Kermit build help required

[wulster]

Hello guys,

OK, I hate to do this but I give up. I gotta ask for help. I'm a long time lurker here and never posted. On and off during the last couple of years I keep going back to trying to build a kermit.

About me, I am a prop builder/film maker, own a large collection of some of the best star wars prop/costumes in the UK all sourced and build by me to high standards.

Ive always had the available kermit puppets and entertained many a family member who have now all grown up and am now entertaining my own kids and their friends with the same old ( to me ) rubbish puppet.

This time for around a month ive studied, investigated the puppet till i know more than i ever did, i sourced all available patterns and suggestions and this month ive hand built 4 kermits and around 40 heads. although no body has yet been totally perfect from all the work i do now know i can do a perfect body just not going to continue now unless i can perfect the head.

trust me, all the normal answers folk give, been there done that failed..need one of the forum pros to help me out via pm if possible with personal head patterns..oh aye also i bit the bullit and decided to get that glorified hand puppet pattern like folk mention and as far as i can tell theres no way that thing makes a kermit head. at least not the head i want.

im going for almost the poser feel but a little purity like the henson hollow heads. I have seen a few real good ones on here but would never ask direct, I'd rather someone decided to help.

I know the normal responses and they are perfectly justified for folk who have not put in the effort, believe me..i have..even to the point of getting some great non public reference shots (i do not have in any way the permission to share these however) from a friend in the film industry, a one off favour i had been reserving for years in a hope it would help with my film work lol.

can take a picture of the bin bag full of test failures for anyone willing to help lol..oh and not to say some i have done were not good, some were and pretty close to what i wanted but no matter how i try and customise them after the build to try and fix the patterns i cant do it...i now give up it is too much to keep on doing by hand and takes so long for me as my fingers suffer from age.

cheers

wulster

ps failing that ..whos got a very good spare kermit they would want to swap for high end starwars stuff or some of my other spare props most of which value in around 500 gbp and upwards in value

 

[wulster]

having said that, not one to give up...posted this then went and custom drew a new full pattern and hey......i think i might just have got it the way i was hoping for.

stay tuned might have a puppet to show off soon.

 

[FoxWorthy]

I really hope it works out for you. It really sounds like you've truly earned a great Kermit puppet at his point!

I will attempt one eventually, myself. Maybe you'd share your pattern with me? Although, after all your time and work, I'd understand if you didn't want to.

Good luck with it and post pics for us.

 

[wulster]

OK, never quit just take a day off and see what you can do hehe. A bit rough around the edges, first ever puppet, first ever sewing project. Needs tweaking here and there but for a first go i am happy got tweaks for mk-2 tho...pattern adjustments to make.....when i say first try...well...lets just say first try with the proper materials...there was around 30 test heads and 3 full builds I wasn't happy with as I tested out all the ideas from myself and these forums. I have gone for a mix between the poser body and the normal sleeve body so that i can tuck the sleeve up and put him o display...the sleeve is there but inside atm. Need to source a better colour of felt.

 

[FoxWorthy]

Cool! Lookn' good!

 

[Bear Man]

Looking good! I'm completely unaffiliated with them, but Out of the Box Puppets sells a green Antron fleece that looks pretty much bang on, colour-wise...

 

[pashmonster]

I eliminated the need to hide the front seam by joining the two head patterns together so there is only one head peice. the stitch seam then can only be seen behind his head

 

[wulster]

ty for comments guys, info taken on board.

good idea for the head i'll try that for the next one..what i have done tho is tested rubbing a screw ove the seams and the wee bit i did covers the join up pretty well.

Deffo moving on to mk2 right away...still too many bits im not happy with...

pashmonster, nice collection, lov the rat...what did you use to make the reporter outfit..i could have sworn at some point someone had a post about it or a pattern and at the time i saw it i discounted it thinking i wouldnt want to do one...but i do lol

 

[pashmonster]

Just made the outfit freehand. Made a white sheet version then copied it to some grey material. The shirt and tie are a 18months child shirt and tie that my son no longer needed.

 

[wulster]

ty pashmonster ill give it a go if i can find some material around.

I took a small wire brush the size of a large toothbrush to the seams and it brushes them out fine..i'll keep workin on this one to get it all nailed before i do the next one, my aim is to rebuild a particular kermit so it is a little unusal compaird to most