Glitch
SLUDGE FACE
Okay, through my recent fursuit-making endeavor, I have learned many things.
I'm pretty experienced if I do say so myself, and so far nothing I've turned out has been a big furry mess.
I've made two masks with two different methods (balaclava for the first, all foam for the second), then handpaws, feet, a tail, and arm/leg covers as my partial from back in May of 2009.
This time was a bodysuit, and I guess this could be a tip pile for any who want to try.
As young as I am, I have no job, no driver's license, and whatever. And I noticed that a lot of 14/15 year old kids are joining, then screaming about how they want to make a fursuit but can't because of money issues and/or lack of knowledge before they even look stuff up on Google.
Seriously, you're not the first person ever to make a fursuit. Usually Google is a good place to start looking for tutorials before you beg us for help. That's what I did. It's all good to ask if you haven't found a tutorial/can't understand one, though.
Ok, I've got no cash either. I had about $200 in my savings, and, luckily, that was all gift money from the holidays that I saved for this. Save your money from however you get it. Problem solved.
I order my fur from Fabric.com. Their "Luxury Shag" is really nice, and cheaper than Mendel's or Distinctive Fabrics. I may not have ever used those other sites, but I have been satisfied with my source.
But don't even THINK about slicing up your fur right away! (In light of that, only use X-Acto knives and cut from the backing of the fur so you don't destroy it. Scissors do that.) Be sure to buy a LOT of cheap broadcloth (I snagged 7 yards, and it only cost $12.) and use that to test. I spent $95 on the 5 yards of fur I ordered; the last thing you want to do is waste that kind of cash.
Speaking of which, make sure you leave a good amount of allowance when you do cut out your fur. I guesstimated with around an inch. When I got together the finished product, it was huge. But it is SO much better to make something that's too big into something small than the other way around. All I had to do was tighten the seams and voilá. Instant body-hugging suit.
Ok, here is something that might make suit makers squirm. I didn't use any premade patterns, straight pins, or a DTD. Sounds terrible, I know. But I made a very, very precise pattern by myself out of broadcloth. It took a long time, but it worked very well. And I sew section by section, so everything lined up well. I did sew the entire suit - the only glue I used was to secure the zipper down the front, and even so I'm going to sew that if and when the glue gives out. Like I heard Jesie say before: if it can be sewn, sew it.
Oh, yes. About the zipper. PUT IT DOWN THE FRONT. I don't care if you are some wacky contortionist, it is 10,000 times easier to zip up from the front than it is the back on your own. If you have an emergency - like getting overheated - you can get out of the suit on your own if needed be. I have 1.5" pile fur, and you can't even see the fact that there's a zipper there.
When I first started, I was by no means sewing machine-savvy. I got lost, and had to backtrack in order to figure out what was going on. I went through a reel and a half of thread, and had to refill the bobbin multiple, multiple times. I also broke 3 needles going through tough parts, so be sure to know how and have the stuff to replace a busted needle. I'm thankful that I had 6 on hand.
Oh yes, I remembered this little tidbit. Instead of using an everyday human comb/brush to pull the fur out of seams (which is a must for good looks, trust me), I bought a flea comb (new, not used!) and used that to comb it all out. It has very close, fine teeth and pulls out all of the fur quite nicely.
Erm... I don't really have that much more to say. I'm sure I'll remember if you ask me any questions.
I'm pretty experienced if I do say so myself, and so far nothing I've turned out has been a big furry mess.
I've made two masks with two different methods (balaclava for the first, all foam for the second), then handpaws, feet, a tail, and arm/leg covers as my partial from back in May of 2009.
This time was a bodysuit, and I guess this could be a tip pile for any who want to try.
As young as I am, I have no job, no driver's license, and whatever. And I noticed that a lot of 14/15 year old kids are joining, then screaming about how they want to make a fursuit but can't because of money issues and/or lack of knowledge before they even look stuff up on Google.
Seriously, you're not the first person ever to make a fursuit. Usually Google is a good place to start looking for tutorials before you beg us for help. That's what I did. It's all good to ask if you haven't found a tutorial/can't understand one, though.
Ok, I've got no cash either. I had about $200 in my savings, and, luckily, that was all gift money from the holidays that I saved for this. Save your money from however you get it. Problem solved.
I order my fur from Fabric.com. Their "Luxury Shag" is really nice, and cheaper than Mendel's or Distinctive Fabrics. I may not have ever used those other sites, but I have been satisfied with my source.
But don't even THINK about slicing up your fur right away! (In light of that, only use X-Acto knives and cut from the backing of the fur so you don't destroy it. Scissors do that.) Be sure to buy a LOT of cheap broadcloth (I snagged 7 yards, and it only cost $12.) and use that to test. I spent $95 on the 5 yards of fur I ordered; the last thing you want to do is waste that kind of cash.
Speaking of which, make sure you leave a good amount of allowance when you do cut out your fur. I guesstimated with around an inch. When I got together the finished product, it was huge. But it is SO much better to make something that's too big into something small than the other way around. All I had to do was tighten the seams and voilá. Instant body-hugging suit.
Ok, here is something that might make suit makers squirm. I didn't use any premade patterns, straight pins, or a DTD. Sounds terrible, I know. But I made a very, very precise pattern by myself out of broadcloth. It took a long time, but it worked very well. And I sew section by section, so everything lined up well. I did sew the entire suit - the only glue I used was to secure the zipper down the front, and even so I'm going to sew that if and when the glue gives out. Like I heard Jesie say before: if it can be sewn, sew it.
Oh, yes. About the zipper. PUT IT DOWN THE FRONT. I don't care if you are some wacky contortionist, it is 10,000 times easier to zip up from the front than it is the back on your own. If you have an emergency - like getting overheated - you can get out of the suit on your own if needed be. I have 1.5" pile fur, and you can't even see the fact that there's a zipper there.
When I first started, I was by no means sewing machine-savvy. I got lost, and had to backtrack in order to figure out what was going on. I went through a reel and a half of thread, and had to refill the bobbin multiple, multiple times. I also broke 3 needles going through tough parts, so be sure to know how and have the stuff to replace a busted needle. I'm thankful that I had 6 on hand.
Oh yes, I remembered this little tidbit. Instead of using an everyday human comb/brush to pull the fur out of seams (which is a must for good looks, trust me), I bought a flea comb (new, not used!) and used that to comb it all out. It has very close, fine teeth and pulls out all of the fur quite nicely.
Erm... I don't really have that much more to say. I'm sure I'll remember if you ask me any questions.
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