One of my projects that I am working on is a makeover of some old puppets that the client says are probably 23 years old.  They have serious wear on the mouth plate edge and where destined to be thrown out if they couldn't be fixed some how.  I took on the task and did my first total face redo on the male puppet (I call him Milo) by removing fabric from the old torso to totally remake the face lifting the hairline up to allow for new features.  I used fabric from the Milo's old arms to remake the hands and made a new rod insertion method to reduce the wear on the newly remade wrist.  Client requested a yarn wig on the male, so I obligued.  Milo is finished and the female is next up for a makeover.

Great work... what an improvement over the original! I like the new eybrows and eyes, they really add quite a bit of character to the guy. I think the yarn hair was a great call also. So do you get paid as well as a plastic surgeon?

Do you use botox to................................... You should open a puppet hospital with puppet hospital gowns and wristbands. I agree great improvements.

Billy D.

Alas, my fees are no where near a plastic surgeon's pay.  I'm a sucker for puppets, so my clients always get a good deal.
I'll post the steps I take on the female puppet.  I didn't take photos on the first because I knew my client would freak out if I showed her how invasive it is.  Now that the first is done, I'll catalog the steps on the second.

Now, that puppet has life!

You did such a great job, Ms. Pam! Congratulation.

Miguel!

Here's "Lola" on the chopper block for her makeover.  This is what I did with Milo to remake him.  I'm documenting it for you guys and for my client.  Currently Lola is decapitated and I'm going to do a little plastic surgery on her face and then reattach the new head to the new body.  CAUTION: Cover your puppets eyes, these photos may be disturbing to them.

Again. If I would be a old puppet, I wish to be on your hands.

You are one of my favorite puppet designer! (You are good in this).

Miguel!

Quick question, Are you using the original skin as your pattern?

No but that is one way I could have done it.  I wanted to raise the hairline on the boy for aesthetic reasons and his hair has not an attached wig but a pattern piece sewn right into the face front.  I wanted a higher face front than the original so I pinned a clear bag against his head and traced out a new larger face piece.  This new pattern was placed on the fabric that I removed from the torso and 2 mirror image pieces were cut out.  The center front seam was machine sewn and the rest was hand sewn onto the puppet head.  I repeated the process for the chin area since this area was worn so thin you could see through it.

Fantastic work, thanks for sharing the process.