(Please note: I’m not referring to large costumes - fursuits or mascots or any human costume - in this article; this refers to costumes for puppets - marionettes, etc - to wear only… so no, this isn’t going to help you build your halloween costume)

As much as I’d love to do a step-by-step instructional on how to make puppet costumes, it would be redundant. Because it’s already been done!

AKA how to make clothes for rod puppets

There is a free ebook on the web entitled You can make puppet costumes. I have used this book for everything from muppet-type puppet costumes, to designing and making clothes for rod puppets. But you can use it to make clothes for every type of puppet, including marionettes, sock puppets, glove puppets… the whole magila. The instructions are very easy to follow, and can be used for every kind of puppet you can think of with minor alterations. You can use the step-by-step guide to make a range of clothing items, from dresses to capes, from pants to skirts, from shirts to t-shirts, from coats to three-piece suits. The book also includes easy-to-understand hints and tips, plus simple explanations for sewing novices.

I highly recommend downloading it, printing it out, and using it. You can see how I used it to make my costume for Doc here. I also used it to make Amy’s pretty in pink dress (pictured at right) and Jeff’s outfit. It’s probably the best resource for designing and making puppet costumes, since any costume you make will have its own specific requirements - no two puppets are the same, your needs for costumes will also be different. UPDATE: REcent discussions on clothing for puppets leads me to add more info. You can also use Build-a-bear or children’s clothes. Be warned though, that these are often limited solutions, as puppets require additional flexibility in fabric and movement than is often sewn into such clothing items.

You should also read my post on why there aren’t any free puppet costume patterns available on the net, and my post on where to buy puppet costumes, or the article on changing a puppet’s clothes.

You can find the book here. Did I mention that it was free to download? Yes, yes I did.

Puppet patterns and parts available at my online store!

Want more? Help build a puppet!

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