These instructions are for a basic hand puppet without the open mouth. Depending on the age of your children a mouth that will open and close is more difficult to make and would require an older child to be able to manipulate it. The head and hands are usually made of either a double knit, muslin or easiest a tube type sock.

The pattern pieces are templates so you must add seam allowance. If using a tube sock the toe of the sock can be used as the puppet's head. The pattern piece is when cutting out from a woven material. Cut two pieces right sides together. Use the template line as your stitching line. Sew, clip and turn.

The body of the puppet is made to include the clothes. Again the pattern is a template. Add the seam allowances, cut out two right sides together and stitch from the bottom around the curve to the end of the sleeve on each side, then begin at the end of the sleeve and follow the curve to the top of the neck.

Place the lightly stuffed head, neck first, inside the body and stitch around the neck, turn right side out and add trim to cover the joint.

To make a sculptured nose make a small circle of tiny running stitches on the face, gathering the stitches to form a small ball and use a large needle to pull the stuffing up into the nose ball and then tie the ends. Put a small daub of glue on the knot and when dry trim the ends of the thread.

You may either paint eyes and a mouth or embroider them at this point to complete your puppet's features.

Hair is stitched to the head. It can be made of yarn, purchased doll hair, embroidery floss or any other fibers. For children's use it should be firmly stitched in place. You can also add a little glue after the stitching to give the head full coverage.

Hands are cut from knit fabric or part of the sock. You make two mitt hands, turn and stuff them and sew them into the ends of the sleeve. When you have stuffed the hands you will need to stitch across the opening several times to hold the stuffing in place and prevent it from being pulled out. The sleeves are left empty so the child can manipulate the puppets arms.

Sculpting the hand. Enter at the base of the hand, come out on the back of the hand, bring your thread over the end of the hand to the place opposite. Stitch through the hand and come out beside where you first exited.

Pull to indent the end of the hand, wrap the thread a second time entering just beside where the first thread entered. You will come out on the back of the hand over a short distance and repeat for the second finger. As you indent to form each finger you will go from the inside of the hand to the back of the hand on an angle coming out where the space between fingers should be. Use the lines on the pattern as a guide.

You will have three double wrapped indentations which will make four fingers and the thumb. The last time you enter at the palm of the hand your needle will come out at the base of the hand right beside where you first began. Pull the thread to tighten and tie off the end thread with the beginning. In the knot add a drop or two of glue. Allow to dry and trim the threads.

This basic puppet can be made to represent male or female, old or young, just by the changes in the body portion which represents the puppet's clothes and drawing in the features and the hairdo. Children would appreciate a set of these puppets representing the different member in the family, friends at school, or perhaps even representing different professions.