# Sewing Patterns



## Honey Lavender; (Mar 21, 2017)

So I've decided that when I get my first fursuit, it's going to be a build that I take on myself- this way I'll learn a lot more about what makers go through, and why the often charge as much as they do. 

Now, sewing isn't a new craft to me- I've made a good handful of sets of regalia for other activities and roles that I've done, and I've learned real quick that the best place to start (design aside) is to have a pattern so you know 
a. What, where, and how to measure yourself for the pieces that will make up the whole
b. How much material to expect in a given part, which also helps predict how much (and of each color) fur get (assuming I've read some of these fursuit blogs correctly about the construction of a suit), and
c. How, and in what order, to assemble said pieces into the fursuit shape we all know and love.

So, I guess my question is whether anyone knows where I could find a good pattern as a starting point (since I already have my design pretty well figured out)? Thanks for the help!


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## HallowQueen (Mar 21, 2017)

well firstly, makers charge so much because the make is time consuming and the fur fabric alone is crazy expensive! to say nothing of the foam, silicone, resin and time hewn skills. it's an ordeal!

best way to measure yourself is by getting help and making a full body DTD or "duct tape dummy" there are instructional videos everywhere that tell you how to do this. you will also need a soft tape measure and to make tracings of your hands and feet

always overestimate on fabric, its better to have too much than not enough. because you have to take care to mate the fur direction on fursuits they use even more fabric. a 1 color suit i always estimate 7 yards for. but never get less than a yard of each extra color needed, you will always have extra for repairs as well, then! 

when making a beloved character into a costume, a lot can go wrong! take it slow and steady and avoid short cuts! duct tape and painter's tape will be your very best friends in patterning out your suit, painters tape to protect your foam bases and duct tape for the perfect shaped patern.. if you want further advice on that, i'm happy to help!


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## Andromedahl (Mar 21, 2017)

She said most of what I was about to :^p

I am going recommend you check out matrices tho. Matrices.net - Tutorials

Also keep in mind when ordering fur online, you can usually only order at least half a yard minimum. So a colorful char will really amp up the price and add up.

Also Consider, around four yards of fur minimum will be used on the bodysuit,  roughly one to one and a half on the head, half on the tail if it's average sized, and the rest for hands and feet.


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## crystallinecanine (Apr 3, 2017)

If you're making a fursuit for the first time, it's best if you make a partial suit first. If you've never made a full body costume, it will be a bit of challenge. Plus, it's a lot cheaper to get a yard of fur and the materials needed for the head. 

If you're doing a full suit, I endorse a duct tape dummy as well. But if you'll be making a partial (with armsleeves) You can measure your arm dimensions. Measure the length of your arm from your wrist up to the start of your arm, then measure the girth of the thickest part of your arm, lastly measure the girth of your wrist. If these aren't clear, I can make a diagram to show the process. ^_^

As for patterns like the paws and feet, you can make some yourself, but I have a few that have worked for me. The handpaws can be difficult to do if your pattern isnt large enough, so when you get your pattern cut out of the fur, you should hand sew it. You can machine sew it, but hand sewing minimizes holes and is a more secure stitch.
Happy making!^0^


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## Honey Lavender; (Apr 4, 2017)

crystallinecanine said:


> If you're making a fursuit for the first time, it's best if you make a partial suit first. If you've never made a full body costume, it will be a bit of challenge. Plus, it's a lot cheaper to get a yard of fur and the materials needed for the head.
> 
> If you're doing a full suit, I endorse a duct tape dummy as well. But if you'll be making a partial (with armsleeves) You can measure your arm dimensions. Measure the length of your arm from your wrist up to the start of your arm, then measure the girth of the thickest part of your arm, lastly measure the girth of your wrist. If these aren't clear, I can make a diagram to show the process. ^_^
> 
> ...


If possible, I think any type of diagram would help me. However, the duct tape dummy thing confuses me- what am I applying tape to?


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## Andromedahl (Apr 4, 2017)

Crimson_Steel17 said:


> If possible, I think any type of diagram would help me. However, the duct tape dummy thing confuses me- what am I applying tape to?


You're applying tape to your entire body from the neck down, which is why it's a two person job. Just make sure to wear like, a long sleeved t shirt and some pants.


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## Kellan Meig'h (Apr 4, 2017)

Go read here. If you're still lost, I don't know what to say.

Matrices.net - Tutorials


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## Honey Lavender; (Apr 4, 2017)

Sometimes it seems that the more I try to learn, the more I end up missing... So sorry I ever made this thread- complete waste of space...


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## Kellan Meig'h (Apr 4, 2017)

Well, I hate to tell you but there is no such thing as a fursuit body pattern. That's why Matrices uses that McCalls costume pattern that you then adjust to your body shape. She also explains in the tutorial section how to make a duct tape double, too if that's the direction you wish to pursue.


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## Honey Lavender; (Apr 4, 2017)

Kellan Meig'h said:


> there is no such thing as a fursuit body pattern


I just realized that right before saying that I regretted this thread...


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## Kellan Meig'h (Apr 4, 2017)

No use panicking over it. Matrices has a bunch of great tutorials that can lead you through the process. I suggest reading it carefully or maybe print it out for reference. This is basically what you do;

Get that McCall's pattern or maybe the one used to make a Star Trek costume jumper. Get some muslin, stitch up a pattern suit. Don't worry about a zipper, just make some marks to show where to pin it together. Put it on and have someone pin it tighter to fit you like you want it to. Re-stitch it to the new shape, make whatever minor adjustments you need to make and cut away the extra material. Go ahead and use a marker to draw the fur pattern and mark the location of the tail. Now, make some index marks, arrows to show the direction the fur should lay and rip the seams out, leaving you with a perfect custom pattern. A pattern you can't buy, but you made to fit.


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## crystallinecanine (Apr 6, 2017)

Matrices' tutorial for heads was a godsend for me, but I couldn't understand the bodysuit tutorial. It was too much reading for me and the words got jumbled together! If you just do some simple research into how to make a bodysuit, how to use the duct tape dummy, and so on, you can combine what you've learned and make a great bodysuit. There are a few videos on youtube I used to make my first digi legs.

*Making the duct tape dummy: 



*Just the legs: 



*Entire bodysuit (a 3 part series): 




Also, don't cut up the duct tape dummy to use for your pattern. I believe Matrices had this tip in her bodysuit tutorial. You need to stuff the dummy with cotton so that you can check if its fitting correctly.

And you don't have to feel bad about being confused and having a lot of questions! That's honestly what the hobby of fursuit making is; "What's this do? How do I get this to work? Why is it that this is the outcome?" Its's all about exploration! Soon you'll be able to have your own methods and specialties, but the questions never stop.


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