Super Hero Finger Puppets

Batman, Spiderman, The Hulk, and Superman.

Following up from The Superhero Capes I made for my nephews' birthday, I made them some superhero finger puppets to go with their Batman and Superman books for Christmas.

Here are the close-ups of each puppet:

Spiderman, front.

Spiderman, back.

Batman, front.

Batman, back.

Superman, front.

Superman, back.

The Hulk, front.

The Hulk, back.

DIY Superhero Cape, Mask, and Cuff Set

Lighting Bolt & Golden Star

For my twin nephews' 5th birthday, I made them each a superhero cape — complete with superhero cuffs and masks. Even though I was really nervous, the fabric of choice was satin because my husband and I believed the shininess would give them extra super powers!

I wasn't too happy with the cape pattern I found online; the width was about the size of a bath towel. I wanted a cape that's big enough so that they can grab it, bring it over their shoulders, and cover their faces. So I made my own pattern, but it's really just a half circle.

Below are the instructions for the cape, mask, and cuffs:

**NOTE: The capes I made for the twins have two colours. Blue on one side and red on the other. And vice versa.

MAKING THE CAPE

MATERIALS:

• 2 meters of Satin (1 meter for the front and 1 meter for the back of the cape)
• Satin - in colours for the circle, star/lighting bolt, and initial
• Iron-on adhesive for the initials, symbols, and circle
• Iron-on interfacing for the collar 
• Velcro
• Scrap paper to help with satin stitching

STEP 1— CREATE YOUR PATTERN

• Download the pattern.
• Draw your pattern on Kraft paper and cut it out. For the collar tabs, don't forget to add an extra 1/2 inch for seam allowance.

Draw your pattern on Kraft paper, and cut it out.

Here are the symbols I used:

Print 1 for circle, 1 for star/lighting bolt, and 1 for the initial.

• From your computer, print out the initial. Avoid cursive and serifs fonts for easy sewing.

STEP 2 — CUT OUT THE PIECES

• Cut 2 half circles for the cape. One for the front, and one for the back.
• Transfer the collar pattern (two are mirror images of each other) on to the interfacing, iron on the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric and cut it out. You should have 4 collar pieces in total (2 pieces are mirror images of the other). Set aside.

STEP 3 — SEW ON THE GRAPHICS

• Draw the circle onto the paper side of the iron-on adhesive.
• Iron the adhesive to the wrong side of the frabric .

Adhesive is iron on the wrong side of the fabric before cutting out the circle.

• Cut out the circle.
• Peel off the paper backing and iron it onto the cape.
• Set your sewing machine to create a dense zigzag stitch (close together). Also referred to as a satin stitch.
• To prevent buckling, slide a piece of paper underneath the circle. Satin stitch around the circle.

Back of the cape.

Front of the cape.

• Repeat for the Star/Lighting bolt.
• Repeat for the initial.
• Remove the paper on the back.

STEP 4 — MAKE THE COLLAR

• Pin the pieces right sides together.
• Sew with a 1/2 inch all around, leaving the ends open.
• Trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch (except for the opening), and clip around the curve edge.
• Turn right side out, and iron.
• Top stitch 1/4 inch all around, leaving the ends open.
• Repeat for the other set.

STEP 5 — PUTTING THE CAPE TOGETHER

• Pin the two half circles right sides together. 
• Insert the collar, 1/2 inch from the "neck" edge.

Collar is pin 1/2 inch from the neck's edge.

• Sew with 1/2 inch all around leaving a 5 inch opening on the bottom.
• Clip around curve edge.
• Turn right side out.
• Iron and top stitch 1/4 inch all around.
• Sew Velcro onto the collars.

Cape with top stitching along the edge.

The finished superhero cape.

MAKING THE MASK

MATERIALS:

• Satin (left over from the cape)
• 1/2 inch elastic (length according to your little one's head)
• A safety pin
• Iron-on interfacing

STEP 1 — COVERING THE ELASTIC (OPTIONAL)

• Cut 1½ inch by the longest length the elastic will stretch.
• Fold right side together and sew 1/2 inch along the edge.
• Turn right side out and thread elastic through with the safety pin
• Sew the ends to hold elastic in place. 

Ends are sewn to hold elastic in place.

 
STEP 2 — PUTTING IT TOGETHER

• Begin with the pattern found here.
• Transfer the pattern onto the interfacing
• Add 1/2 inch seam allowance
• Iron interfacing to the wrong side of fabric, and cut out the mask.
• Repeat for the other side.

1/2 inch seam allowance added, interfacing iron on fabric, and cut out.

•  Insert strap and pin right sides together.

Strap is sandwiched between the two masks, pinned, right sides together

•  Sew 1/2 inch all around, leaving a 2 inch opening
• Trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch (except for opening), and clip curve edges.
• Turn right side out and iron
• Hand sew the opening close
• With white pencil crayon, draw the opening for the eyes

Use a light pencil crayon to draw the opening for the eye

• Satin stitch around the opening of the eye.
• Cut out the eye piece.

The finished superhero mask.

MAKING THE CUFFS

MATERIALS:

• Satin (left over from the cape)
• Iron-on interfacing
• Iron-on adhesive
• Velcro

STEP 1 — MAKING THE PATTERN

• Measure the your little one's wrist to determine the size of the rectangle. Remember to overlap, and to add 1/2 inch seam allowance.
• Shrink the star/lighting bolt to your desire size.

STEP 2 — CUTTING OUT THE PIECES

• Draw 4 rectangles on the interfacing
• Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric
• Cut out the rectangles

• Draw two star/lighting bolt on the paper side of the adhesive
• Iron the adhesive to the wrong side of the fabric
• Cut out the shapes

  STEP 3 —PUTTING IT TOGETHER

• Peel off the paper backing and iron the shape onto the cuff.
• To prevent buckling, slide a piece of paper underneath the shape. Slowly, begin satin stitching around the shape.
• Remove the paper.
• Pin two rectangles, right sides together.
• Sew 1/2 inch all around leaving a 2 inch opening.
• Clip off corners and turn right side out.
• Iron and top stitch 1/4 inch all around
• Sew on Velcro
• Repeat for the other cuff

The finished superhero cuffs.

Superhero cape, mask, and cuff.

If you don't have time, and would like me to make it for you, you can purchase it here, on my Etsy Shop.

Kendrick Harding Rich Fund 2013

Kendrick Harding Rich (June 15, 2012 – December 16, 2012)

On December 17th, I donated 50% of the years' profits to the Ronald McDonald House Toronto. We stayed there for six months while he was treated at Sick Kids Hospital since we live almost two hours away. By staying at Ronald McDonald House, we were able to be at our son's bedside for extended periods of time, often well into the night.

Ronald McDonald House does an incredible job of taking care of families so they can focus on their children. The residence had extensive facilities from laundry to a courtyard with barbecues to a huge kitchen. Many children do not stay at the hospital during treatments, and they (and their siblings) had access to a gymnasium, games room, library and even a certified public school inside the building.

I strongly encourage you to support your local Ronald McDonald House through either donation or volunteer work (each week a different company came in to cook us all dinner!). Thank you all for helping me raise some money to give back to this incredible organization.

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Felt Finger Puppets for Izzy

Thomas and Friends felt finger puppet

Happy Birthday Izzy! After my friends' daughter saw the Dora the Explorer puppets I made previously, she requested Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends felt finger puppets for her 3rd birthday.

Here are close ups of each puppet I made:

Thomas

James

Percy

Sir Topham Hatt

Back View of the finger puppets

She played with them immediately as soon as she opened her present. Her mom asked her to say "Thank-you" but she kept playing, not hearing her mom. But that's probably the best "thank-you" of all.

Nursery Rhyme Felt Finger Puppets - Humpty Dumpty, Hey Diddle Diddle, Hickory Dickory Dock and the Three Blind Mice

My nephew's beginning to talk. And with really big words! So for his 2nd birthday, I made him a set of nursery rhyme felt finger puppets. I thought it'll be fun to have the characters accompany him during story time with mommy and daddy.

Here are the finger puppets I made for him - you can order your own for Christmas delivery individually or as a set from my shop. International delivery is cheap because they are light and usually fit in a letter envelope.

The very popular Humpty Dumpty:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Oh no! Humpty Dumpty had a great fall!

The very silly nonsense characters in Hey Diddle Diddle:

The cat playing the fiddle? The laughing dog? Cow jumping over the moon? And the dish running away with the spoon? Super silly indeed!

Hickory Dickory Dock:

The clock and mouse

The clock's hands are sewn in a way that make them moveable — which I hope will be useful when he starts learning to tell time.

And finally the rhyme that everybody sings to, Three Blind Mice:

Three Blind Mice

Seeing the entire collection of puppets together before wrapping it up brings warm memories of when I learned these rhymes in school. I can't wait to make many more nursery rhyme puppets for my son, Halford, when he's a little older!

Don't forget you can buy these handmade felt finger puppets for your own little ones from my shop. Remember, 50% of profits will go to charity.

Dora the Explorer (and friends) felt finger puppets

One day, I was asked by a friend to make a set of Dora the Explorer finger puppets for her twin girls. Feeling up to the challenge, I said "Sure!"

For research, I began watching a lot of Dora the Explorer online. She asked me to make Dora, Diego, Swiper, Backpack, and Boots. They were so much fun to make that I added Map, Isa, and Benny to the collection! Here are the close-ups of the finished finger puppets: 

Dora

Swiper

Diego

Boots

Backpack and Map

Isa

Benny


 

Felt Zoo Animal Puppets

I've put together a tutorial for these felt zoo animal hand puppets below. You can also purchase my handmade zoo animal, barnyard/farm and bird felt finger puppets from my shop.


For my twin nephew's 3rd birthday, I wanted to make them each a set of puppets after seeing this Old MacDonald Puppet Tutorial & Pattern from Just Another Day In Paradise.

Here are the set of farm animals I made for Ben:


For Adam, I wanted to make a set of zoo animal puppets. Using the existing Old MacDonald Puppet Tutorial & Pattern as a starting point, I've added/modified some pieces to make the zoo animals I wanted.

Here are the zoo animal patterns:




















































Notes on a few animals:











The Canadian Moose— except for the antlers, much of it is adapted from The Horse pattern









The Giraffe— The mane and face are adapted from The Horse pattern— The tail is from The Cow's tail pattern
— Spots are randomly cut, using The Cow's spot pattern as a guide












The Lion— The mane is from The Horse hair pattern
— On the front, hand sew the ears and mane in place












— On the back, hand sew the lion's mane, leaving 1/4 inch space around the head












— Before sewing the puppet together, I "tacked" the outer mane towards the center. You could use pins, but I find it's too "bulky".












— Once sewn together, cover up any "bald spots" by hand sewing on more mane.









The Kangaroos
— The adult kangaroo's face is a combination of The Horse and The Cat pattern









The Zebra— Identical to The Horse Pattern— Stripes are cut free hand, using The Cat's stripes pattern as reference












The Zoo Keeper and The Snake— The collar is made by cutting a small slit down the middle of The Farmer's shirt pattern, fold down, and sewn into place

— The felt is too delicate for the snake's tongue. I used a piece of ribbon I already had on hand.

Don't forget, you can also purchase my handmade zoo animal, barnyard/farm and bird felt finger puppets from my shop. I also sell a few felt finger puppet patterns.