# Partial Fursuit Questions



## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 8, 2010)

Hi, I'm new to making fursuit heads and I have a few questions. 

I plan on making a partial fursuit head of my fursona, Alex, who is a dachshund (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3672161/). I haven't started yet because I don't have the supplies yet.

Since I haven't really seen any good tutorials for this, I am going to ask. Is there any tutorials for making floppy dog ears? Because I only have seen ones for erect ears, not floppy.

Also, I am on a limited budget. Can most of the materials for a fursuit be found at Wal-Mart? I ask because there is no arts and crafts store in my town, and the nearest one is maybe about an hour-and-a-half away, and my mom is not willing to take me there just for supplies. If Wal-Mart doesn't have something, then I guess I can try talking her into it.

Does anyone have any good tutorials for beginners that are easy to follow? Everyone told me so far to try Matrices but I get too lost trying to figure out stuff. I need a tutorial that breaks it down easier for me. 

Also, any online stores that carry good quality faux fur for cheap? I need faux short hair, not long.

Also, since my character is a dachshund and she is a short-hair one, how would I make a tail that suits her perfectly? She doesn't have a bushy fluffy tail. She has a thin one.

One last question as well. What could I use to attach her "hair" to her head and how would I do it? Should I use a wig?


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## Riyeko (Apr 10, 2010)

Most materials can be found at walmart, but like many, they dont carry a lot of faux fur, which is usually what suiters make their "fur" from.
Only reason I found faux fur at MY walmart, is because they were selling precut swatches for $1 and they were on clearance... tells you they werent really a favored fabric lol.

As for making floppy ears, if you look around here http://images.google.com/images?q=d...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=7&ved=0CDMQsAQwBg
Large link, sorry. Theres plenty of pictures there that might lead you to sites that will show you or teach you how to make floppy ears.
I dont know if you can get the right kind of foam to make a fursuit head though, from walmart... mine only sells the filling for pillows n whatnot.
I did find some good deals on foam at Hobby Lobby though, so you can look there.

As for buying faux fur, its going to cost a lot really anywhere you buy it, because its one of those 'special' fabrics that stores have to special order.

Gluck!


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 11, 2010)

Luckily I just found out that we have a small fabric store in town...not sure if it will have most of the materials I need, and my dad is willing to take me to a Michael's art and crafts store that is about an hour or so away.

My Wal-Mart has faux fur but each pack contains one foot long length, so I will probably have to buy the fur somewhere else.

Do you know anyone or any sites with tutorials that tell people exactly, step-by-step instructions on how to construct a fursuit head? Like I said, I tried Matrices and I found it too vague for me. I'm the type that needs more in depth and step-by-step instructions to make something.


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## Riyeko (Apr 11, 2010)

Does this help?

If you type in fursuit head or something, or making fursuits im pretty sure you could get a lot more responses. lol

http://fursuit.tanidareal.com/tani/02fmakea.htm


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 12, 2010)

That tutorial helped a bit (thank you so much!), the main thing I think I would have trouble with is doing the meshing.

Another question, should I super glue the meshing together or sew it? Also, what about the foam as well? What do you recommend?


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## Fay V (Apr 12, 2010)

sew. superglue is death to fursuits


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## Riyeko (Apr 13, 2010)

With my ears, I used a combo of elmers glue and sewing.

Ive heard people use a spray can of glue for fursuits, hot glue, elmers glue, sewing, and then other things like tacks and buttons or snaps so that theyre able to interchange the colors of the fur (shrug).


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 14, 2010)

That's good to know! I'll do that too.

Checked out the fabric store in town and they have nothing I need. Seems like I will have to go out of town for this >_>

Would Michael's have upholstery foam, plastic mesh, etc.? Our Wal-Mart doesn't have the stuff I need either.


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## Zrcalo (Apr 15, 2010)

USE ONLY HOT GLUE

michaels should have mesh..


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 15, 2010)

Thanks! I hope the one I am gonna go to has it, or I will be really disappointed and will have to resort to something else. Thanks guys, you've all been so helpful! 

Edit: One last question for now (I'm sorry if I'm bugging you all). For the hair on top of my fursuit head, should I use a wig and how would I go about attaching it? Should I do after I furred the head?


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## shark whisperer (Apr 15, 2010)

you can first wig the head, followed by furring, what could hide the wig's edge.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 15, 2010)

Do I sew it down?


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## Jesie (Apr 15, 2010)

Dude, if it can be sewn, sew it. And give it a healthy dose of glue to help it along. Last thing you want is to horrify a child when you bend down to hug 'em and yer face falls off. à² _à²


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## Riyeko (Apr 15, 2010)

Jesie said:


> Dude, if it can be sewn, sew it. And give it a healthy dose of glue to help it along. Last thing you want is to horrify a child when you bend down to hug 'em and yer face falls off. à² _à²



Lol.. this and the fact that even though youre sewing it on, sometimes youre not able to make the best seems in there.
So putting glue on it as well, just double checks the fact that whatever you put on your suit is going to stay on.. indefinately.

As for wigs, ive heard some sew them on, some sew them on double (as in, on the foam AND the fur itself), and then some just lob glue all over the head.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 16, 2010)

Thanks!

I think I will be going out of town this weekend shopping for supplies and my dad wanted to know a list of the stuff I need, anyone have a general list of supplies I need and how much of them?


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 18, 2010)

bump

I need this list by tomorrow, so please someone provide me with a list of stuff I need for a fursuit head. Not trying to sound rude but it's 4 AM here and I really need a list.


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## Fay V (Apr 18, 2010)

you'll need to describe the way you plan to make it. you have a better hot of looking at tutorials, picking a way to make it, then make a list of the things the tutorial says you need.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 18, 2010)

I already made the list, thanks anyway. ^^


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 18, 2010)

Okay I got all the supplies now and I am trying to make the meshing. I am really confused and have no idea what I am doing since I can't find a tutorial that helps me really well and all the ones I have seen or read are very very vague and doesn't help me at all. 

For example, I did the mesh base and is it supposed to fit snugly on top of your head or go further down? And is my nose supposed to be pressed up against the mesh and the mesh base resting on top of my ears? Because that's what's happening now.

Can someone please please link me to a tutorial stating what I need to measure and stuff? I tried Matrices and the other site that person gave me but it really doesn't help me at all.

Someone please help me out! Dx I am so confused!


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## Jesie (Apr 18, 2010)

I don't understand why yer using mesh at all. I thought that was a balaclava?

Hun, if you can get away with not using mesh in the head then by all means possible, don't use mesh. Shit's brittle and breaks after a while of using it.

Only use mesh if you really got to, like in beaks or animals with really long faces. Foam is lightweight and if you pile it up enough it wont bend too much.
You can glue it to a balaclava without much trouble instead of having to use mesh and ending up having to replace it further down the road.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 18, 2010)

I don't have a balaclava thing and all I got is a lot of plastic mesh, about 10 or so sheets of it because I thought that was what I needed. 

I made the frame and I think it looks fine but when I put it on my head it looks really off. I am using brass brads to hold it together. 

I am doing a dachshund which is a breed of dog with a long face. 

I am still confused and I am trying to get my mesh base not to look so distorted.

Here are some pictures of the problems I am having:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3729330/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3729335/

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg245/EdwardElric1308/Miscellaneous/1.jpg


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## Riyeko (Apr 19, 2010)

I would only use the mesh if at all, but for a base.
Then surround the mesh (gives you an idea of the head size), with the foam stuff so that youre able to furr it easier.
If youre ONLY using mesh, its a very flimsy "fabric" and it can cause lots of complications.

Another thing that ive noticed, is to make your "patterns" bigger than your face, so you have "breathing room"... if you get the idea.

The base looks okay, you just probably need to lengthen the front part a bit.


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## Jesie (Apr 19, 2010)

I'll give you credit, that is a long face, but you can still use Just foam and get the structure yer lookin' for. 

Now if yer face was say, arms length, then I can see the need for bracing it with hard mesh. But yers is barely hands length away from yer face. You can very easily build that thing without the aid of mesh and you'll be thankin' yerself later when you don't have to do lengthy repairs on bits of mesh that become brittle ofter use. 
Balaclavas are easy to find, Hell I think they sell 'em at wall mart for like 5 bucks.

But I digress. If you Reeeealy wanna use Mesh, I'm s'posin' I can't stop you.
The problem yer having with the mesh is it's not supported enough. I know it sounds kinda funny because the mesh itself will be supporting the foam, but the mesh itself needs a good sound structure or it's just dangle like a limp noodle.

I did such a thing here to show you what I mean.

Think it like yer making a box with the mesh. Get some good yarn and sew the edges together so each makes a 90 degree angle with the side it's butted up next to , do the same to the other side and so on till you got yerself a nice boxish shaped mesh box.
Don't use little pins like what you got, that's just gonna make the little section you have pinned act like a hinge and the entire thing'll go haywire soon as you put weight on it. See how stiff the other one is compared to yers? If yer gonna do it, you want it to be like that, stiff as you can make it.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 19, 2010)

Okay, I tore up the previous thing I did and started over, using a better tutorial than the one I was using.

Here are the photos:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3730301
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3730365

I think it looks a heck of a lot better than the first one, and it actually looks like a dachshund. I am actually very proud of it.

I would want a moveable jaw but the tutorial I followed didn't do one so just wondering if I could somehow still add that onto mine.

I held on the mess with the brass brads and I will probably start glueing stuff now.

I will also start foaming it tomorrow, can't wait x3


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## RoseHexwit (Apr 19, 2010)

Whoa, you're in NC? Are you part of the CarolinaFurs group?


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 19, 2010)

Yup ^^ I'm from Whiteville.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 19, 2010)

Started adding the foam to the plastic mesh base as soon as I got home this afternoon....burnt my fingers with the hotglue gun like a million times too lol

The foaming isn't done yet, I only mostly did one side.

Made a bottom jaw out of foam and it hangs wide open when I put the head on and I am trying to figure out how to fix that.

Also the jaw is not a moving jaw but a static one.

WIP Photos:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3734056
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3734065


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## Vriska (Apr 19, 2010)

As I commented, it looks good.
:3

I dunno bout the jaw so far, I'll look in to fursuit making.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 20, 2010)

Thank you ^^


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 22, 2010)

Just wondering but is a balaclava head easier to make than a frame mesh one? I think I messed up and need to start over because my head's muzzle is pointing downward not horizontal with my head and I need to fix it.


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## Jesie (Apr 22, 2010)

Well if anything, since you are using mesh, it shouldn't be doing that at all, but you seem keen on using those pins like I warned you against.
You just aint got the stability with one or two pins like you would if you sewn the edges together. A pain the hard scaly ass it may be. But it gets hard unyielding results.


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 23, 2010)

I used the pins since I was worried that I would glue something down in the wrong place and would have to pry it apart or start over. I think I will continue my head even though it's in a downward diagonal angle like this ->  /


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## Jesie (Apr 23, 2010)

Gluing and sewing are two different things. What? Are ya afraid yer gonna sew it together and fine yerself unable to simple cut the string to take it back apart?

Anyways, that kinda thinking wont get you far. You'll be too afride to do anything and you'll end up with a half assed mask.

Trust me, unless yer the size of a ant I think you can pull apart two glued bits of mesh. Not that I was asking you top glue them at all. >:\


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 23, 2010)

I am not sewing it because I don't have any sewing supplies plus I don't know how and I tried gluing it down the other day and I realized I glued something in the wrong place and I tried to pull it off which took like 10 minutes and I ended up ripping a chunk out of the mesh that I had to fix which is why I am using the brass brads because in case I mess up I can go back and fix it.


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## Jesie (Apr 23, 2010)

First off, needles are like what? 60 cents at walmart? Thread is even less. If yer using that as a excuse it's a poor one. Secondly, you don't need sewing supply to sew mesh. Just yarn and patents. 

I aint the only one here that'll tell you sewing the mesh together is about the only way, besides gluing when you don't seem to have any wish to do that, to make the mesh strong and sturdy.

I aint tellin' you these things for shits and giggles. You asked how you make a mask, Welp! We're tellin' ya!


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 23, 2010)

I only said that I don't know how to sew so basically I will have no idea what I am doing, but my mom does, and no money is not an issue. >_> Just transportation because I can't drive and I have to get one of my parents to drive me to the Wal-Mart.


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## Trpdwarf (Apr 23, 2010)

You had asked about making floppy ears. All you really have to do is make a nub like base for each ear out of foam directly onto the head. Then you construct the ear kind of like a sock? Sew it together, pull it through and then place the mouth of each sock over a foam/ear nub. You can hot glue it down if you want, it would be easier.

That is how Zeke and I made floppy ears for the Dalmatian: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3565273/
Another view: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3316679/

Of course we used a seal faux fur and fleece combo to create these ears. We found the fleece at Wal-mart in their limited fabric section.



Jesie said:


> On that note, you aint gonna get far makeing a fursuit if you don't  know how to sew I hate to say.



I have to back this wholeheartedly. Some people will try to convince people that you can make a suit with
out sewing. Really it's not the best idea. Glued together fur-suits with glued together seams fall apart more often and can lead to more material waste-age. If you mess up when glueing your seams together, you can't just unstich the mess up and trim or add. You have to cut out the mess up and glue more in or hack the entire thing apart depending upon how major a mess up is.

The best idea OP, when you get ready to do the furring process is to layer cheap clear tape (like packing tape) over the head and then duck-tape. After that you use a marker to mark out your pattern. Then use something like a box cutter to carefully cut the pattern lines, pull the pieces off, and then put them over fur fur and trace out your pieces and then cut them out. From there you pin the material upside down onto the head, and you can use a simple in and out stitch to stitch the edges of the material together.

Once all pieces are attached you flip it upside down and you can hot glue it down, or use a good spray adhesive (some claim it works, I've never had much luck with it honestly).


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## Jesie (Apr 23, 2010)

Trust me hun, sewing aint rocket science. I can give you an example of what I'm talking about if it might help you some? On that note, you aint gonna get far makeing a fursuit if you don't know how to sew I hate to say.

'Corse some of these things you just got to figure out for yerself. Ther's tutorials out there. You just gots to look for 'em.

Ther's lots of ways to make a fursuit. But ther's always someone else out there who has done it and may have examples.


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## Riyeko (Apr 23, 2010)

Sewing isnt hard.

Take a needle, take the thread, put the thread through the eye of the needle (or the hole in one end), and then you just stick the sharp end of the needle through one side, whip it through your mesh, then put it through the other side of your mesh and through the fabric again.

Let me see if I can find you something on hand sewing seams.

Try this.. it may be far off, but since youre already craft-inclined.. youll probably think of a better or easier way to to do it.

[yt]06T0C3RWfxY[/yt]


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## Alex_Dachshund (Apr 25, 2010)

Tore up the previous head I did and made another....this time the snout actually IS horizontal with my head and doesn't point downward, plus the head actually fits me well enough now. I am really proud and optimistic of this one, since I actually made three failure heads before I got to this one. Again this one is made out of mesh and foam.

I tried to make a hinged moving jaw but I completely failed at it because I couldn't find a proper tutorial to help me so I just made the jaw separate and it's going to be wrapped around my head under my mask with elastic....takes a bit of adjusting to get it to move properly with my mouth and to make it not hang open.

Started foaming it earlier tonight and it turned out pretty well except I feel the head is kinda too big so far and the snout is way too wide and big (reminds me of a horse snout instead of a dachshund's....also I tried to make it longer but I guess shorter will have to do for now). 

Any suggestions for making the snout look narrower? I tried cutting off some foam with my scissors but it still looks too wide.

WIP Photos:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg245/EdwardElric1308/Miscellaneous/Picture056.jpg (3/4 view)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg245/EdwardElric1308/Miscellaneous/Picture057.jpg (Profile view)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg245/EdwardElric1308/Miscellaneous/Picture058.jpg (Frontal view)


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## Alex_Dachshund (May 3, 2010)

Finished foaming the head, now I need to fur it.

Anyone have any suggestions where I can buy decent quality, CHEAP and INEXPENSIVE faux fur?

What I am looking for:

- short fur
- light brown to tan in color
- enough to cover my head and make ears
- inexpensive and cheap
- decent to good quality

Anyone know any place like this where I can buy it from?


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## Jesie (May 4, 2010)

That noggin is massive...

Either way I recommend the links givin' sticky threads atop the suit forum or Mendel's. Which are all online sites. Because you'll find yerself hard pressed to find the exact color you want in a fabric store.

To be honest you could go to places like Jo-Anne's or Hancock's but unless yer looking for common brown fur you wont find as much of a selection as you will online.


Also, yer not gonna find 'cheap decent quality'. Pay for what you get darlin'.


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## Alex_Dachshund (May 5, 2010)

I'm sorry it's too big, but the tutorial I was using wasn't particularly helpful or detailed. I think it's fine the way it is since I have shaved off some foam since those pics. Never heard of Jo-Anne's or Hancock's but I'll try searching some more, thanks for the info. Don't got a whole lot of money right now so I am trying to find the cheapest place I can get. As long as the fur I buy doesn't shed or fall apart then I'm fine.


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## Alex_Dachshund (May 15, 2010)

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3861800

 WIP Part III is up!

I did some slight improvements from the last WIP photo I did.

What has been added:

- Eyebrows
- Cheeks
- Nose
- minor fill-ins of gaps in the foam

I LOVE how the nose came out! I kinda copied someone else's fursuit nose by making it with foam. Not as good as theirs but anywayz I am still proud of it! ^__^

I also made the snout smaller since someone said it looked too wide. I think the cheeks makes it look thinner.

Yayz! I need to make the eyes next I think then I can save up more money on my PayPal and order the fur! I cannot wait to start furring it!

Speaking of fur, how many yards of fur do you think could cover my head completely AND make floppy ears with?


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## Alex_Dachshund (May 18, 2010)

WIP Part IV is up!
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3872678/

Okay, didn't really do much last night but here's what's new:

- shaved down the top of the head so it's not pointed anymore
- added faux leather for the nose
- made eyes

I borrowed 


  phoenixwolf33's style of eyes and I hope she doesn't mind. The screen for the eyes is vinyl window screen I bought at Lowe's since I couldn't find any buckram anywhere in town. I used three layers of screening for each eye and painted them with acrylic paint.

I kinda like how I did the nose and I kinda don't. It looks messy and looks more like a cow's nose than a dog's. I might re-do it today.

I am having two huge problems right now:

1. The eyes. When I put them in, the screen is actually _touching_ my eyelids and it's very irritating. When I try to move the eyes forward, they look like they are bulging out too much.

2. The head somehow got bigger. I have no idea how. It slowly slips down my head now.

Can someone help me out with the eyes and the nose and such? I also need help making floppy ears since I looked everywhere and I couldn't find any good tutorials to help me.


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## Jesie (May 18, 2010)

To answer yer questions:

1. Cut the cups smaller. You don't need a deep cup to get the 'fallow me' eye effect. If you need to cut off another half a inch or so from the cups.

2. Pad the inside of the head with foam in places like the forehead and sides. The head didn't get bigger, it got heavier. You've started adding things to the front of it so now you either need to counterweight in the back, or make it more snug so it wont slip.


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