How to Make Vehicle Finger Puppets (Part 1)
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Let’s craft together! These fun DIY transport finger puppets are a great way to engage the attention and imagination of children of all ages. They are sewed with a sewing machine using a straight stitch along with little embroidery. Also, stitching by hand is possible. For part 1 of this post, I will be showing you how to make the plane, ship, truck, and train finger puppets. If you want to have the complete eight vehicle finger puppet set check out part 2 of DIY Vehicle Finger Puppets which features hot air balloon, car, rocket, and scooter finger puppets.
Best of luck and happy felt sewing!
1. General Instructions for DIY Vehicle Finger Puppets
These DIY vehicle felt finger puppet are sewed with a sewing machine using a straight stitch along with little embroidery. A straight stitch, backstitch, and french knot are the hand embroidery stitches employed.
If you are going to sew the finger puppets entirely by hand, use the whip stitch whenever the pattern calls for a sewing machine straight stitch.
Visit the guide on hand embroidery stitches if you like to learn more about the embroidery stitches.
Instructions follow to make the transport finger puppets. The finished puppets are approximately 2.6 ” (6.6 cm) tall. The puppets are made from scraps of felt.
Finger puppets are not recommended for children under the age of 3.
This pattern includes the free actual-size template to make the truck, plane, train, and ship finger puppet, a material and supply list, complete instructions, and clear photos.
Use three-strand of embroidery floss whenever the pattern calls for embroidery.
Knot thread ends on the wrong side of felt.
TIP: Felt pieces can be pinned to body shapes to hold them in place until they are stitched. Other options are applying a tiny dab of fabric glue on back of shapes or small piece of double-sided instant tape and position them based on pattern - be careful not to get glue anywhere you are going to sew because it’s difficult to insert the sewing needle through the dried glue.
TIP: If you like to learn some tips on how to cut out felt pieces, you can read my post about 6 techniques for cutting felt shapes.
TIP: You are welcome to read how to trace on felt post if you want to learn more about transferring the pattern on felt for embroidery.
TIP: There is a small tutorial on my website on how to sew two pieces of felt together. The double-layer pieces are used a lot in finger puppets’ sewing.
Printing your vehicle finger puppet template
The template is designed to be printed on US letter paper at 100%. Make sure that the “fit to page” option is not checked in in your printer options.
On the first page, you will find a 1-inch square test box. The box serves as a check if the template is printed in a right size.
DIY Vehicle Finger Puppets - Ship, train, truck, and plane finger puppets with the free pattern
Materials & Supplies for Vehicle Finger Puppets
The free vehicle finger puppet template (part 1) - to download the free file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault
felt scraps: white, orange, blue, grey, black, yellow (find great felt at Benzie Design or find more buying options in the Types of Felt section of the How to Sew Felt blog post)
sewing machine thread white
embroidery floss: black
small or embroidery scissors (these are the ones I use)
pins (optional - these are my favorites) or Clover wonder clips (optional)
fabric glue (optional) or double sided instant hem tape (optional)
tracing paper (optional - Check out my tutorial to learn more on tracing a pattern using a tracing paper)
freezer paper (optional - Check out my tutorial to learn how to use freezer paper for cutting precise shapes from felt)
How to Make a Plane Finger Puppets
1. Use the vehicle finger puppet template provided to cut out all of the pieces from felt. The plane finger puppet shapes are: plane shape (white), body work pieces (blue), wings and vertical stabiliser (orange), radome (yellow).
2. Following the plane finger puppet diagram, pin/attach radome to the bodywork and sew it.
3. Pin bodywork pieces to the front of the plane shape. Sew bottom line on upper bodywork and upper line on bottom bodywork. Then, sew the bottom line of the bottom bodywork. Note that pins might be helpful to indicate the borders of sewing the bottom line.
4. Embroider the eyes with three strands of black floss using a french knot. I wrap the thread three times around the needle to make the eyes more significant.
5. Place the plane finger puppet’s front body, including wings and vertical stabilizer, on a matching felt scrap. Sew around the plane, leaving the bottom edge open. Note, you start at one side of the bottom line (sewed in previous steps) and finish on another side on the bottom line. Cut the felt scrap to match the plane shape. Be careful with the wings and vertical stabilizer. Your DIY: plane finger puppet made with Fun Cloth Crafts free pattern is ready for its happy owner.
Plane finger puppet with the free pattern
How to Make a Ship Finger Puppet
1. Use the vehicle finger puppet template provided to cut out all of the pieces from felt. The ship finger puppet shapes are ship shape (white), bodywork pieces (blue), lower bow (yellow), and funnel (gray).
2. Following the ship finger puppet’s diagram, pin/attach the upper bodywork piece to the front of the ship shape. Sew bottom line on upper bodywork.
Transfer the anchor to the puppet. There are a few ways to do that (check my previous post on how to trace on felt). Embroider the anchor using three-strand black floss and sew backstitch on the pattern’s line on the lower bodywork piece. Pin/attach lower bodywork piece to the front of ship shape. Sew upper line on lower bodywork.
3. Pin/attach the lower bow to the ship’s lower bodywork following the diagram and sew upper and bottom edge.
4. Trace the eyes on the ship finger puppet. Embroider the eyes with three-strands of black floss using the french knot.
5. Place the ship finger puppet’s shape on a scrap of matching felt. Pin/attach the funnel. Sew around the ship leaving bottom edge open.
6. Cut the felt scrap to match the ship finger puppet’s shape. Your DIY: ship finger puppet made with Fun Cloth Crafts free pattern is ready for its happy owner.
Ship finger puppet with the free pattern
How to Make a Truck Finger Puppet
1. Use the vehicle finger puppet template provided to cut out all of the pieces from felt. The truck finger puppet shapes are truck shape and radiator grille (white), cab roof and truck body (yellow), wheels (black), bumper (grey).
2. Following the truck finger puppet diagram, pin cab roof and truck body to the front of the truck shape. Sew bottom line on cab room and upper line on the truck body with a straight stitch to attach it to truck shape.
3. Then pin bumper and wheels, sew upper and bottom edge of the bumper.
4. Embroider the radiator grille with 5 straight stitches. Follow by pinning and sewing the radiator grille.
5. Trace the eyes and headlights on the truck finger puppet. Embroider the eyes with three strands of black floss using french knot. Embroider headlights using back stitch.
6. Place the truck on a scrap of matching felt. Sew around the truck leaving bottom edge open. Cut the felt scrap to match the truck shape. Your DIY: truck finger puppet made with Fun Cloth Crafts free pattern is ready for its happy owner.
DIY Vehicle finger puppets: Truck finger puppet
How to Make a Train Finger Puppet
1. Use the vehicle finger puppet template provided to cut out all of the pieces from felt. The train finger puppet shapes are the train shape (blue), chimney, buffers, and cowcatcher (black), front circle (white), buffer beam (orange).
2. Following the train finger puppet diagram, pin the cowcatcher to the front of the train shape. Sew below line with a straight stitch to attach it to train shape, following closely to the edges. Then pin buffer beam and sew upper and bottom edge.
3. Then pin the buffers and chimney and sew them in place.
4. Following the train finger puppet template, pin and sew the front circle.
5. Trace the eyes on the train finger puppet. Embroider the eyes with three-strands of black floss using a french knot.
6. Place the train finger puppet’s shape on a scrap of matching felt. Sew around the train leaving bottom edge open.
7. Cut the felt scrap to match the train’s shape. Your DIY: train finger puppet made with Fun Cloth Crafts free pattern is ready for its happy owner.
Train finger puppet
Fun DIY Vehicle Finger Puppets for Vehicle Lovers
You made your vehicle finger puppets
Your ‘DIY Vehicle finger puppets’ are finished :) I’m sure yours turned out adorable! Lot’s of fun playing!
Be sure to visit more on this website for free embroidery and sewing tutorials to help you out as you stitch my patterns.
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I would love to see your finished projects. So if you like to share it, please send me your pictures. I welcome any feedback as it is important to make my products better. Don't hesitate to contact me with your suggestions at anna@funclothcrafts.com.
Let’s craft together!
XO, Anna
Copyright 2021 by Fun Cloth Crafts
Pattern may be copied for noncommercial use only. You can use it to make as many Vehicle finger puppets as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don’t make any for sale.
