# Fursuiting for Broke Noobs



## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 10, 2017)

I have a really strong desire to cosplay as my OC, Jamie Foxworthy someday. But, from what I've heard, it costs a ton of money to make a fursuit, and even more to get one made. Not a promising thing for a broke college girl to hear. I'm probably going to have to save up money... So, does anyone either A, have a ballpark estimate for the amount I'd have to save or B, know how to make a fursuit thriftily? I'd greatly appreciate some advice from veteran members of the fandom.


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## Cosplay_dawn (Apr 12, 2017)

I can't really help with buying fursuits, but I can give some insite into making one.

Making one typically costs anywhere from 300-500. It mostly depends on the fur. If you have a fursuit thats one color, its gonna be ridiculously cheaper then one that is five different colors. Uncommon fur colors (like a neon orange fur I got) also tend to be more expensive because they are harder to get someplace else. 

But yeah, Id say go for 500 just to be safe. That'll virtually guarentee youll have enough money; unless your making a sparkledog.


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## KeitoTheMidnightFox (Apr 12, 2017)

My partial (My display pic) consists of head, tail, hand paws and feet. And with shipping for the whole commission from the artist comes too $1300.00
But as dawn said. Depends on the attention to detail of the character. Mine consists of black and purple.

I dont know too much on making one yourself. But dawn still does have good insight there. 

If your looking into a full fursuit. Depending on detail again/colors/type it can range depending on artists. Some may charge up to 1.5k+ 2k+ 3k+ 
But it just depends on the artist, detail, digigrade (I think its called), time to make/labor

But you might strike lucky and find someone who will do it a lot less and really well made!  

If your looking into commissioning I can recommend the artist who did mine;

www.etsy.com: Jewelry, hats and costumes by MariasCreativeCorner

Hope some of the info helped.


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## Kezi Avdiivka (Apr 12, 2017)

Oh this is easy




 

All my fursuits are 100% natural.


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

Cosplay_dawn said:


> I can't really help with buying fursuits, but I can give some insite into making one.
> 
> Making one typically costs anywhere from 300-500. It mostly depends on the fur. If you have a fursuit thats one color, its gonna be ridiculously cheaper then one that is five different colors. Uncommon fur colors (like a neon orange fur I got) also tend to be more expensive because they are harder to get someplace else.
> 
> But yeah, Id say go for 500 just to be safe. That'll virtually guarentee youll have enough money; unless your making a sparkledog.


Urk... I think that I'd need FOUR colors. Red-Orange, White, Black and Vermilion.


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## Kezi Avdiivka (Apr 12, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> Urk... I think that I'd need FOUR colors. Red-Orange, White, Black and Vermilion.



you got blue? wanna smash?


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

Kezi Avdiivka said:


> you got blue? wanna smash?


No... And "smash"?


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## Kezi Avdiivka (Apr 12, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> No... And "smash"?



swiggity swooty


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

Kezi Avdiivka said:


> swiggity swooty


You're somethin' else...


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## KeitoTheMidnightFox (Apr 12, 2017)

I recently saw that meme video... lmao xD


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## Kezi Avdiivka (Apr 12, 2017)

KeitoTheMidnightFox said:


> I recently saw that meme video... lmao xD



lol oneplusthirtyposted it today too after my girlfriend thread. 

never gets old


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## KeitoTheMidnightFox (Apr 12, 2017)

I lol'd hard xD


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

Let's not hijack this thread, fellas.


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## Kezi Avdiivka (Apr 12, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> Let's not hijack this thread, fellas.



Sorreh, returning to topic

Dollar store + ACmoore = Good cheap shit for fursuiting. 

Can also order felt and stuff on ebay for cheap. find a Chinese company and you're golden on price. Other than that? Salvage anything and everything you can get.


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

Kezi Avdiivka said:


> Sorreh, returning to topic
> 
> Dollar store + ACmoore = Good cheap shit for fursuiting.
> 
> Can also order felt and stuff on ebay for cheap. find a Chinese company and you're golden on price. Other than that? Salvage anything and everything you can get.


Ok! Thanks for the advice!


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## KeitoTheMidnightFox (Apr 12, 2017)

Fursuits are amazing. A bit of truth. With Keito, and I think in most fursuit heads vision can be limited. Especially mine in Keito. So thats one thing to take into fact. Also suits get very very hot. And the heads I would recommend if the artist like the one who did mine made the mouth open to be able to breath and talk without over heating. Another thing I heard that some heads can offer is little fans to help keep you cool. 

If you want to start off cheap. You could scavange stuff from like Kezi said. Dollar store and such. 
But if you really want to go for a cheaper route try making a partial. Head/Tail/Hands/Feet (Optional) before going with a full suit. Its cheaper plus it isnt overheating. 
Plus not that much extentsive care goes into that. 

Caring for the suit is another thing thats for sure.  

But I wish ye luck on getting your suit!  

But I do think try for making a partial at first which is just Head/Hands/Tail dont need the feet if you intend to wear shoes most of the time.


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 12, 2017)

You guys are so great!


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## jwolf127 (Apr 18, 2017)

Heya! I make partials for  300 (Pictured is my first ever partial e.e, I was 12 at the time, I'm now 13, but I've improved a lot) and this is what I have to say- (Yes I know, don't tell me I shouldn't be getting suits at my age, but I've already stopped growing due to genetical thingies e.e) Anyways, I'm currently making several suits but as a nice treat for me, I've got my own on the way. It costed around 200$ to get it as I bought it from a less experienced maker (Like me!). The good thing about buying from that maker is that it's relatively cheap and you can also see them grow and maybe purchase another suit in the future. Now Cosplay_dawn is right. Odd colors are not cheap unless you go to the back of JoAnns and dig out a roll of fur, those are about 16$ a yard, depending on the length of the furpile. A short pile cyan is about 11$, but a long pile is around 16-20. It's not cheap but not too bad, considering what it could be. Foam is also expensive! But if you go to the craft section in Wal-Mart, you'll find the jackpot of lovely foams and more. I got 2x2ft package of 4 1" foam for 10$. I also buy my half inch from there. If you seriously can't afford the foam, you can also attempt at a mesh base. Another thing you may wanna look out for if you're looking into getting one made is reviews(I guess). Search up several makers and look at their pricing. If you like their pricing, take a look of what people think. Some makers will take 2+ years, which is so frustrating from what I've heard.  Hope I could help, -CyM (Commission Your Mission)


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## jwolf127 (Apr 18, 2017)

sorry it's just a blob of stuff o-o


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## Jarren (Apr 18, 2017)

Kidnap a local school mascot.
Take their suit.
Pay them off to never speak of it again/find a good place to hide the body.*
Voila! 

*_I claim no responsibility for issues caused by following my advice : P._


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## Yakamaru (Apr 18, 2017)

Use cardboard. xD

Worst case scenario, skin a couple of animals and make a suit, lolololol. :3

Though if you did that it might end up smelling like dead & skinned animal after a while..


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## Ashwolves5 (Apr 18, 2017)

I good place to get super cheap foam is to see if you have an upholstery places near you. They will sell scrap foam dirt cheap, that's how I get mine. I get like a 30gallon sized trash bag for just five bucks.


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## crystallinecanine (Apr 24, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> I have a really strong desire to cosplay as my OC, Jamie Foxworthy someday. But, from what I've heard, it costs a ton of money to make a fursuit, and even more to get one made. Not a promising thing for a broke college girl to hear. I'm probably going to have to save up money... So, does anyone either A, have a ballpark estimate for the amount I'd have to save or B, know how to make a fursuit thriftily? I'd greatly appreciate some advice from veteran members of the fandom.




OKAY LEMME LAY IT DOWN FOR YOU. It does not cost a fortune to make a suit, if you spend the money wisely. I was raised to be savvy with money, so I look for every opportunity to save money, even when making suits. I will give you a rundown of how much it costs for me to make a suit.

I make partial suits, mostly. They don't need a lot of fur, nor do they use a lot of foam, like fullsuits do. The main stores you will need to shop at are: Walmart, Ebay, and fabricempire.com. Don't get joann.com fur, no matter how low the price. It is horrible and a waste of money.

WALMART:

*-Fleece (varies on how much you get) Assuming you get 2 colors: 6.00*
Walmart surprisingly sells fabrics of many types! I frequently get fleece there.
Fleece can be used for the nose, paw pads, claws, tongue, and lining the mouth. If your character isn't a bag of skittles, then you'd only need 1-2 colors of fleece. One yard of fleece is 2.00-5.97. If you have a local super walmart that has a fabric section that you can choose your fabric in person, get your fabric in half yards so that you don't get more than you need (and it will cost less).
Anti-Pill Polyester Fleece Solids Fabric By The Yard, 60" Wide - Walmart.com

- *Glue gun and glue sticks. 8.64*
 Assuming you don't have these items. if you do disregard this step. I have been blessed with a great dollar store that sells mini glue guns and glue sticks, but in the event that your dollar store doesn't sell these, walmart is a great choice too.
The ad-tech brand mini hotglue gun is 2.67 and the 100 pack adtech glue stick is 5.97 (you will be using* alot *of hot glue). The hot glue guns are pretty good, considering i've had one for a year that has heavy usage.
Glue gun: Low-Temp Mini Glue Gun - Walmart.com
Glue sticks: Ad tech Multi-Temp Mini Size 4" Glue Sticks, 100 ct - Walmart.com

*Foam- 15.97*
If you're making a partial, you'll only need one roll of foam. You won't even need the entire roll of foam, if you are careful with what you are doing. The roll walmart sells is 2 feet x 6 feet and 1 inch thick. It's 16.00, but you'll be able to use the remaining foam for another project.
Project Foam - Walmart.com

Pet Clippers: Walmart has a cheap set of clippers that serve well for fursuit shaving. I suggest trying to find one at a local walmart so that if you only use them once, you probably can refund them and get 25 dollars back in your pocket.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wahl-Pet-Clipper-Kit-Basic-Series-Dogs/11035697

So far, you're at 30.00. It's not a bad start, but now we'll get into the furs.

*Fabric Empire: *
I cannot stress this enough-- always get quality furs. If you start with shoddy fur, your ending project will reflect that since the fur is almost the most important part of a fursuit.
---
There is an extra way to save money with buying fur from this shop. With every purchase, they give you a "15% off your next purchase" coupon when you show them a picture of what you made with materials from their shop. What I would do is buy one color of fur and make maybe the tail first, send the picture in and redeem your 15% off and apply it to the other 3 furs that you haven't bought yet. Cha-ching!
---
Each of these are 21.90 each.
Vermillion:www.fabricempire.com: Red Long Pile Shaggy Faux Fur Fabric
White: www.fabricempire.com: White Long Pile Shaggy Faux Fur Fabric
Black: www.fabricempire.com: Black Long Pile Shaggy Faux Fur Fabric
Red-Orange (The color is rust, but i think it captures the color of red orange well) : www.fabricempire.com: Faux Fur Long Pile Shaggy RUST
---
All the furs cost 87.60. If you buy one first at 21.90 and redeem the coupon, the remaining furs (65.70) will now cost 55.84. Not too much, but it would feel nice to have a few bucks back in your pocket.
---
Extras: Allow 20 in your budget for needles, thread (you should just get white and a dark red/black. no need for all different colors), sewing elastic for the tail/armsleeves, and scissors. You don't need to get new materials if you already have some of these. If you don't know how to make fursuit eyes, you can buy a premade pair from someone on etsy or look up some tutorials online.


All in all, your approximate total to get materials would be around 160, given you stay within your materials and price range. Shipping costs can sneak up on you, so make sure that you take the extra costs into account. You should have 200 as your max budget and stick closely to it. If you find that something costs too much, you can cut it out as long as it doesn't affect the major aesthetics of your final outcome (Buying one less fur color could help, but you should get the clippers to make for a nice shave).

I hope that this isn't confusing at all! Please let me know of any questions you have and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. (and let me know if there's anything to be edited.) ^-^


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 24, 2017)

crystallinecanine said:


> OKAY LEMME LAY IT DOWN FOR YOU. It does not cost a fortune to make a suit, if you spend the money wisely. I was raised to be savvy with money, so I look for every opportunity to save money, even when making suits. I will give you a rundown of how much it costs for me to make a suit.
> 
> I make partial suits, mostly. They don't need a lot of fur, nor do they use a lot of foam, like fullsuits do. The main stores you will need to shop at are: Walmart, Ebay, and fabricempire.com. Don't get joann.com fur, no matter how low the price. It is horrible and a waste of money.
> 
> ...



Only $200!? That's chump change compared to what I thought I was gonna need! Thanks!  And, yeah. I was thinking of doing a head, hands, feet and a tail because I want her to be clothed, and it doesn't matter if there's fur underneath a blazer and jeans.


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## Deleted member 82554 (Apr 24, 2017)

Just do what "Boomer The Dog" did, make your fursuit out of paper mache and you'll be good to go.


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## crystallinecanine (Apr 24, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> Only $200!? That's chump change compared to what I thought I was gonna need! Thanks!  And, yeah. I was thinking of doing a head, hands, feet and a tail because I want her to be clothed, and it doesn't matter if there's fur underneath a blazer and jeans.


It's shocking at what a lot of people spend to make a fursuit. Maybe someday when I get really really good, i might spend 300-400 on materials but honestly that's crazy talk lololol! Partials are the easiest on your pockets and I hope that your build goes smoothly! ^^


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## FluffyShutterbug (Apr 24, 2017)

crystallinecanine said:


> It's shocking at what a lot of people spend to make a fursuit. Maybe someday when I get really really good, i might spend 300-400 on materials but honestly that's crazy talk lololol! Partials are the easiest on your pockets and I hope that your build goes smoothly! ^^


Me too, but it probably won't be for a while... 


Mr. Fox said:


> Just do what "Boomer The Dog" did, make your fursuit out of paper mache and you'll be good to go.


Uhm... I think that I'd want for it to last for more than a few uses?


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## Deleted member 82554 (Apr 24, 2017)

FluffyShutterbug said:


> Me too, but it probably won't be for a while...
> 
> Uhm... I think that I'd want for it to last for more than a few uses?


Wait, I meant shredded paper. Anyway it's an option. 


Yakamaru said:


> Worst case scenario, skin a couple of animals and make a suit, lolololol. :3


Ah, I do loves me some dark humor, but also an option.


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## SwampGoat (May 2, 2017)

Yakamaru said:


> Use cardboard. xD
> 
> Worst case scenario, skin a couple of animals and make a suit, lolololol. :3
> 
> Though if you did that it might end up smelling like dead & skinned animal after a while..



This would go over quite well at the meet. I'm sure.


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