Patterns For Minky Monkey Puppet and Friends

Hand and finger puppets can open up a whole new world for children who love performing. If your child shows any interest in story telling or acting then a good medium to start with are hand and finger puppets. These are the easiest puppets to master and they do not cost a fortune. If you can sew or knit then you can make the puppets for your child.

If your child is of an age that he or she will use the puppet to stage puppet shows themselves then perhaps it is a good idea to provide him with basic guidelines on where to start.

Before we do let me just remind you how important it is that you encourage and support your child and take time to become his number one fan.

Be an enthusiastic audience and become a participant and not just a by-stander if possible. You will be amazed at what you can learn about your child while he is busy role-playing.

The starting point when planning a puppet show is to decide on who the character is going to portray.
Is the character a child. teenager or adult?
Where does the character live? Locally, overseas, from another planet?
What interests does the character have?
Is he a good or bad character?

Once you have created a profile for the character the next thing is to name the character. Choose a name that suits the profile you have created.

Now try to imagine what the character is likely to say.

The last thing to do before you start writing a short script for your puppet show is to decide on a voice for the character.

Minky the Monkey Puppet is an ideal gift for young children and can also be used as an excellent tool for educating your child. As this puppet features in my other hubs on hand and finger puppets I would like to share the instructions on how to make Minky the Monkey Puppet.

SIZE

To Fit an adult hand but can be used by children
If you find that the puppet is too wide for your child use a circular needle and pick up and knit a rib on the open end of the puppet.
This will give the puppet a closer fit around a child's arm.


MATERIALS
You can use any yarn of Aran or Chunky wool thickness. I used a strand of double knitting yarn and 1 strand of a designer yarn that is no longer on the market.
Odd pink or flesh colored yarn for the cheeks, inner mouth and inner ears.(Double Knit)
No 8 Knitting Needles
1 St holder
Tapestry needle
Two adhesive eyes

CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs. If you intend to make this project for children 6 years old or younger, please use embroidered eyes in place of
adhesive eyes.


* Work in Stocking Stitch throughout

With No 8 needles cast on 32 sts. Work in St st for 32 rows. Knit 16, slip remaining stitches to stitch holder.

Beg with a purl row, work in Stocking Stitch for 11 rows
Next Row (RS): K1, (k2 tog) 7 times, k1 – 9 sts.
Next Row (WS): P1, (p2 tog) 4 times – 5 sts.
Break off yarn and draw thread through remaining 5 stitches on needle.
Pull yarn up tightly and fasten.


Muzzle: With No 8 needles, cast on 5 sts.
Knit 1 Row
Next Row : (P1, yo) 4 times, p1 – 9 sts.
Next Row : K1, (k1, yo) 7 times, k1 – 16 sts. Beg with a purl row, work straight in St
st for 9 rows, end on WS.

Head:
Knit 16 sts on needle, then k16 sts from holder – 32 sts.
Knit 7 rows stocking stitch ending with a purl row.
Next Row : K1, (k2 tog) 15 times, k1 – 17 sts.
Next Row : P1, (p2 tog) 8 times – 9 sts.
Break off yarn and draw thread through remaining 9 stitches on needle.
Pull yarn up tightly and fasten.
Inner Mouth : Using No 8 needles and pink yarn cast on 9 sts.
Knit 1 Row
Next Row : (P1, yo) 8 times, p1 – 17 sts.
Next Row : (K1, p into back loop of yo) 8 times, k1.
Next Row : (P1, k1) 8 times, p1.
Next Row : (K1, p1) 8 times, k1. Rep Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 4” from
beg, end on WS.
Next Row : K1, (k2 tog) 8 times – 9 sts.
Next Row : P1, (p2 tog) 4 times – 5 sts. Break off yarn and draw thread through remaining 5 stitches on needle.
Pull yarn up tightly and fasten.


Cheeks: With No 8 needles, cast on 5 sts.
Knit 1 Row
Next Row : (P1, yo) 4 times, p1 – 9 sts.
Next Row : K1, (k1, yo) 7 times, k1 – 16 sts. Beg with a purl row, work straight in St
st for 9 rows, end on WS.
Next row: K1, (K2tog) 7 times, K1- 9sts
Cast off loosely.

Ear - Make 4 - Two in brown and two pink for inner ear.

Using No 8 needles cast on 7 sts. Work even in St st for
10 rows, end on WS.
Next Row : K2, k3 tog, k2 – 5 sts.
Next Row : P1, p3 tog, p1– 3 sts.
Next Row : K3 tog – 1 st. Fasten off.


FINISHING
Sew cheeks onto face leaving a gap on one side. Fill cheeks with toy stuffing and sew closed. Fix nose onto face.
Sew mouth lining to chin and muzzle. Sew ears to ear linings, right sides facing and turn to right side.Fill with toy stuffing.
Sew ears to top of head. Sew side seam. Fix eyes onto face

Hand puppets need not be elaborate. These hand puppets are made from felt and are quick and easy to make.

MATERIALS

Various colored sheets of Craft Felt. You will need two sheets of the same color for each puppet.
Odd pieces of felt for facial features and paws.
Adhesive eyes.
Fabric Adhesive

To draw basic pattern

• Place your hand with fingers together and thumb stretched to the left on a piece of paper.

• Draw a large circle around your four fingers and in a continuous line draw your thumb.

• Cut this pattern out and place on clean piece of paper. Draw the outline of the pattern on clean sheet of paper.

• Flip the cut out pattern over and match the circles of the drawn and the cut pattern. The thumb will be pointing in the opposite direction

• Add the second arm (Thumb) onto the drawing.

• Cut out the pattern around the exterior lines only.

The pattern should now represent the basic shape of the puppets above.

Decide which of the puppets you want to make and draw the pattern pieces according to the details on the photographs.
Remember that eyes, ears, paws only need one pattern piece.

• Cut out two identical main pattern pieces out of felt.
  

• Cut out facial features and paws using odd pieces of felt.
  

• Sew the two main pattern pieces together on the outside of the material. There is no need to overstitch felt as it will not fray.

• Glue all other pieces in place using fabric adhesive.

Finger Puppets are quick and easy to make.

MATERIALS
These finger puppets were made using no 8 needles and double knitting yarn.
For the girl puppets I used a thicker fancy yarn for the skirts.

1 x snap fastener per finger puppet.
Tapestry Needle

Various material finger puppet doll faces, clown face or animal faces.

• Use no 8 needles and double knitting yarn cast on 18 stitches

• Rib (K1,P1) for 28 rows.

• Break off yarn.

• Thread yarn though stitches on needle

• Remove knitting from knitting needle and pull yarn tightly.

• Before stitching closed sew the bottom half of a snap fastener in the center top of the knitted piece as per photo.

• Using the yarn on the tapestry needle join the two side seams.

• Sew a snap fastener onto the back of the finger puppet's head.

• Fasten the head to the knitted piece by fastening the snap fastener.

It is not necessary to use snap fasteners but I find it more practical as you can then change the identity of the puppet easily and you then need to knit fewer finger puppets.

The skirt of the girl finger puppets is knitted in a thicker yarn but on the same size needle as the rest of the puppet.

When finishing off the puppet I left the skirt portion of the puppet open so that it gives the appearance of a flared skirt.

For those of you that just do not have the time or inclination to make puppets there is a huge variety available on the market.

Do not let your enthusiasm for hand and finger puppets wane becuse of a lack of interest in making your own puppets.

Puppets can open a whole new world of communication between you and your child.