Thanks Na. Yes, it was uber expensive fur at $65 per mtr. I liked the look of it though and it was one of those situations where if I didn't do all I could to ensure my first puppet turned out well, I would be disappointed in myself and probably not try again for a while. The lesser furs were far more appealing colour wise but some of them were not nice to touch and looked scary to try and sew with. Shag fur hides your mistakes! Part of the problem in living in a regional area is you're not exactly spoiled for choice. Next time I'm in Melbourne I'll look you up and maybe visit some of the suppliers you and others here use.

Started my secong puppet today - very excited!!!

Hope you're having a fabulous weekend.

Lizzie

YAY for the beginning of a new puppet! I'm always excited at the beginning of a new puppet build. Everything is possible when you're starting out. Have a blast! Can't wait to see the results.

Can't wait to see your second puppet! I LOVE your furry guy! He is fabulous!

I hear you about the furs, Currently I am experimenting with a pattern, some bargain bin fabric, left over poly foam before I start using some (recently acquired) reticulated foam and the mouth plate is made of foam core though I recently got a jigsaw in order to cut 2mm plywood for mouth plates. So I'm kind of using up some of the second rate stuff.
I have to say that it's kind of liberating to use some second rate materials ( mainly because it gets me closer to justifying the good stuff!) I don't need to worry about it being a master piece and work with a little more abandon and experiment some more. I use the time I have, however short, instead of worrying about rushing with expensive stuff. So I'm getting more done than in ages.
Most of my recent puppets have been "disposable" kids toys rather than "muppet style professional puppets" (hence I haven't posted stuff on here) and I've been making them out of some APPALLING  track suit fleece I had lying around. hell the kids liked them and I don't stress about the puppets as "props" Again, it honed my skills in "knocking up a puppet in an afternoon"
Good fur is a beautiful thing, and a great way to go if you can but it's nice to experiment with "scrap and crap" (pardon the crass phrase, but I think it expresses the kind of liberation I'm talking about.
All this made me realise how long it's been since I posted a picture! Welcome again Lizzie, look at how strong and widely read this thread is, all from a hello thread.
Scoob

Hi Everyone, thanks for your encouragement. Creating this current puppet is already awesome. After years of sewing the same old things, it's really exciting to be feeling enthused again. I might have bitten off more than I can chew but we'll see!

Scoob, I love the scrap and crap term! I would really love to see some of the 'disposable' puppets you mention. I hope developing your new pattern goes smoothly and you enjoy the process. I have no doubt with the time you're investing it will be awesome. What kind of design is it?

Should I close this thread or something if it's getting too long?

Thanks

Lizzie

No no no, a long thread is good, popular subject!
I'm actually not making my own pattern. Years ago I used to make lots of puppets without any pattern, using foam and "tuck, cut and glue methods I was inventing my self ( but it turns out lots of people used the same invented techniques, if you follow me)
What I'm experimenting with is using a purchased pattern,  kind of backwards huh? It's saving me time ( which I severely lack with two pre-school age children. It's a nice way to learn new things and even how some of my own techniques are still better ( for me) when the Aussie dollar was up I got around to buying some project puppet patterns but am only slowly getting around to making anything.
I'll try and get some pictures up soon if I can, we all love pictures here!

Should I close this thread or something if it's getting too long?

Long? You obviously have not seen some of the novels we have produced here.  I know a lot of forums are picky about that and a lot of other things but we are pretty easy going here. I kind of like seeing the full scope of a conversation.   

Thanks Na. Yes, it was uber expensive fur at $65 per mtr. I liked the look of it though and it was one of those situations where if I didn't do all I could to ensure my first puppet turned out well, I would be disappointed in myself and probably not try again for a while. The lesser furs were far more appealing colour wise but some of them were not nice to touch and looked scary to try and sew with. Shag fur hides your mistakes! Part of the problem in living in a regional area is you're not exactly spoiled for choice. Next time I'm in Melbourne I'll look you up and maybe visit some of the suppliers you and others here use.

Started my secong puppet today - very excited!!!

Hope you're having a fabulous weekend.

Lizzie

I have to agree, sometimes it's worth spending the money for the right look. Personally, I'd rather spend the dough on some good fur than fleece. Spotlight's fleeces are good substitutes for antron, but the low end furs don't really substitute well for the high end ones. Texture, pattern and length of fur are all completely different between the two.

I've only used the low end ones though, and they are just as good in terms of making puppets with. Hiding seams is no problem if you use a handy tip I learned from the members here: use a pin or needle and lift out the fur from between the stitches once you've finished sewing. Then you never see your stitches!

Regional living is tough - whereabouts are you?

Do contact me if you're in town. I always like to meet fellow puppeteers

PS. As it happens I redrafted an old post on my website about where to find items for puppet building in Australia. If you or anyone else has some other suggestions, let me know. The post is here:
http://www.schoolofpuppetry.com.au/tutorials.php/where-to-buy-puppet-supplies-in-australia

Most of my recent puppets have been "disposable" kids toys rather than "muppet style professional puppets" (hence I haven't posted stuff on here) and I've been making them out of some APPALLING  track suit fleece I had lying around. hell the kids liked them and I don't stress about the puppets as "props" Again, it honed my skills in "knocking up a puppet in an afternoon"

I'm sure many here would be interested in what you're doing, professional or not. I'm always curious to see different things, and often the 'unprofessional' stuff sparks an idea or two that helps me solve problems I'm working on.

Also, Jim Henson used an old coat for Kermit, so I wouldn't worry too much about using different materials than what's often suggested for making puppets.

By the way, the 'scrap and crap' term made me think about something I've been doing lately. I had some extra puppet hands made out of stuffed fleece (some had long rods, some had short, I could replace the hands depending on what I was doing with the puppets), but recently needed some stuffing but didn't want to go buying it. I cannabilised the puppet hands, since I don't need them anymore, and used the stuffing from that.

I like the idea of reusing puppets to make other puppets, particularly as it's good recycling. Only problem is that I need more stuffing still