Antron fleece uncertainties

[hoopless]

Hi all,
I'm only just starting to look in to puppet building and was wondering if I could get some advice on antron fleece. I read in an archived topic that it got changed somehow a while back. what is the difference between old and new, and how do both differ from normal fleece? Why is it the fleece of choice and would normal fleece be equally usable?

Lastly I was wondering if anyone had some off cuts they could send me just so I can see for myself the differences? I would obviously be happy to pay postage. I'm not asking for large usable pieces, just enough so i can see and feel what it's like and how it stretches compared with other fleece that's easier and cheaper to find in the uk.

Many thanks
Bert

 

[pashmonster]

Hi im in the uk and have some small off cuts you could have to take a look at, you couldnt make anything from them but shows you what its like. It is better than any fleece on the market here theres no doubt about it.

Send me a private message and ill send you a peice or two.

Here are couple of pics of a kemit i've made using the antron fleece.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53875519@N02/5030543781/in/set-72157624941311336/

Mark aka Pashmonster

 

[hoopless]

I've sent you a message.
That Kermit looks really good, How long have you been making puppets?

Do you get your fleece from Georgia Stage? What are the shipping costs like?

 

[puppetsmith]

Hi Hoopless,

I can tell you that the new antron fleece is not as fuzzy (for lack of a better term) than the original antron fleece, but it is still very useful. The fuzzy pile works to hide seams and the fleece is easily dyed, which makes it a great choice for puppet builders.

Here's a bit more info and some tips on working with antron fleece from Project Puppet - http://www.projectpuppet.com/Page.bok?template=antron-fleece-tutorial

 

[Puppetainer]

Bezalel is exactly right. Of course you can use "regular" fleece that you can find in most fabric/craft stores. As has been indicated it isn't going to hide the seems nearly as well, and you'll need to take whatever colors are available. I suppose you could dye some of the lighter colors to try and get something you're looking for, but generally you get what you can find.

I've made puppets using both types of fleece and while I do prefer using Antron whenever possible there is nothing wrong with using standard polar fleece. Nor is there anything wrong with using terry cloth or whatever other fabric suits your needs! Each fabric has its own advantages and disadvantages and presents its own unique challenges when making puppets. Have fun with whatever you use!

 

[hoopless]

Thank you all for your help. Now to wait for Christmas to get the patterns and materials and then hopefully on to successful puppet building

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I'll second (or third) Bezalel's opinion, it can a great material to work with (and do check out the link to his site...he offers some great tips).

I also think Puppetainer's point about regular fleece is good too. You really should buy some small samples of different kinds of fleece (try asking fabric shops to cut you 25 or 50cm) and experiment to see what works best for you. Although it's not impossible to dye regular fleece, if the fleece has a high polyester content you probably won't get good results.

You can actually get fantastic results with "regular" fleece. I didn't believe it myself for a long time, but lately at the shop where I work we've been experimenting with methods of covering puppet heads with mirco fiber fleece and it works really well, although if you don't want any visible seams you have to plan very carefully and exceptional hand sewing skills (which I do not personally have) help a lot too.

What's more important than the material you use is what you do with it. Puppet builders like Philip Hatter and Norman Schneider (to name just a few) do fantastic work without using Antron fleece.

Don't get hung up on materials, just go build puppets.