Hello Everyone!

WOW!  I'm so glad to have found this site.  I'm very new to puppet building and the wealth of information here is endless   So, I'm a freelance filmmaker who has always loved using puppets so I've decided to learn how to build them myself.  I've built one so far...a metal head named Herzog.  However, I wanted to make my puppets look more professional so I bought a pattern from project puppet and wanted to implement their methods for my second puppet.  I bought the Melonhead pattern to try out but I'm confused about a few things in the directions.

Ok, so now for my questions:
 
The first thing I'm confused about is on page 2 where it says "First, turn the head right side out.  The body should remain inside out.."  When I made my first puppet everything remained inside out until everything was sewn.  What am I not getting?   LOL!  Sorry, it's probably something simple.

The second problem I'm having involves the mouth plate.  The only method I've used in the past is gluing the fabric around the actual mouth plate.  I've never used the felt mouthpiece sewn in so I'm having trouble getting how to do it.  I can't tell from the pictures what I'm supposed to do with this method.  Do I make the mouth plate then glue the whole thing to the felt mouth piece that's been sewn in?  So, once turned inside out the foam is inside, etc?

Sorry for the dumb questions!  HA HA!  I appreciate any help you can provide me and thank you in advance.

Thanks
Laura

I will try to explain the answers to your question,

1. Turning the head right side out, you then insert the head into the inside out body the be stitched to the neck, if you look the correct side of the body and head are next to each other so once stitched and you pull the body right side out both the head and body are the correct way out.

2. yes you glue the foam and card mouthplate to the felt that is stitched to the head.

sorry about the awfull explanation to question 1 but i cant think of any easier way to describe it, I myself use project puppets plans and trust me if you follow the instructions it will all be good.

Welcome to Puppets and Stuff Laura. Good choice in buying a http://www.projectpuppet.com pattern. It sounds to me like you are talking about one of the pp simple series patterns. While these are very simple patterns to follow, if you are use to another method of puppet building it can be confusing. Working lights gave a good description of how to attach the head to the body & mouth plate attachment. This will take practice and will become easy with time. I can't count how many times I got my turn inside in or out mixed up and ended up sewing it the wrong way. If you are more comfortable with your first method adapt the pattern to work for you in the way you built the first puppet. Patterns are just suggestions to help improve your building techniques.  Have anymore question feel free to ask................... and we would love see pictures of your progress.

Billy D.

OMG!  THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!  I just wanted to be sure I was doing everything correctly.  Also, I want to make sure my mouth plate construction is correct before gluing.  

So, I lay out the foam mouth plate piece and glue the two pieces of stiffened felt to it according to the guides.  I then glue the stiffened felt side of the foam piece to the sewn fabric mouth piece.  I then glue the foam core to the other blank side of the foam but only the bottom part.  So, there's only one hard foam core piece, not two right?

Thanks so much!!  I will definitely upload some pics

Side Note:  I saw a tutorial on Youtube by creature works where he cuts out the middle of the foam mouth plate piece.  Am I supposed to do that with this pattern or leave the foam piece intact?

yep i think you are right! check out my melon head project post that im working on.

Laura,
Can you give a link to the Youtube video? Was he using PP patterns? From your explanation, I am not sure why he would do that unless he was trying to reduce bulk but if that was the case I would think you would simply leave the foam out altogether.

BTW:  Welcome to Puppets and Stuff!

Ahh.... now I see what he is doing.
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https://youtu.be/QDwds7ASeIU
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https://youtu.be/UIEEUJ1AfHI
He is using it as a base to glue the mouth plate in. He is doing a variation of the mouth plate that you are making.  In fact if you listen real close to the beginning of the first video he says he is deviating from the original pattern. What you described should work just fine. Prefect example of modifying a pattern to suite your needs.

Thanks Shawn!  Yeah, I'm new so his video confused me at first.  I knew he was deviating from the pattern but still didn't get why he cut out the middle.  Thanks for clearing that up  

yep i think you are right! check out my melon head project post that im working on.

Cool!  You're little guy is cute   I hope mine comes out sweet too!

Hello Again,

Thanks again for your help guys.  My puppets are coming along slowly but surely   I'll post pictures soon of my progress.  I've got two more to build for a kids Dentist commercial!  YAY!