How to Make a Finger Puppet Out of Fabric
A finger puppet relies on hand movements to simulate the body of the character seated on a finger. To build your own finger puppet, cut fabric and assemble it to form the body of the puppet. Supplies from a craft store will be needed, along with tools that most homes have on hand.
Things You'll Need
- 4 cloth fabric pieces, 8 by 10 inches each
- Ruler
- Straightedge
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Label tape
- Sewing thread
- Needle
- 2 plastic eyes
- White glue
Instructions
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Cut a 4 by 6 inch rectangle from one of the pieces of cloth with a straightedge and scissors. Place the cloth vertically on the table. Measure 1 inch up from the bottom left edge and make a dot. Measure 2 inches up from the dot. Measure 1/8th inch in from the 2-inch mark and make a dot. Draw a line between the two dots. Cut out the line drawn with the utility knife. Repeat this procedure from the bottom right edge of the cloth.
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2
Measure 2 inches up from the cut on the right side farthest from you. Draw a line across the cloth to the right side. Make a dot at the right side. Draw a line from the dot on the right side to the cut. Cut out the line drawn with the utility knife. Remove the horizontal line on the cloth with the pencil’s eraser. Repeat this procedure from the cut on the left side of the cloth farthest from you.
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3
Make a dot at the top center of the cloth. Draw a curved line from the top center to the cut edge on the right side of the cloth. Cut out the line drawn with the utility knife. Repeat this procedure with the cut edge on the left side of the cloth. Label this piece “1” with a piece of tape.
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4
Make a second piece of cloth in the same manner as the one you have just finished making. Label this piece “2” with a piece of tape. Place each of the cloths vertically on the table so that the curved sides are facing toward the side of the table and not each other.
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5
Cut a 2 by 4 inch rectangle from a scrap of cloth with the straightedge and scissors. Place the cloth on the table vertically. Measure from the bottom to the top of the cloth. Make a dot at the halfway mark on the cloth at its center.
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6
Draw a line from the dot to each side of the cloth and make a dot. Draw a curved line from the dot at each side to the bottom of the cloth so that the two lines meet. Repeat this procedure, only from the top of the cloth. Cut through the lines with the utility knife. Label this piece “3” with a piece of tape.
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7
Draw a line from the dot to each side of the cloth labeled “3” and make a dot. Draw a curved line from the dot at each side to the bottom of the cloth so that the two lines meet. Repeat this procedure, only from the top of the cloth.
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8
Cut through the lines with the utility knife. Measure from the top to the bottom of the cloth. Cut horizontally through the cloth at the halfway mark with the utility knife. Remove the “3” label. Label the two pieces just cut “4” and “5.”
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9
Hold piece number “4” with the pointed end facing up. Pin the piece to the top of piece “1.” Repeat this procedure with piece “5” and piece “2.”
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10
Sew around the edges of pieces “4” and “5” with sewing thread and a needle. Cut the thread when you have sewn around all of the edges. Tie a knot in the thread. Remove the pins.
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11
Place piece “1” on piece “2” so that the sides line up. Sew around the outer edges of the two piece with sewing thread and a needle. Cut the thread when you have sewn all of the edges. Tie a knot in the thread.
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12
Apply white glue to the back of two plastic eyes. Hold the finger puppet you have made with one of the flat sides facing you. Press each eye against the flat side so that they are side by side. Hold the eyes against the flat side for a minute to let the glue adhere. Let the glue set for an hour. Insert your finger into the bottom of the finger puppet you have made.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use a sewing machine instead of hand-sewing the puppet.
