FINGER PUPPETS!

Lynne Jennings's QUARTER CIRCLE CREATURES

Suggested Materials for making some fun and creative finger puppet animals:

felt, fur, fabric that doesn't need seaming and doesn't fray

General Directions:

1. Cut out a quarter circle of chosen material...a good length for the radius is 3" (see figure 1 for pattern.)

2. Fold in half.

3. Sew along straight edge (see figure 2.)

4. Sew elastic loop to seam as indicated to use for finger anchor (see fig. 2.)

To make a mouse, turn right side out, add eyes, nose, tail, etc. as in figure 3.

Note: To animate your creation, turn right side out, slip your index finger into the elastic loop and you will find that you have good control over the movement of your puppet.

Some Other Specific Creatures

1. Cut ear shape as indicated (see figure 4 & 5 for examples.)

2. Sew along dotted lines as indicated.

3. Turn right side out.

4. Add features desired (eyes, nose, hair, tail, etc.)

....For cat, cut 2 small circles as dinicated, cut darts, glue edges of dart together and glue each of the now slightly cone shaped circles to front of snout to form cheeks as indicated on figure 6...

5. Add body and paws as shown in figures 6 & 7, if desired. Body is another cone shape about the size of the head; legs and arms can be smaller cones, or long strips of fabric with paw ends formed by glueing the tips around a BBQ skewer and rolling up toward the body until the paw is the desired size. This gives you a puppet with a wider range of movement.

EXPERIMENT: Try making a rabbit, sheep, goat, rhino. See what animals you can concoct. And most of all, HAVE FUN!