While I was looking for a creative birthday present for a very good friend of mine I had the idea to make a marionette for her. I was inspirited by the marionettes of the Wise Guys crafted by Anette Dewitz for the "Sonnencremeküsse"-video. But I choose a different topic: Lord of the rings. The idea was born but how should I realise it?

At first I tried to find an instruction at the www. In deed I found one at the (german) page of Eva Mestermann. In the meanwhile I also looked for books about this topic but I could not find any. Making marionettes or dolls seems to be outmoded at the moment.

So I decided to follow the instruction from the www. I bought all the "ingredients": wood, screws, fabric. I bought wadding instead of wool.

When I arrived at home I started with the head as explained in the instruction. One of the "ingredients" was a little smaller because the shop had only this small version. So I reduced the size of everything a little.

After finishing the head I realised that it had already taken 3 hours to build it. So it takes a lot of time to make a marionette! Attention!

When the basic shape for the head was finished I had to decide which one of the characters I wanted it to become.

There are soooooo many characters which would all be interesting to make. After long hours of thinking the decision was made. It should be Frodo the ringbearer!

So the head got blue eyes and a wig of dark brown hair, which I had a rest of at home. The wig took me another 2 hours to make it and fix it to the head.

In the next step I had to make the hands and feet. I had to try out with different sizes until the hands were looking good. I had problems with the seams because I was sewing by hand. Maybe you won't have the problem if you use a sewing machine. For a hobbit there has to be hair on his feet. So I prepared to pieces of hair and fixed it to the feet. These have been another four or five hours.

At the arms and legs I decided to change the way of fixing them together. I used screws instead of leather stripes as joints. I guess the movement of the joints would be more natural with the leather stripes but it would have cost much more time. I lost any time sense anyway and I have no idea how many hours I needed for it.

After the body was finished I had to think of the clothing. Which one of the outfits it should be? It had to be an individual one so anyone could recognise immediately who this marionette should show.

I decided for the outfit as one of the fellowship with his elf-cloak but without the long jacket. Of course he would need the one ring. So I would have had a lot to sew:
brown trousers, a brown waistcoat, a white shirt and the elf-cloak.

But before you start sewing you have to search for the right fabric. That takes a long time as well and especially longer than you think.

I was very happy when I found a page with descriptions of the costumes from Lord of the rings in the www with pictures and patterns from every single character.

The next problem I had appeared when I sewed the shirt: Where do I get these tiny buttons? For the white ones I was lucky and found some but not for the small brown ones for the waistcoat. So I had to make them by myself from one of my favourite materials: "Moosgummi". A bigger one for the trousers I found a little button but it has no real function. I did not want to sew buttonholes as well. So I fixed it with an elastic band. The shirt and the waistcoat are fixed with press-buttons and the buttons are only fixed from the outside for decoration.

I found a very nice fabric for the cloak with a pattern that matched very well with the original. The fabric was quiet thick but I did not have any problems with it.

I guess it took me another 8 or 9 hours for all the clothing. *g*

Afterwards I had to think of the details: the elf-brooch, the one ring and his sword Sting.

The ring was the easiest accessory after I found a matching ring with the right size. I just needed a piece of cord which looked like a silver necklace. But even for something like this you can search for a while. *twinkle*

For the brooch I used green "Moosgummi" and painted it with a silver pen and used a silver wire to lay it around the leaf. I glued all of it on paste-board and sew it onto the cloak.

I needed most of the time for making the sword. I glued together several layers of paste-board and surrounded it with strong silver foil. On the handle I glued some brown velvet and sewed it together. Afterwards I pressed the engraving into the silver foil. For the scabbard I used paste-board and surrounded it with brown velvet like the belt.

And after all I asked myself why I am so crazy to spend so many hours on these details. *grins*

The marionette was nearly ready. The only thing that was missing was the suspension with which it has to be played. You will find an instruction how to build it at the page of Eva as well. The most difficult thing is to fix the marionette to the suspension. You will need a helping hand for it *twinkles to Kaelin*

When I think of how many hours I have needed to complete this marionette without keeping it for myself, I really doubt that I am not totally nuts. But when I saw the expression on the face of my friend in the minute she got the little Frodo, I was sure that it was worth it. Self made presents are always something very special.

And in the meantime I started working on another marionette. This time I make it for myself. But it is not Frodo. It will be Pippin in his Gondor-outfit with the chain mail and the elf-cloak.

Caution: Don't start making chain-shirts if you are not masochistic. It is unbelievable how much work it is. In comparison to them the rest of what you have read about marionettes is only "peanuts"!!!

All of the readers who start anyway I wish a lot of fun with this hobby!