One of the most important things you can do to take care of your marionettes is to keep the strings untangled. It sounds harder to do than it actually is.

First things first: when storing or transporting marionettes, pack them so that the strings are carefully protected. That is, you could grab a scrap piece of cloth or a piece of rope and wrap it around the strings, and then tie off the cloth. In this way, the strings are tied together and shouldn’t move and get entangled. You can find more info about storage of puppets, including marionettes, discussed here.

Similarly, when displaying marionettes, be careful to hang them in a place that won’t get knocked or brushed by people walking past; the less the marionettes are knocked about, the less chance there is for the strings to tangle from the movement. A great example of these tips is explained here and here.

Additionally, some puppet makers put wax on the strings, which helps make them less likely to tangle.

By taking these preemptive steps, you can ensure a longer life for the strings, and for the marionette on the whole. But what happens if you do manage to get them tangled up?

The simplest and easiest thing to do is to fix the strings as soon you notice them getting tangled. Carefully pick up the control and notice where the strings are getting caught in each other; then lift one string from another until the marionette is untangled. You may need to flip the control over to help the process, and if there are detachable bars, then you’ll need to untangle that first and put it to one side while working on the rest.

If you’re still stuck, you may need to carefully undo a couple of strings, making sure to remember where they reattach for restringing later.

One idea when making marionettes is to have a control that has detachable strings, so that you can easily fix things when the puppet gets tangled.

I find marionettes too fiddly, so my best advice is also to have patience. If you get frustrated, take a break, do something else and come back when you’re calmer. Trust me, nothing makes tangled strings worse than a frustrated pair of hands. If you’re really worried about untangling, take the marionette to your local puppet maker or restorer who can do it for you.

Learn how to make one of these puppets here. Read about the types of materials needed to make marionettes. Read about the myth of marionettes. Additionally, you can find my list of free marionette patterns here. How to string a marionette is discussed here.

Want more? Help build a puppet!