Hi.  I am making a Sherock the Squirrel puppet for my daughter and I am having trouble making the pattern.  Sherlock the Squirrel was a hand puppet from the tv show "The Magic Garden" on WPIX-11 in NJ around 1975.  I took my daughter to see Sherlock in NY and she loves him.  Can anyone help me figure out the pattern so I can make him?  I can send you a photo of it.  Please help me.

Thanks so much.

laura

Laura, before I say anything else, welcome to Puppets and Stuff.  You'll find this is a very friendly and help group of people who love working with puppets. 

I wasn't very familiar with the character you were asking about so I did a search for him on line and found a few screen shots of him. 

He's a great looking character and I can see why your daughter would fall in love with him.  There are several of us here who could help you in developing the pattern for the puppet, most more experienced than I am.

I'm just wondering how much experience you have in puppet building.  If this is your first puppet I would recommend going to Project Puppet and buying on of their puppet patterns and then adding the features to their basic puppet.

If you want to literally work from scratch then a good place to start is Ratchet build Tutorial  This will show you Sean Johnsons step by step progress through a puppet build.

Hope this helps you get started if you have any other questions just ask.

This is my first time trying to build a puppet.  Can you give me a link to a pattern I can buy?  I am not sure how I can modify the pattern to make it look like Sherlock.  The video tutorial, is that the one where he makes a hand puppet, step by step?  I already watched that one.  It's really fabulous!!! 

That is definately a picture of him.  Isn't he just the cutest thing?  The puppeteer really made him come alive.  If you want to see him work, go to youtube.com and search for sherlock in the magic garden. There is a wonderful clip in there.  My daughter has been asking me for a month if Santa is going to make her that puppet.  Anything you or anyone else can do to help me I would appreciate it.

I found some wondeful shaggy fushia fabric for the fur, and pink anti-pill fleece for the face.  I already bought the styrophoam balls to do the cheeks and nose and I got the whiskers too (pipe cleaners).  I just can't wait to make him.  I am even going to make a paper mache tree truck with a hole in it to put Sherlock for under the tree.  I am also including the doorbell on the tree trunk just like the show. 

I really appreciate you helping me.  It really means a lot to me.

Sincerely,

Laura

Laura............. Welcome to Puppets and Stuff. You are in good hands.................. I'm sure you will get everything worked out and find the perfect pattern


BIlly D.

I would say the Pinhead pattern from Project Puppet would be the base to start with. While you are there you might also check out The Glorified Sock Puppet Pattern. It is a smaller size and depending on the age of your daughter might be easier for her to manipulate. It might not be the exact head shape of the original but I bet she would not mind.   I don't think you would even have to worry about adding the cheeks to that pattern.  Just use the fabric you have found along with the pipe cleaners and you have your puppet!

If you want the a look alike puppet I would definitely go with the Pinhead pattern .   At the same time, if size is an issue, a sock puppet, while not a look alike, would be easier for your daughter to use.  Depending on your daughters age she may not care as long as the puppet is cute and the color is right.

I'm looking at the face of this puppet and I would recommend to try the "three piece head" method from the "Foam Book". it should be easy to build this puppet with this technique, especially when taking a bottom jaw into consideration.
and as guys already said - pinhead pattern from Project Puppet too.

I finished the puppet.  I made the pattern myself.  I just made a large head shaped with no arms.  Then I filled head with stuffing and added cheeks (styrophoam wrapped in felt.  I made arms separate and attached.   Then, finally I made the tail and attached it.  The puppet is so cute.  I am going to make another one for my classroom ,but bigger.

I bought an unfinished toy box and painted it red and green just like the story box.  I am going to get some props for the stories "Gingerbread Boy" and the "Three Little Pigs" and put it into the box.

Also, I am taking on another project to make the tree to put the puppet in for Christmas.  I am goin to get chicken wire and make the frame of the magic tree, but have it open from the back to climb in to work the puppet. I will make the top like a mushroom shape and glue multicolor felt leaves on it.  I will also paper mache frame and paint the base brown. 

My husband is also going to make the mushroom seats out of old electrical spools padded with foam and use painted canvas for the top of the mushroom.  Finally, I made a chuckle patch of daisies in a pot underneath the tree. I really wanted to do all this for her because she just loves the show since I got her the DVDs.  Can someone show me how to add the pictures to the site.

Look on my gallery under ljeffer.  The pictures are there.

You did a great job on the puppet!!!  He's great.  Your daughter must love him.

Looks great, can't wait to see the tree!