcliff Spencer.  He prefers to be called "Rad" for short.  I followed the directions as Helen wrote them changing only the nose (a smaller gathered circle nose) and folding the pattern ears in half before sewing them to the head.  His hair is made from a chopped up novelty hat so I didn't use the enclosed hair pattern, but all the other basic pattern pieces were used as directed.  I made him on a whim tonight.  He took about 7 hours to complete with my kids distracting me now and then.  It was fun and easy.  You can purchase this pattern at www.churchpuppets.co.uk.  It comes in a handy plastic folder which will store your directions and pattern pieces nicely once your project is complete (good idea Helen!).  This pattern has very detailed directions and includes an eye placement guide which is something I had never seen before in a pattern but it was "spot on" when it came to locating the right spot for your puppets peepers to rest.

The eyes are well done. And I like the hair.

Good job, puppet Lady...................... The pattern was a very good pattern and easy to follow.

Billy D.

Wow Puppetlady,

The result you have is amazing! Really like that orange colour! The expression is very well done, thumbs up!!!

Greetings from Holland
Dutch Puppet

Good job, Ms. Pam! Nice puppet, as the rest of them you made!


Miguel!

Great job.  You are amazing at puppet eyes!  Do you sell them?  I seriously need help in that area.  Mine are always cross eyed.  Did you make your own or buy them somewhere? 

One more question.  Would you be willing to take a photo of Helen's puppet next to a Project puppet Roly puppet to compare head size?  I am interested to see the difference. 

Puppetbubba:

I make my own eyes.  On the Project Puppet Contest thread here on P&S I explained how I make this kind.  The key is to place the ping pong ball half sphere on the face with pins and plan pupil placement before adding in the pupils and gluing the eyeball down.  PRE-PLANNING is the key.  Otherwise the pupils are in the wrong spot and don't connect with the audience.  No, I don't sell them.  I don't have time for that.  I'd rather teach you to make your own.  All you need is a halved ping pong ball and a Sharpie for a simple black eye and some brown or other pupil colour paint for the fancier one seen here.

Here is the Roly and Helen pattern size comparison.  Helen's pattern is closer in size to a Forma Series puppet.  Remember, you can scale patterns up and down if you bring them to an office supply store with an enlarging photo copier.  Here in Michigan, it costs about a dollar or two to have it done.



The head shape to Helen's is closer to the Punto or Pinhead pattern at Project Puppet.  The hair masks the head shape some on this puppet.  The body of Helen's pattern has shoulders which PP's doesn't so if you like to use kids clothes you'll appreciate this.

He is one great looking and bright looking guy.....he turned out great. 

I would be interested in seeing how she made an eye placement pattern? It sounds like a neat idea.

Thanks for sharing him.

Daryl H

Thanks for the photo.  I will keep trying with my eyes.  They always tend to look angry.  I try different placement but it never seems to work right.  I will keep trying.  Maybe I will switch to ping pong balls instead of styrofoam, maybe that will make a difference.

Yeap make a great different (I used to work with Styrofoam ball for eyes, but never turned out as I want)
Ping pong ball is a good option.

Miguel!

Thanks for the positive feedback!

Pam you did a wonderful job making Rad. I was thrilled to see a puppet made from my pattern turn out so amazing! Love the fabric colour and the hair matches it so well. The eyes look great too!  Thanks for the comparison with Project Puppet - I'm going to make one of their puppets myself soon. You really are a very talented puppet maker and your puppet's clothes are very stylish!

Daryl, I'm away from home at the moment in the north of Scotland but when I'm back I'll post a photo of the eye placement pattern piece on a puppet head.  What it is though is a square of paper think about 2" with a line down the centre - the paper is placed on the centre of the upper mouth and then a tacking pin placed at each top corner on the paper - this is where the centre of the eye will be. A picture would probably explain it better!

Helen

He came out great and I especially love the hair and eyes.
Excellent work Puppetlady!