ripples: Easy to make Washcloth puppets

Easy to make Washcloth puppets

You can probably make one puppet out of one washcloth or you can buy towels which are cheaper.

(I have found that TJ MAXX is best for price and variety.)

Decide if you want the face to be the same as the body or different.

The pattern pieces are at the end of the instructions.

If the face is to be the same –

Cut two bodies

One mouth

And whichever ear type you want

If you want the face color to be different-

Cut one body

One alternative body

One mouth

And whichever ear type you want

If you use the selvage edge when you cut out the body pieces, you won’t have to hem these pieces.

I zigzag everything. This is also how I make face accents.

Create the face first.

1) I found that eyes, nose and mouth pieces cut from felt work best, zigzagged really well into place.

I also do my accents on the face by zigzagging. It doesn't have to be perfect.

2) Choose which ears you want and assemble them. If doing a contrasting inside on your ears, stitch these onto your ear front pieces before stitching the front/back pieces together. The thick fabric is hard to turn outside in, so you might just have to stitch the front to the back along the edges, right sides out.

3) The ears need to be stitched into place on the face. If using the alternative face, stitch the ears in as you stitch the face on. Be sure that you lay the face upright next to the alternate body part, getting everything lined up and then pin and work together. This is always backwards from the way I want to sew it.

You are literally having to work the two pieces together as you stitch along.

I do better starting in the center where they actually meet up and working my way around to each side.

Be sure to double and triple stitch once it is right, as you can’t sew this again,

once you are assembling the puppet.

If you aren't using the alternative front, then decide where you want your ears to be

and cut a small hole on each side and stitch into place. It doesn't have to be pretty.

The rough grain is very forgiving. Stitch multiple times so they can’t be jerked off and eaten.

4) If you want to put a tongue inside the mouth, you need to do this before assembling the puppet.

Fold the mouth piece in half and lay the tongue near the fold with the tip of the tongue

pointed out towards the round edge.

5) Hem the bottom edges of the body pieces if needed.

6) Stitch the front and back body pieces together up to where you think the mouth should be, making sure to over-stitch and re-enforce many times.

7) Stitch the mouth in place. If you put a tongue inside, be sure that it is on the bottom and lined up correctly. The mouth piece may be a bit bigger than your mouth hole. Just fold it in half and line it up, trimming as needed. No worries!

8) Poke around at all of the seams and connections before you turn it right side out,

just to be sure you don’t need to reinforce a seam.

Tah-Dah!