anyone got any tips on how to successfully make a chicken puppet? it's the beak that I'm most cautious asbout, I'm looking to use white fleece, with yellow fleece on the "beak" and some feathers applied afterwards. but I'm so used to using the standard 3 templates, I don't tend to deviate away from those now :-/

If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it! I've yet to use the method of creating a foam Skeleton which is then covered in fleece.

Regards,

Loki

Well a beak in it's simplest form is kind of two triangles that are glued along one edge. You do this for both top and bottom beak with the lower one being a little smaller perhaps. If you are used to the three part method you could then glue those on to your base form. Then cut away the foam of the "old mouth" and create your mouth plate based on the profile of the puppet.

Shawn, that sounds like the best idea I'm gonna give it a try!

Don't forget to let us know how it turns out for you.

He'll be in the new series of the Loki Show so you'll definitely find out! but I'll try and get some pics up but first Im busy sewing the newest superhero......

I made a chicken puppet from this pattern. It is on the top left. The puppet came out much better than the picture shows and the mouth moved very easily. the comb in the top and the waddle under the lower beak would wiggle interestingly.

http://www.creativemin.com/product/564/puppet_building

Hey Snail, I have only just seen your post, and I'm a bit poor now so can't afford a book of patterns lol.

here is a pic of my unfinished puppet....

and yes his beak is not lined up properly, hopefully won't notice when finished! I took the glorified sock puppet pattern and modified it slightly, pretty proud of my amendments especially to the foam skull I used and the foam I used in the beak....next I want to do a rabbit....harder task perhaps???

Good job. I think it turned out nicely.  So do you know why the beak fabric did not line up?    Always important to line up seams like this first and then pin your fabric before sewing.  Often if you start at the edge of your fabric and start sewing without pinning then by the time you get to the other end things are a bit off. I always keep this in the back of my mind because often there times I don't want to take the time to pin.  Just food for thought.

Coming on fine. Yes, getting your seams to line up takes a bit of practice. I have quite a time getting lizard stripes to line up. Shawn gives good advice there. I expect you are going to put a 'comb' on the head? Maybe some beak danglers too?