Part 3

Follow basic instructions for doll on page 19.

FEATURES: For the nose, sew on a large red button. Use two small white buttons with spots of black painted on, for eyes. Embroider highly arched eyebrows in black yarn. Cut a crescent-shaped large mouth from red felt. A single white yarn stitch will divide the lips (Figure 1).

HAIR: Make orange or yellow pom poms (see P-28, page 32) and stitch to head, sideburn fashion (Figure 2).

SUIT: Use bright colored material for jacket and follow pattern design A-6, page 28. Seam and turn. Gather wrists to fit arms. Cut pants from pattern design D-4, page 29. Seam; turn and gather waist slightly. Sew to jacket to make one garment. Gather legs to fit ankles.

HAT: Make a cone from white felt and sew to head at a rakish angle. Turn edges up ½″. Stitch two red pom poms to front of hat (Figure 3).

SHOES: Cut from black felt, pattern design A-22, page 30. Make foot much longer and sew pom poms to tips of toes.

FINISHING TOUCHES: Make a ruffle of 2″ wide stiff net to fit around the neck (Figure 4). Do the same for wrists and ankles. Sew pom poms down the front. Add belt over waist seam.

JACKETS ’N’ APRONS

CUT ON DOTTED LINES CUT ALONG HERE, ONE PIECE ONLY

CUT ALONG DOTTED LINES CUT ALONG HERE, ONE PIECE ONLY

CUT ALONG DOTTED LINE CUT ALONG HERE, ONE PIECE ONLY SEW ALONG HERE

CUT ALONG DOTTED LINES CUT ALONG HERE ONE PIECE ONLY

PANTS ’N’ SKIRTS

SEW ON DOTTED LINES

CUT ON DOTTED LINES

SEW ALONG THIS LINE CUT HERE SEW ALONG THIS LINE

CUT ON DOTTED LINES

GATHER ALONG THIS EDGE CUT ON DOTTED LINE

GATHER ALONG THIS EDGE CUT ON DOTTED LINE

SHOES ’N’ BOOTS

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER ④ LACE

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER ④ TURN DOWN

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER ④ TURN DOWN

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER ④ LACE, IF DESIRED

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER

① CUT TOP ② CUT SOLE ③ SEW TOGETHER

HATS—CAPS—HOODS

① BRIM ② TOP ③ SEW TOGETHER

① BRIM ② TOP ③ SIDES ④ SEW

① CUT TOP ② CUT BOTTOM ③ BAND ④ SEW BAND

① CUT HAT ② SEW

① CUT HAT ② CUT BACK ③ SEW

① CUT ② SEAM ③ SEW HEAD BAND

① CUT HAT, SLIT TO CENTER ② JOIN EDGES ③ SEW BAND

① CUT TRIANGLE ② MAKE CONE ③ TURN EDGE UP

① CUT OFF TOE ② HEM RAW EDGE

HAIR ’N’ FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

① DRAW HAIRLINE ② MAKE LOOPS ③ COVER

① WIND YARN ② CUT ③ SEW TO HEAD

① MAKE LOOPS ② COVER HEAD ③ PULL BACK

① SEW DOWN CENTER (bangs) ② SEW CENTER (sides) ③ SIDES OVER BANGS

① MAKE LONG LOOPS ② CUT LOOPS ③ COVER HEAD

① USE SINGLE STRAND ② FORM PARTING ③ COVER HEAD

① SEW DOWN CENTER ② ARRANGE HAIR ③ BRAID

MONKEY SLEEPING BOY GIRL ORIENTAL CLOWN SAD BABY

TIPS ’N’ TRICKS

SOCK SIZES: The animals and dolls in this book were made from size 13 socks; the puppets were made from size 9 socks. The clothing pattern designs will fit toys made from these sizes.

STUFFING: We used kapok for ease in packing and shaping. Nylon fluff, dacron filling, shredded foam rubber or lint from an automatic dryer will work as well. Old nylon hose and other cloth scraps tend to become lumpy. Use a pencil or dowel for packing stuffing in narrow places. Clean stuffed toys by dry sudsing.

WIRING: Stove pipe wire or similar types work fine. Coat hanger wire is too thick and hard to bend. Always bend wire ends up and in to prevent them from working through. Wraps wires with adhesive tape or string. Dabs of cement on the wire will hold string in place (Figure 1). Insert wires straight and bend the completed tail, ears and so forth.

BEND ENDS WRAP ENDS ANIMAL LEGS HUMAN LEGS

SHAPING: Toys can be molded by pushing or pulling the stuffing with the fingers. An occasional stitch will help hold the shape. To mold chubby cheeks, make circles of small stitches, pluck the stuffing up in the circles, pull the ends of the thread together and tie off (Figure 2).

MAKING DIMPLES GATHER CHEEKS PULL STITCHES TO SHAPE CHEEKS

Indentations and dimples are made by pulling a few sock threads back into the toy. This is done by pushing a threaded needle through from the back, catching a few sock threads and pushing the needle back again. Pulling on the needle thread pulls the sock threads in. Repeat for the desired indentations and tie off. Figure 3 shows how this is done for eye sockets. For toys with side eyes (bunnies, donkeys, etc.) work from eye to eye. For more natural lip lines, catch several sock threads in shallow arcs over and under the lips and in a straight line between the lips (Figure 4). See Scrappy on page 17 for ideas on where to put dimples. Use a darning needle to push through the head or body. Lightly pencilled guide lines are helpful.

SETTING IN DOLL’S EYES (BACK TO FRONT) SETTING IN BUNNY’S EYES (SIDE TO SIDE)

MAKE STITCHES AROUND MOUTH AND ACROSS LIPS WORKING FROM BACK TO FRONT

FEATURES: To give the face a flesh colored look, dip the toe of the sock in a weak solution of pink dye before the sock is cut and stuffed. Be sure the solution is lukewarm. For a more professional look, sew flesh colored stockinet over the face after the features have been molded and stitched into shape (Figure 5).

MOLD FEATURES BY PINCHING AND STITCHING THEN SEW STOCKINET TIGHTLY OVER FACE WITHOUT FLATTENING

EYES: If you plan to make several toys, especially animals, invest in manufactured eyes. Or, use eyes from discarded toys. Shoe buttons also make very good eyes since they have shanks. Add a highlight speck of white paint to each button eye to avoid that blank look. Never use eyes that are too small unless you want an older or mean look.

HAIR: Inexpensive wigs, or ones from discarded dolls, can be substituted for pom poms and scrap fur. Pencil guide lines on the head before sewing on pom poms.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: Much can be done to accentuate features and to give toys individuality by embroidering or using felt eyebrows, eyelashes, wrinkles, crinkles and so forth. Felt pieces should be glued on or sewn with tiny stitches in matching thread. We used the satin stitch for embroidered features (Figure 6).

BLACK CENTER WHITE HIGHLIGHT BLUE SATIN STITCH MOUTH SATIN STITCH EYE

CLOTHING: Use freshly laundered and pressed materials—it’s well worth the extra effort. Avoid patterned materials that are out of proportion to the toys. Crayons (pressed well into the fabric) or textile paints can be used to make small pattern designs. Tempera paints tend to wash out. Choose materials that do not easily unravel.

FINGER PUPPETS

MAKING AND STUFFING HEAD: Insert a short piece of paper towel roll in the toe of the sock, then push stuffing up around it until the head is plump and round (Figure 1). Tie a ribbon around the neck and stitch in place to keep it from slipping (Figure 2). Features can be added and the face pushed into various shapes. The finger puppets on pages 35-38 are just a few of the endless variations that can be made.

ARMS: Make a slit on each side of the sock below the neck—just large enough for your thumb and little finger. If desired, little glove-like fingers can be sewn over the openings, otherwise just whip stitch the edge (Figure 3). Add appropriate clothes.

TO OPERATE: Push your index finger and second finger into the cardboard roll; and thumb and little finger into the slits on the side (Figure 4). Head can be bobbed up and down or sideways by moving the fingers inside the cardboard roll while the thumb and little finger can move together and apart to grasp articles, wave, and so on.

WITCH

Follow basic instructions above for finger puppets.

NOSE: Use the red heel of another sock or a piece of felt. Cut in a triangular shape, sew the long sides together, turn and stuff lightly. Bend for a hooked nose and sew to face (Figure 1).

MOUTH: Sew on an upside down crescent-shaped piece of felt.

EYES: Sew on two black buttons, close together over nose. Embroider forbidding black eyebrows.

HAIR: Add scraggly black hair by sewing on loops of black yarn in various lengths and cutting the ends open (Figure 2).

CLOAK: Use a piece of dark material about 12″ × 15″. Fold in half lengthwise. Sew across one end starting at the corner of the folded edge and tapering down to a point 2″ from the top of the open edge (Figure 3). The highest point becomes the peak of the hood. Turn right side out. Gather the material about 4″ down from the front of the hood to fit around the neck of the puppet. Stitch ribbon over gathers and tie ends at front. Turn front edges of hood back about 1″ and hem rough edges (Figure 4).

KATIE ’N’ JAMIE

Follow basic instructions for finger puppets on page 35.

LEGS: Cut the white ribbings from two socks to make the legs. Cut each ribbing lengthwise and sew down the long sides and across one end. Turn and stuff lightly. Sew the legs to the front of the puppet sock opposite the heel so that the puppet appears to “sit” when propped over the edge of a stage. Tie ribbon around the ankles (Figure 1). For more realistic legs with feet, follow methods used for dolls on pages 17 and 19.

HAIR: See page 32 for hair styles. Make both from the same color yarn.

FEATURES: Embroider eyelashes and eyebrows in black yarn. Mouths are red felt. Sew an upturned nose with beige yarn (Figure 2).

BLOUSE: Cut Katie’s blouse from two pieces of white material (Figure 3). Sew together at shoulders, leaving a space for neck and then down sides leaving arm holes. Pull up over bottom of puppet. Add a wide lace collar to hide shoulder seams and short lace edging around arm holes.

SKIRT: Cut a 10″ circle of felt and remove a 3″ circle from the center. Slit up the back and overlap to fit around the puppet. Fasten with a snap. Add shoulder straps of the same material to keep the skirt from slipping. Trim the skirt and straps with embroidery or sequins (Figure 4).

SHIRT: Cut Jamie’s shirt from the same white material and stitch to the body in the same way. Cut a collar-shaped piece of material and stitch around the neck. Whip stitch arm holes. Add buttons down front of shirt (Figure 5).

PANTS: Cut the pants as shown from the same felt material as the skirt—pointed piece for the front (Figure 6). Sew the point down onto the sock between the legs. Back piece will actually look like a skirt and is merely there to make short pants appear complete. Make suspenders from the same material and attach to the pants with tiny buttons.

HATS: For Katie, make a bonnet as shown and tie to the head with ribbon bow under chin (Figure 7). Jamie wears a beanie made from the toe of a sock. Roll back the brim and add a pom pom to the top (Figure 8).

SHOES: If you use more elaborate legs with feet, follow the shoe pattern designs on page 30 making about ½ size. Remember to sew the shoes to the feet rather than try to fit shoes over feet.

PIRATE

MAKE PATCH

Follow basic instructions for finger puppets on page 35.

NOSE AND EYES: Pinch a small portion of the sock together in the middle of the face and tie off—dab with red paint. Sew on one button eye and make a black patch for the other. Make evil looking black eyebrows from yarn (Figure 1).

MOUTH: From red felt, cut a wide, sly, grinning mouth. Remove a small portion from the center to give an open grin. Add a gruesome tooth or two and a villainous black mustache (Figure 2).

BEARD: Add yarn or fringed felt around the chin and sides of the face. At the top of the beard, add a few longer strands of wild looking hair (Figure 3).

DRESS: Make a bandana from bright spotted material and tie it around the top of the head, knotting the ends at one side. Hang brass curtain rings on for earrings. For the shirt, take a black colored sock and cut it off at the heel. For arm holes, make a slit on each about 1″ down from the top of the cuff. Slip over the puppet and turn down top for a turtle neck effect. Add a belt from leatherette and paint the skull and cross bones in the center (Figure 4).

INDIAN

Follow basic instructions for finger puppets on page 35.

FEATURES: Use two round brown buttons for eyes—paint on a spot of white for highlight. Embroider brows in black and mouth in red. Add small button nose (Figure 1).

HAIR: Wind black yarn around a card 3″ wide, about 20 times. Gather along one edge with black yarn; snip other edge open and remove carefully (Figure 2). Sew to the top of the head with the seam down the center like a part and hair hanging down each side of the head. Fit a band of tape (embroidered or plain with beadwork) around the head and add a feather at the back (Figure 3).

DRESS: Cut a shirt from a piece of material 8″ × 6″, seam and fit to puppet with opening at the back. Gather along the waist and sew to a strip of felt for the belt (Figure 4).

OPTIONAL: Add novel beads around neck and wrists (if you have added the glove-like fingers mentioned in the basic instructions). You might try a Mohawk hairdo, braids, fancy headdress, medicine man’s mask or other variations.

LION

SEW EARS WIDE APART

Follow basic instructions for finger puppets on page 35.

FEATURES: Cut toe from the second sock, turn inside out and sew to a nose shape (Figure 1). Stuff lightly and stitch to the front of the head. Embroider end of the nose in black yarn and add an upside down Y-shaped mouth in red yarn. Sew on black button eyes over brown felt circles (Figure 2).

EARS: Cut two petal shaped pieces from brown felt or scrap fur and two pieces from pink felt. Sew the pink and brown pieces together, leaving an opening for turning. Turn and stitch to head. Pleat felt.

MANE: Sew bushy yarn pom poms (see page 32) or strips of scrap fur over the top of the head and down around the neck (Figure 3).

PAWS: Make two small paws from the second sock or the fingers of an old glove and sew over the slits at the sides of the puppet. Add small yarn pom poms or fur scraps near the ends (Figure 4).

FINISHING TOUCHES: If he is to be THE LION in “The Wizard of Oz” hang a little heart locket around the neck.

BILLY GOAT

Follow the basic instruction for the finger puppets on page 35.

FEATURES: Cut toe from second sock, turn inside out and sew to a narrower end (Figure 1). Turn, stuff and stitch to the face. Embroider two nostrils at the tip and sew on a red mouth. Cut two circles of brown felt and sew to each side of the head. Add bright buttons or beads to complete the eyes. For a sleepy look, use flat button eyes and sew crescent-shaped pieces of felt over so that only the bottom half of the eyes shows. Embroider eyelashes, or cut them from felt, if you want to give Mr. Billy Goat a coy expression.

EARS AND HORNS: Cut ears as shown and sew to the top of the head (Figure 2). Make horns from white felt, sewing them into a tube. Insert pipe cleaners into the tubes so that they can be bent to the desired shape. Sew firmly to the top of the head, pushing pipe cleaners down into the head a bit. Curve horns backwards (Figure 3).

WHISKERS: Add a pom pom (wound only 10 times) under the chin and trim to a point.

TRIM: Add a high, formal white collar with a black bow tie. Make a pair of spectacles from thin wire with the nose piece setting well towards the tip (Figure 4).

ARM PUPPETS

The puppets shown on the following pages are basically those in which the mouth is made to move by the action of the hand. In making these puppets keep in mind that ample room must be left over and under the mouth piece for the fingers to operate freely to obtain the maximum facial expressions. Do not use staples, pins or other sharp objects to hold pieces together since they are apt to cut the hand or fingers. Make the puppets large enough so that they can be easily slipped on and off by the child or adult using them.

STEP NO. 1: Tuck the heel of the sock to make a straight tubular piece.

STEP NO. 2: Cut the foot of the sock as shown by the dotted lines.

STEP NO. 3: Turn the sock inside out and cut a piece of red material the shape of the mouth opening. Also cut a matching piece from cardboard. Sew the red material to the sock with an overhand stitch or use your sewing machine.

STEP NO. 4: Turn the sock right side out. Fold the cardboard piece in half and insert in the sock.

STEP NO. 5: Add features such as button eyes, nose, hair and so forth.

ANIMATION: Most talking puppets are operated by placing the thumb under the bottom cardboard piece and the fingers over the upper piece. Open and close the hand to make the puppet talk. Twisting the hand will give a variety of facial expressions and moving the arm about will add to the illusion.

VARIATIONS

The basic instructions above are for the crocodile which appeared in the September 1954 issue of _Pack-O-Fun_ magazine. With modifications, literally hundreds of puppet variations can be made. By simply adding a saw-toothed strip of felt on top, Mr. Crocodile can be turned into a scaly, scary dragon. Or by shortening the mouth and building up the head, as we did for the clown and ringmaster on page 40, you can create a multitude of lovable characters from Hansel and Gretel to modern animated cartoon animals.

Whiskers and mustaches will give villainous or rube-like looks; eyes and ears can be exaggerated for comic expressions; cheeks can be padded for a chubby look and noses can be anything from a tiny button to a long duck’s beak. Hairdos can be long and feminine, short and boyish or fringed for a lion’s mane. Hats, dresses and other costume pieces will enhance the puppet character and hide the arm.

The puppets on pages 42-43 were made for the underwater western skit “Phineas Rides Again” written by our Katie Conrad. Four of the characters are talking puppets. Louie the Lobster is a finger puppet and will give you an idea how both types of puppets can be combined for maximum visual effect. Susie Starfish has no moving parts, but being the beautiful heroine really doesn’t need any! It is possible for one person to handle all six roles.

CLOWN PUPPET

For Sock No. 1 follow Steps 1, 2, 3, 4 on page 39, but make the mouth shorter.

HEAD: Cut 4″ from the toe of the second sock. Stuff lightly, but firmly, so that it doesn’t get too heavy (Figure 1). Sew to the top of the first sock, turning under the rough edges. Be careful not to sew the space above the cardboard closed in Sock No. 1. Shape nice and round (Figure 2).

FEATURES: For eyes use large round or crescent-shaped pieces of felt with bright buttons sewn on. Embroider exaggerated eyebrows. Use a big bead or button for the nose. Colorful pom poms (see page 32) are sewn on for sideburns. Cut a piece of bright red felt for an upper lip and sew it to the top sock (Figure 3).

COSTUME: Add a cone-shaped hat (see Clown Doll on page 27) perched at a rakish angle. To hide the arm, stitch a colorful ruffle around the neck—being careful not to sew it so tight that you will have difficulty getting your arm in the puppet (Figure 4).

ANIMATION: Slip the thumb into the bottom part of the mouth and the fingers into the top.

RINGMASTER

Make the head the same way as the clown above.

FEATURES: The ringmaster’s features are more nearly natural than those of the clown. Embroider thick eyebrows in black, brown or red yarn and sew buttons under them for eyes. For the nose cut a triangular piece from a matching sock, sew the long edges together and turn. Stuff lightly and sew to face. Bend the nose to give it a slight hook (Figure 1). The curling mustache, hair and neat sideburns can be embroidered in yarn matching or contrasting with the eyebrows (Figure 2). Ears can be cut from felt. Sew them on so that they stick out a bit.

COSTUME: Use shiny black oilcloth to make the top hat described on page 31. Set at a jaunty angle and whip stitch to head. Stitch a white wing collar around the neck with just the suggestion of a tie (Figure 3). For greater realism add the upper part of a frock coat with wide lapels. Put a white carnation on the right lapel (Figure 4).

OTHER CIRCUS PUPPETS: By following the basic head patterns you can make other circus folk and animals. For features use the many suggestions for the Sock Animals and Sock Dolls. For example, for a talking elephant stitch a trunk right above the mouth, add tusks and big ears, a tasseled headpiece and so forth.

Phineas Rides Again

Reprinted from _Pack-O-Fun Skit Book No. 1_

The puppets are made from old socks with burlap, felt, cardboard, sponge, plastic lacing and buttons used for features, tentacles, and claws.

The operators sit on chairs on either side of a theatre made from a cardboard carton, with openings cut in each side. Stage directions for right and left are for a person ON STAGE, facing the audience. The direction from which each character enters must be considered in making the puppets.

(_The ANNOUNCER appears in front of the curtain._)

Announcer: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! For years the action-filled western has reigned supreme as a favorite with adventure story lovers. Recently, however, its popularity has been challenged by a rush of interest in underwater drama. Tonight, we combine these trends and proudly present a production that will please everyone: A-Cowboy-Story-Under-The-Sea. Its title is “Phineas Rides Again” or “The Foam Ranger.”

The following exciting characters will appear:

Phineas Fish—_The Hero_ Clem Clam—_His Sidekick_ Susie Starfish—_The Heroine_ Oily Oliver Octopus—_The Villain_ Louie the Lobster—_His Accomplice_ Sam Sponge—_The Sheriff_

Shall we join the players way down yonder in the wild western ocean?

(_ANNOUNCER leaves, and the curtain opens far enough to reveal the puppet theatre. PHINEAS has entered from RIGHT and is on stage, alone, singing. Others backstage may join him to add to the volume._)

Phineas: (_To the tune of “Home on the Range”_)

Oh, give me a home where the mackerel roam And the cod and the anchovies play. Where often is seen, the cheerful sardine And the sunfish is shining all day.