Fursuit Thread V2 OPEN (New Poll)

[Ghastly_Fennec]

Username: Nintenthong.
Are you a Furry or a Fan: furry
Do you own a fursuit: 2
If so have any pictures: I attached one.
Fave thing about the Fandom: Fursuiting.

I've been a furry for about 9 years now! I own two suits but I've just recently started making them myself so I attached a photo of Ganja, my first self made fursuit. My other suit is a wickerbeast named Tripp. Happy to be back in the CS furry group, it's what ultimately got me involved in the fandom!

love this suit. ive seen it in a couple of furry pages on facebook. good work! x3

[HiddenSquiddy]

Username: HiddenSquiddy
Are you a Furry or a Fan: Furry
Do you own a fursuit: Yes!
Fave thing about the Fandom: I like how accepting the community can be. I also really enjoy the art and creativity.

[Emberglade]

Username: HiddenSquiddy
Are you a Furry or a Fan: Furry
Do you own a fursuit: Yes!
Fave thing about the Fandom: I like how accepting the community can be. I also really enjoy the art and creativity.

Aaah I love your suit!!
Did you make it yourself? : O

[Guest]

Username: cleo_starry
Are you a Furry or a Fan: furry!
Do you own a fursuit: no, I am really looking for a fursuit though
If so have any pictures: N/A
Fave thing about the Fandom: I love how diverse and accepting it is

[Violently Violet]

Alright, I'm going to be attempting to make a full digitigrade fursuit in time for halloween. Is it stupid, considering I've only ever made 1 head and tail? Maybe, but I've been watching tons of tutorials over the year and halloween is a good excuse to make one. I do have a few questions, though, for those who make suits or have general knowledge to share:

1. Would these furs work?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SHASON-TEXTI ... Y/54805985 and https://www.walmart.com/ip/SHASON-TEXTI ... Y/54805987
It seems like a really good price, as I'm on a budget, but I won't be able to hold it and feel it or anything first to see if I truly want it? And you can't order swatches, and the fur isn't in the store. I'll be going to the fabric store soon, but I'm so far unsure what furs they have there, but I believe they're more expensive. It seems like the furs from Wal-mart are under $10 per yard (please please please correct me if you see anything on the site that says it's not sold by the yard.) and the fur from the fabric store is likely around $21 per yard. I also prefer the naturalistic look from the Wal-mart fur, that is usually only obtained from expensive furs. What do you guys think? Is it worth the risk to go ahead and order them?

2. How much fur?
I've read different things on this. It will be a 2 colored full suit for someone I think just under 5'9. I was thinking 5 yards might be enough? How many of each color? REF:


3. How do you attach the tail?
I've seen people like to attach it to their belt through the suit, but I don't wear a belt. I also don't want to do elastic for various reasons. Can I sew it onto the body? I understand I will have to unsew the tail every time I wash the suit, but it seems the most secure to me.

4. Pillows or foam for digitigrade legs?
In tutorials the makers either use pillows that they sew and stuff in the suit, or upholstery foam glued onto thin tights that you wear under the suit. I'm leaning more towards the foam on tights. Thoughts?

5. Do you like to close off the back of the head with foam?
Or do you leave it open with a bit of fabric to cover the back? My last head was going great until I closed off the back, and had a hard time fitting (I have glasses). I think I'll just try to make the opening bigger, but what do you guys do?

6. What method do you like to use to start the head on a balaclava base?
I'm making a moving jaw with elastic on a balaclava, but I always have trouble with how to start it. Some people do the bucket head method. Some people just build it up from the cheeks. I just have trouble imagining where to start.

7. Any tips for jaw sensitivity on an elastic balaclava?
Last time it was pretty sensitive until I added the sculpey teeth and gums on the top and bottom. It got very weighed down and didn't close anymore. This time I'm just gonna put 2 plush fangs and a tongue on the bottom jaw, and nothing on the top. Anyway, anyone have any more tips for how to make it as sensitive as possible?

8. Where do you put the iris?
Some people say to put it towards the ridge of the nose, but I've heard the following effect only works if it's in the center? It's for a toony eye, of course.

9. When you use sneakers for feet paws, how are you supposed to tie and untie them if they're covered in foam and fur?

I might add more questions later as I think of them. Thank you for any help you can give!

[cyrevan]

@Violently Violet
I only make partials at the moment so I can't answer all of these but there are some that I could provide input on?

1: The fur seems alright, but due to the low price it probably isn't the best quality. Also, the reviews of the first one you linked say it's more of a brown color than what is advertised, so I would be careful. Because it doesn't cost that much and arrives soon (fabric.com takes like a month), I would say it's worth the risk. (Maybe buy only one yard of each fur first, just in case?) In the future though, you should save up for luxury shag fur to optimize results. Assuming you're going trick or treating with this fursuit, no one will notice that the fur isn't the best, they'll just be impressed by your costume.

4: I'm not experienced with this but I think foam would yield much better results because you can shape it to exactly the way you want it.

6: I always start by creating the top jaw out of foam and building the cheeks and nose bridge outward from there

7: Maybe make the jaw tighter against your actual chin so that it can't slip out and fall open as easily? You may sacrifice some comfort for this though.

8: The following effect works best if the pupil doesn't connect to the edges of the eye. Here's a visual, I guess? (it's awful, I didn't have my tablet on hand to draw this)

The pupil/iris can be in the middle or near the nose bridge, but on the two dimensional eye (before you add the sides that give the following effect) the colored part should not touch any edges or it won't work as well.

Anyways, Halloween is coming up pretty fast, don't stress yourself by working on this, and manage your time wisely! I'd suggest doing the partial first and then if you still have time you can do the body. Good luck, and I'd love to see the result when you're done!

[Larkspur1678]

Just a quick response to the above luxury shag recommendation. Luxury shag is actually starting to be phased out. Higher quality furs such as fox, bunny, and beaver are becoming more readily available in a rainbow of colors and as a result of this fur quality standards are slowly being pushed up in the professional fursuit making field. Kinda like how fleece has mostly been replaced by minky. Luxury shag isn’t bad, but if you’re able to spend $5-$10 more per yard there are higher quality furs out there and they come in a lot of colors as well! In fact fursuiting.com/fursuits by lacy and nick, who has been making fursuits for over a decade, recently launched a fur supply store(howlfabrics.com) that has a range of high quality furs. I love seeing how fursuit making has evolved over time, it’s constantly being brought to a new level by makers who aren’t afraid to try something new.

[Violently Violet]

@Violently Violet
I only make partials at the moment so I can't answer all of these but there are some that I could provide input on?

1: The fur seems alright, but due to the low price it probably isn't the best quality. Also, the reviews of the first one you linked say it's more of a brown color than what is advertised, so I would be careful. Because it doesn't cost that much and arrives soon (fabric.com takes like a month), I would say it's worth the risk. (Maybe buy only one yard of each fur first, just in case?) In the future though, you should save up for luxury shag fur to optimize results. Assuming you're going trick or treating with this fursuit, no one will notice that the fur isn't the best, they'll just be impressed by your costume.

4: I'm not experienced with this but I think foam would yield much better results because you can shape it to exactly the way you want it.

6: I always start by creating the top jaw out of foam and building the cheeks and nose bridge outward from there

7: Maybe make the jaw tighter against your actual chin so that it can't slip out and fall open as easily? You may sacrifice some comfort for this though.

8: The following effect works best if the pupil doesn't connect to the edges of the eye. Here's a visual, I guess? (it's awful, I didn't have my tablet on hand to draw this)

The pupil/iris can be in the middle or near the nose bridge, but on the two dimensional eye (before you add the sides that give the following effect) the colored part should not touch any edges or it won't work as well.

Anyways, Halloween is coming up pretty fast, don't stress yourself by working on this, and manage your time wisely! I'd suggest doing the partial first and then if you still have time you can do the body. Good luck, and I'd love to see the result when you're done!

Thanks! I decided to go ahead and order the fur. The price is just so good that even bad quality fur would be fine with me. I'm really not too picky about quality. Heck, a year ago on this thread you guys had to convince me not to use cardboard and paper mache for my first head!

Yes, I think I'll use foam for the digitigrade legs. I would worry that pillows would fall to the bottom of the suit if not stuffed in correctly, as well.

I think I'll put the elastic tight to the front of my chin (or maybe underneath my chin if I can't manage that). Am I correct to say the only thing attached to the elastic should be the bottom jaw? Last time I hot glued foam all over the elastic. No wonder it didn't work very well..

Thanks for the visual on eyes! That makes sense. I've seen some "following eyes" that don't follow all the much compared to others that seem to be constantly looking at you.

Yeah the fursuit was a biiiitt of a last minute decision. Although I'd been thinking about it since January and while working a summer job, and in the back of my mind I suspected I might want to use the money from it for a full fursuit. Anyway I am a bit limited on time, and I'm extremely anxious to start. Tomorrow I'm getting a new hot glue gun so I'll be able to start within the next few days. Once I do it'll be all hands on deck. Thankfully I have a lot of free time during the day right now. Hopefully I'll get it done in time, but we'll see.

I'll be sure to try and post pictures here!

Also, does anyone know if I can make a tongue and teeth and line the mouth with say, maybe old t-shirt fabric? Does the fabric for that stuff matter much?

[HiddenSquiddy]

Username: HiddenSquiddy
Are you a Furry or a Fan: Furry
Do you own a fursuit: Yes!
Fave thing about the Fandom: I like how accepting the community can be. I also really enjoy the art and creativity.

Aaah I love your suit!!
Did you make it yourself? : O

I did not make it myself. My boyfriend actually got it for me as a birthday gift. He won it in an auction and because he already has a suit, he gave it to me. :0

[black water]

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