Hello,

This is my first post on this forum although I've been reading a lot here and post over at muppet central.

I'm looking for an alternate foam body pattern and body fleece covering pattern for the Forma Series puppets from ProjectPuppet.com.  I recently made a puppet using the Ovale pattern but was really not fond of the body pattern which ends up basically being a cilynder. I'm looking for a body shape closer to Ernie or Princton from Avenue Q. Something a little more human in shape but that is in proportion to the Forma Series heads. Does anyone know of a pattern?
Thanks in advance for your help!

EDIT: I added pictures above so you can see the body shape I'm not fond of. Although it looks a bit better with a shirt over it.

Welcome to the forum! And nice puppet, love the costume too. I know what you mean about the bodies though. I personally do not have the alternate series pattern from PP and I pattern the bodies on my own based on the character I'm building. I really only use PP patterns for the head and hand pattern.

A good starting point though is the "wedge" pattern, which gives you a football like shape:
http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php?action=gallery&g2_itemId=8607

Here are also some links that may be helpful:
http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,3108.0.html
http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,3689.0.html

I hope this helps!

I have been having some luck with the pattern PuppetLady posted: http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php?action=gallery&g2_itemId=3724

Arthur

Welcome to Puppets and Stuff. So glad you decided to join and ask questions. Nice puppet BTW.

In one of the topics that Gabriel linked to you'll see this image posted.


This is a really good image to see that really the body is a tube that has simply been tweaked. Now have a look at what Arthur just posted. Envision that over you pattern you use now. Can you see how the darts and angles change the shape?  Also to see the full pattern you need to use the "Download document in original format" below the preview of the file. It is in pdf form.

Also it looks like you have a pretty sweet shirt for your puppet. If you where to take the pattern you used for that and removed the arms and perhaps decrease the size just a bit you would have a pretty good body pattern I would think. I might be wrong on that one but looking at the picture that is the impression I get.

I think all this should get you started but feel free to ask more.

Gabriel, Arthur, and Shawn, thanks for your replies!

If I used the PuppetLady pattern, how would I go about making a fleece covering pattern for it?

It also just occurred to me that I could probably just take the Alternate Body pattern from the Simple Series on Project Puppet and enlarge the foam and fleece pattern large enough so it would be in proportion to the forma series heads. Thoughts? I actually quite like the shape of that body pattern.
Thanks!

Same pattern as the foam one.   If your fleece has enough stretch in it you might not even have to enlarge the pattern.  You might need to add some to the top and bottom so you can wrap the edge of the foam to finish off nicely.

Have you seen Daryl's aka StiqPuppets videos yet? He gives a lot of great tips on different aspect of making puppets.
http://www.blogtv.com/People/StiqpuppetsLive
http://www.youtube.com/user/StiqPuppets/videos

As Shawn said, use the same pattern used for the foam.  If you are using 1" foam then with the stretch of the fabric running aross the width of the body cut the fabric 3/4"-1" wider than the pattern...some of hat sill depend on if you are hand sewing (need less) than if you are machine sewing.  I usuall allow 3" at top...that 1" for the thickness of the foam and two inchs to wrap inside.  You can also allow for 1 1/2" at the top and cut a second 2 1/2" piece...sew them right sides together, trim seam then turn that under.  That way you have a nice finished top edge.  For the bottom allowance. Think about how you are finishing it.  Are you sewing e bottom edge to a lining, then you only need about 1" long otherwise you. Ight want more to turn and glue inside as with the neck area.

Your alien looks sewwt.  Reminds me of the aliens in the toy grabber machine from Toy Story.

Julie

Welcome to Puppets and Stuff.

Welcome aboard. Love your three- eyed alien!

Welcome, glad to have you here!!

Thanks everyone for your welcome messages!

Shawn and Julie, thanks for the fleece covering info! I didn't realize I could use the foam pattern to make a fleece covering pattern, since the project puppet patterns use 2 completely different looking patterns for the foam and fleece ( at least in the simple series alternative body pattern)

When I get around to making my next puppet body (hopefully soon!) I'll post the results here.

P.S. - Julie, I get all my Antron and eye's from you. I love your store!

Well sometimes a pattern for fabric and be different then the foam depending on where you want seams to show and how much stretch you have in the fabric.  For example on a head you may have a seam down the middle of the head on the foam but not want that on the fabric so your pattern for fabric may have it's seams on the side under or behind the ear which would be easier to hide. Also since fabric does often stretch and foam does not you may not need the same amount of seams.

Bottom line... in this case you can use the same pattern.

P.S. - Julie, I get all my Antron and eye's from you. I love your store!

Thanks.  We appreciate your business.  I apologize for not realizing...I loose track of names that go with posts. I usually remember peoples names when they order, but somehow my brain doesn't file the other info along with it. LOL

Look forward to seeing the new puppet.

Julie

[Profile]

I wanted to add a quick note about "recognizing folks".   It can be hard knowing who is who in other places on the web. You can help in one of two ways. When you registered you put in a user name that is used by default as a display on your post.  If you want in your Profile you can set a Name that is used for display instead. Simply go to Profile > Modify Profile > Account Related Settings and fill in the Name box with your real name or something that would be recognizable to others.  That is what Julie has done.  In her case she has used her company name.  She then adds here name real name when she post something. Actually if she wanted to she could add here name to here Signature and it would show up automatically. You can actually add other things to your Signature if you want also but I encourage you to keep it kind o short. To do this go to Profile > Modify Profile > Forum Profile Information and enter what you want in the Signature field that is toward the end of the form.