Ok, i did some cutting and measuring with the roly pattern with its mouth. I was trying to see what the length inbetween the two mouth pieces should be (most people say one pencil's width is usually enough) but measuring the mouth pattern against the felt mouth pattern, and then the foam piece for the mouth, it appeared that there was no space inbetween the two.
i know there's not really a question in that whole thing, but could someone please explain this to me as best you can?
thanks!

I can't remember for sure on the Roly and can't find my copy at the moment, but I don't think the pencil length applies on this pattern. I think it is similar to the Glorified Sock Puppet and you don't actually have a gap.  If you are covering the inside of the mouth with felt then you should cut it the same size as your foam and it would be one solid piece.

thats what i thought, but in Puppeteers unite tutorial, he does it with two pieces and with a gap...

Ahh... Ok I see.  You missed a very important comment at the beginning of his video.   He states that he is going to deviate from the instructions for the Roly puppet pattern. He is showing you how to create a rigid mouth plate. So you need to follow his instructions or the Roly pattern instructions. 

oh.. now im really confused :/ so he just kind of does it his own way? not following the instructions?

Okay, I'm guessing it's similar to the pattern I have, the Pinhead. It's designed to use a material which is in one piece. It is possible to do it with two pieces, though. Cut a pencil width space out of the middle of the mouth plate pattern and only the mouth plate pattern.

Vampire Wombat: you read my mind, thats exactly what i was planning to do, because i think i would prefer it in two pieces is that what you do when you use the Pinhead?

Yes SB he is using his own method for the mouth and not following the pattern/instructions.  Why would you prefer it in two pieces?  Here is another question... What is the material your mouth plate is made of? Is it just foam and felt or is it felt and cardboard?  You would split the cardboard if the second is your answer and then put the gap in.  If you are going to just use the foam and felt then you do not need to split the mouth plate. 

Here is another question for you. Why do puppeteers use a rigid mouth plate as opposed to a flexible one? Do you remember reading about that?  A flexible mouth plate can give your character more expressions i.e. the way Kermit works.  With a rigid mouth plate you lose that.

Flexible mouth plate: Foam + Felt = more expressive puppet.
Ridgid mouth plate: Cardboard + Felt = less expressive puppet.

So does that all make sense to you?  Are you seeing the reasons and madness behind all this. 

So here is one last parting question.  Actually this is for everyone not just you.
If a flexible mouth plate gives your puppet more expression then why would you want a rigid mouth  plate?

Vampire Wombat: you read my mind, thats exactly what i was planning to do, because i think i would prefer it in two pieces is that what you do when you use the Pinhead?

Usually, yeah. Though once I did forget to remove that space and it made things a little off.

So here is one last parting question.  Actually this is for everyone not just you.
If a flexible mouth plate gives your puppet more expression then why would you want a rigid mouth  plate?

Honestly, I find that flexible mouth plates are harder for me to use if it's for more than a few minutes at a time. I tend to go somewhere in between by using a leather mouth plate.

If a flexible mouth plate gives your puppet more expression then why would you want a rigid mouth  plate?

If the mouth of the puppet is too large, then the flexible mouthplate can't keep the mouth shut correctly when trying to keep it shut. 

Like on the Melonhead from Project Puppet, the foam core is what allows the mouth to be correctly closed when you want it.  I tried one with just stiffened felt, and the mouth tended to stay open a bit at the edges and wouldn't close correctly. 

I think different mouthplates are useful for different shapes of puppets.  Where some work best with a softer mouthplate, others might work better with a stiffer mouthplate. 

Just my .02...