How to make
the basic body
How to make
the hair, face, and clothes
- 1 . Decide the size of the puppet you’ll make
- 2 . Print the pattern
- 3 . Cut out and assemble the pattern
- 4 . Transfer the pattern onto the fabric
- 5 . Sew the face (head)
- 6 . Sew the body (torso)
- 7 . Sew the face and body together
- 8 . Sew the lining
- 9 . Sew the outer and lining together
- 10 . Add the stuffing
- 11 . Close the opening at the back of the head / Finish
- 12 . Finished
Download this sewing pattern here
Decide the size of the puppet you’ll make
Print it on A4 paper at actual size (100%) and check it against the hand of the person who will use the puppet. You can download the guide from the link below.
Once you’ve decided on the size, buy the pattern and download it from the link you’ll be given after purchase.
Print the pattern
Print the downloaded data at the indicated print size (A4 or A3).
Please note that we cannot offer refunds for orders placed in the wrong size.
The pattern includes a “3D diagram,” but it isn’t used in the “Basics.” For how to use the “3D diagram,” please see the “Advanced” recipe.
Cut out and assemble the pattern
Cut out the printed pattern piece by piece.
Cut the fabric to match the shape of the pattern.
For patterns marked with the “fold” symbol, fold the fabric in half, align the pattern with the folded edge, and cut.
Be sure to cut the triangular spots and notches※ on the pattern accurately.
For example, if it says “×2,” you need 2 pieces in total (1 each for left and right); if it says “×4,” cut 4 pieces in total (2 each for left and right).
- 【 notch 】
- A mark used to align fabric pieces when layering them together.
Transfer the pattern onto the fabric
Sandwich tracing paper between the pattern and the fabric, and transfer the lines using a tracing wheel.
This pattern is set with a “5 mm seam allowance.”
So, in general, sewing 5 mm in from the fabric edge gives the finish shown on the pattern.
However, there are spots where the “stitching line is hard to see,” or where the seam allowance is not 5 mm as an exception.
We recommend tracing at least the parts shown here.
Sew the face (head)
The first thing to sew is here on Outer A. Fold the fabric with right sides together※ and sew the “A” dart※.
The pattern is marked with the letters “A through O.” In general, sew the pieces together in order starting from A.
(1) Sew the “B” dart※ in the same way.
Just like the “A” and “B” darts※, sew the “C” dart※ on Outer B.
Place two pieces of Outer B with right sides together※ and sew the “A-D” line. Be careful not to sew over the “stop-stitching point” as you go.
- 【 dart 】
- A triangular tuck stitched into the fabric to give it a three-dimensional shape.
Place two pieces of Outer C with right sides together※ and sew the “E-F” line.
Sew two pieces together on each side to make two ears.
Turn the ears you sewed in 5-5 right side out and add stuffing. Add a similar amount of stuffing to the left and right ears.
Once you’ve finished stuffing, sew the opening of each ear closed. Sew 2–3 mm in from the fabric edge.
(If you sew more than 5 mm in from the fabric edge, this seam will show when you sew the ears to the face.)
Align the notches※ of Outer A, the ears, and Outer B.
Sew all the way around the outline of the face.
Turn it right side out and the face is complete.
Sew the body (torso)
Place Outer D and Outer E with right sides together※ and sew the sides.
Align the torso’s armhole※ with the notch※ on the arm and sew the “J-H-J” line.
When attaching the sleeve, stop sewing just before the side seam allowance, then sew the rest taking care not to catch the seam allowance.
Sew the shoulder section “G-J” of the torso and the arm “J-K” together. Here too, don’t sew through the armhole※ seam allowance.
Doing this keeps the fabric from pulling when you turn it right side out.
Snip into both sides of the thumb right up to the stitching so it doesn’t pull when you turn it right side out.
Align the fabric edges of Outer E and sew the back together.
The body is now complete.
Sew the face and body together
With the face right side out and the body wrong side out, insert the face through the opening in the body and align the notches※ at the neck.
Aligning the notches※ of the face and body, sew all the way around the neck.
Turn the torso and arms right side out.
The puppet’s outer is now complete.
- 【 right sides together 】
- Layering two pieces of fabric with their right sides facing each other.
Sew the lining
Place two pieces of Lining A with right sides together※ and sew the sides.
Align the torso’s armhole※ with the notch※ on the arm and sew the “N-M-N” line.
As with the outer (step 6-2), be careful not to sew the side seam allowance.
Sew in one continuous pass from the tip of one arm, over the top of the torso, to the tip of the other arm.
The puppet’s lining is now complete.
Sew the outer and lining together
With the outer right side out and the lining wrong side out, insert the outer through the hem and align the notches※ at the hem.
Sew all the way around the hem, aligning the notches※ of the outer and lining.
Pull the outer out through the hem of the lining.
Fold it back so the front of the outer (the face) and the lining overlap.
Sew about 1 cm of the seam allowance at the crown, both shoulders, and so on, so the outer and lining don’t shift.
The point of sewing a little of the seam allowance is just to keep the lining from flipping up when you put your hand in, so basically you can sew anywhere.
We recommend the spots marked with ◯.
Pull the entire outer and lining out through the opening at the back of the head.
As long as the lining is inside the arms too, you’re good.
Add the stuffing
Add stuffing little by little through the opening at the back of the head.
Stuff the hard-to-reach spots first.
In particular, the “fingertips,” “arms,” and “front of the body” need to be stuffed while carefully working around the lining.
If you stuff while focusing only on the outside appearance, you can run into the problem of “my hand won’t fit!”
Now and then, adjust the amount of stuffing while putting your hand into the puppet.
Once you’ve added a fair amount of stuffing, sew all the way around the hem edge so the lining isn’t visible.
Close the opening at the back of the head / Finish
Close up the opening at the back of the head with a ladder stitch (U-shape stitch)※.
- 【 ladder stitch (U-shape stitch) 】
- A way of sewing so that no stitches show on either the right or wrong side of the fabric; a type of slip stitch used for closing openings such as turning gaps.
Finished
That’s the end of the “basic” way to make the puppet.
