Fabric Printable Finger Puppets

So the other day I was thinking about how there were so many cute quiet book templates.  However, after making a few of my own pages, I've begun to realize that there has to be a better quicker way to make a quiet book.  I dreamed of being able to just simply print out my desired images and sew them together.

That's when I started looking into what it took to print on fabric.  I found this product at my local JoAnn Fabrics.  Genius! 

I started making all of the printable finger puppets I dreamed about.  Once I got started though I couldn't stop at just five.  So I made more and more and more.  International snugglebugs, royal snugglebugs, little red riding hood, Goldilocks and the three bears, old McDonald and his farm, Under the sea puppets, a nativity scene, and winter themed puppets. Oh the possibilities!  I figured I could use these puppets to give as baby gifts, party favors and of course, to use in quiet books. 

I can't begin to imagine how much easier this is going to make quiet book sewing.  Now I just need to make the background scenes to go with them!

Being able to print these guys out directly on fabric is a HUGE time-saver.  No itsy bitsy pieces of felt needed to assemble the puppets.  You can still add embroidery or notions to spruce them up a bit, but you really don't have to.

Let me show you how I made these cute little guys.

Here's what you need:

• Finger Puppet printable printed out on the printer fabric according to package directions.  In my case this meant printing, removing a paper backing, rinsing my fabric for 30 seconds, and then letting it dry.  Super easy.
• Fusible interfacing (such as Pellon,Wonder Under)
• Felt to adhere printed fabric to, and another sheet of felt for the backside of the finger puppet.  I used black acrylic felt just because I had a lot of it at home.
• Thread, needle, scissors, and an iron (not pictured)

First, iron fusible interfacing onto the back of the printed fabric and remove the paper backing.

Then iron the printed fabric directly on a piece of felt.  Be careful here, since felt will melt.  Try to avoid ironing the felt directly.

Take your fused felt piece and put it on top of another piece of felt which will serve as the back of the puppets.  Cut out around the finger puppet shapes.

When you are done cutting, you should have both a front and back piece for each finger puppet.  Like this, see?

Now you can sew the pieces together.  I did this quickly by hand.

And here is one finished set of finger puppets!

So cute!  I'm loving these guys now.  They fit my small fingers, but are a bit tight on my husbands.  The perfect size for little fingers!

I hope you love them as much as I do.