Make a Bird Marionette

Step 8 How to Manuever the Controls

The controls are 2 crossed dowels. To move the bird's right foot, lower the left side. To move it's left foot, lower the right side. To Move the head up and down, lower and raise the front and back dowel.

If you look at the pictures, you can see how the controls work.

Moving the sides up and down, or the front and back up and down makes it appear to dance.

Comments

[amixon]

This was my attempt. Thank you so much for posting this!

[Very Interesting]

I'm so glad you made this and shared it. Very cute bird - keep up the good work! :)

[iti]

Ooo, I love this project. I was a bit confused too, but I think Very interesting has the answer about the legs. I'm so silly, I thought there would be more to them but it makes perfect sense. The feather strand is just folded in half and pressed and glued to the body, or perhaps cut in half and pressed in and glued a couple inches apart from each other to the body. And the other end of the legs/feather strand goes to the foot, attached with the clear line to the foot. I can hardly wait to start this, I've always wanted one.

[Very Interesting]

The most difficult part is getting the neck from the head to the body. The ball likes to turn, and when you are working with hot glue, it doesn't give much time. I figured out that using 2 doll stands can hold up the 2 balls while you work. I made several of these as a kid just stuffing feathers into the foam, but it was a huge mess, and in the end, using the boa was easier. The bird can also be made out of fake fur.

[lmuli3]

well it's really cute anyways plz make some more instructables

[lmuli3]

& is that your pet possum if so it's gorgeous

[Very Interesting]

You can get a feather boa at most party stores, or craft stores. They may also have them in the toy section for dress-up items. It's just a cord with feathers wrapped in as it's twisted. You attach the legs by either using some hot glue, or pushing a section of it down into the styrofoam ball. It can be a little tricky. I would push a section into the styrofoam before adding the hot glue. Once it's glued, it's done. The picture is of a tree kangaroo (wish I had one.)

[lmuli3]

is the feather boa just a tube with feathers on the outside

[lmuli3]

how do you attach the legs to the body