As a puppet builder, you will use a wide variety of tools and processes that require your attention to safety. It would be impossible for us to list and warn against all the ways you could harm yourself or others in your unique work environment and with your specific choice of tools. You are responsible for your own safety. Razors are sharp. Hot glue and heat guns are hot. Some adhesives are toxic. Please read all manufacturers' directions and guidelines and use common sense.

Remember, there are "tools" in your workshop, at this moment, that are irreplaceable and must be protected.

• Protect your eyes
• Protect your hands
• Protect your brain

If you were to lose these "tools," you would not be able to build puppets. And at that point, building puppets would be the least of your worries.

To sum up, if you feel that a particular process outlined in our pattern instructions or tutorials is unsafe, don't do it. If a technique requires more skill than you currently possess and could potentially cause injury, don't do it. Let your puppet-building projects be memorable for the joy they bring, not for the time you spent in the emergency room.