Wandering and Wondering

[Ro]

right.. and I'm sorry to here about the anxiety :<

and with my suite I'd love to show the work here but I have no idea where to start and I have next to -2 money
it really sucks.. but I can always do the model sheet

atm. YouTube has bin my only source of information on making a suit.. here.. have a few clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEl_ur6Jkhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmSAx...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jza6...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AXvp...eature=related

and a sexy one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4PUJ...eature=related

[Guest]

Advice, advice, advice.

Well there are quite a few tutorials out there, but to get the best results and to get you started you are better off learning about patterns. I can't tell you much about sewing -teaching wise- because it is easier to show. Something you have to learn with your body. However head on down to google and get a load of 'fursuit patterns' for a few links, here are some I think would help right off the bat.

http://www.beetlecatoriginals.com/tutorialbodysuit.html
http://www.nicodemus.org/fursuit/about.php

Before you try working on your suit thought, I would suggest starting out small so you get the hang of what stitch you would like to use. I would recommend a lock stitch because it saves time and it is how I made my Snow-leopard tail and ears. Eh, A lock stick is like a regular stitch except when you pull the thread through you go back wards once before you finish pulling and loop the needle under the thread so it ties it self in a little knot.

Er... see what I mean? You need some examples. Try Youtube sewing videos, look for whip Stitch - the most common stitch. Lock Stitch. and even pin stitch to help hide seams. Well, that should help you get started anyway. as for what to begin with? Don't try anything intricate, like gloves. Try tails and ears first. Relatively easy make. Cut two triangles, place them back to back, sew them together around the edges while leaving a gap at the bottom, pull the ears inside out when done. Bingo. Ears! They should slip over your own. Heh heh.

Tail is a little harder because of the cut for the round end. Take a piece of fabric, fold it. Now imagine what you are going to cut out. A long rectangle, but at the end leave a Triangle kinda like this.
------------\
|||||||||||||}
------------/

Cut the length and width of the tail you like. Cut the tip to a point and unfold, now you should a piece of fabric looking like this.

------------\
||||||||||||/
||||||||||||\
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A long rectangle with two triangles at the end. Turn it inside out, sew edges together. When you reach the triangle, don't sew the edges instead sew a round curve. Like so~
----------\
|||||||||||)
----------/

Pull inside out again. Bam, tail with a round edge. Then you can get into all sorts of weird designs, like sew~ http://wolfden.critter.net/fursuits/constrctn/tail.htm

That should give you a base idea of how long it will take you to stitch together a full suit. Btw i would suggest experimenting with scrap cloth first. Don't waste your money of good stuff for your suit until you get a bit of experience and increase your speed with sewing. ...I had plenty. Then you can make your own clothes and fix your own tears! Really handy if you are poor. Soon you'll be able to make ties, and boxer shorts made from fabric that looks like sheet music!

in any case, sorry for overloading you with advice if you already knew most of this or didn't want anyone blabbering at you. I've made quite a few costumes in my day. including sewing fabric sets. It is exhausting but actually quite fun if you like doing work that you can get lost in. Autopilot stuff. Anyway, looking into craft webpages and sewing lessons, online, then you are on your way! Have fun! enjoy!

Oh and yes, sketching out geometrical ideas to better understand what needs to go together to sew together does help. Sketch sketch sketch.

[Ro]

wow.. you really know your stuff ;; but dont even for a sec. think that I'm not really really happy that youd put all this together for me
*hugs you tight* thank you! <3

*Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V post into word and saves* WOoo

It seems I have a long way ahead of me *starts walking*

[Guest]

Sew, Sew, Sew your boat- Gently down the seam!

Sometimes full costumes can overwhelm, which is why I suggested trying small stuff. Ears and tails are the usual fare that can hold someone over and make them feel a sense of accomplishment; after all they are the most common accessories. Full body suits are actually the same relative principle, it is just the sheer size and mass of the seams that need to be sewn, it seems almost endless. But hey, you can do it. Even without a sewing machine -which I don't have- you can accomplish a lot. Don't give up, and don't get frustrated.

To prevent this sort of anger, try setting small landmark goals. That is to say, break down the costume you would like into pieces. For example, for a full body suit don't think. "Tail, then head-hood, gloves, and then... *sigh*... the full body all at once." instead think of it like this.
Step 1. Tail
Step 2. Gloves
step 3. Feet (booties, or just wear shoes, or intricate paws, up to you!)
step 4. left leg to waist
step 5. right leg to waist
step 6. Torso
step 7. right arm
step 8. left arm
step 9. neck
step 10. Head/hood ----facial part break down, a:ears, b:upper face, c:upper muzzle, d: lower jaw, e:nose, fallet (with attached or detached tongue and teeth) or f: closed mouth.

The more you break it down and set yourself plenty of time and limits to how much you work on things, the more you feel you are accomplishing more and more, which you are, and you can keep a good view of progress. Don't bog yourself down with the complications, just use simplifications! But the break down is the most important for your so you can get it within a scope of possibility. Remember; no matter how professional a costume tailor, no one can make a full suit in one day. Unless you go the tail, ears, t-shirt/pants/shoes/socks route.

The longest walks begin with the first step. And hey, it's easy if you think about it! You have no deadline, it will look great because you tried something new -no matter what anyone says!!!- and it is for something you enjoy. It's win win! Go Ro GO! I know you can do it!

and also, aw shucks, yer makin' me blush! It weren't nothing. I just like helping people. Especially since I've done quiet a few costumes myself. Most for productions. but I got a few in there for myself. Besides that is the whole point of this forum, to talk and help peoples and share and converse and generally make friends who share the same interest or even don't but like to talk about it anyway.

I'm all open for helping anyway I can and I am all for giving back to a community of people who don't mind letting me be among them. It is nice to be here, thanks for having me. I hope to have more and more threads exactly like this one!

but that is not to say they should be mostly about me.

[Ro]

*crys and kneels* thank you baby Jesus

god.. now I REALLY cant wait to get started lol.. but I have a production in another city lasting for 2 months, and then I still need money for material, heh

but meh.. with your help I'll get there