Isolating / locking mesh to create cut-out style animation

[TRNanimator]

Is there a way to lock the mesh on each of the parts on the puppets layers to eliminate the stretch of the mesh?

I would like to keep each part from distorting create a more traditional 'cut-out' style animation.

I have been experimenting with adding multiple bones but was not sure if there was a way to lock the entire layer's mesh.

[alank99101739]

Have you tried making the layer independent? It has to overlap with another layer to attach, but independent layers are not affected by parent. There are side effects however.

Otherwise sticks along edges etc reduce warping (as you are already doing).