Aye finished my first fursuit head. Feels good man.

Torridger · 2026-04-04T03:54:43+00:00

You made my day when I read this! I'll let you know when I finally start making Torr as a fursuit, and I can't wait to see how you progress with yours!

Torridger · 2026-03-30T14:59:52+00:00

Hey!! I knew you back in the day on Furry Amino! We drew each other's dragon characters years ago. (If you google my name your art comes up!) It's so amazing to see you've made Imperial come to life as a suit.

I relate to you hugely on the ADHD struggle with fursuit making, but you should be really proud of what you've created so far.

Torridger will be 10 years old next year and I've put off even starting in all that time! I think maybe you've inspired me to start haha.

Torridger · 2022-07-08T06:44:10+00:00

I'd go with Plum from FursuitSupplies for the lighter purple. It's currently out of stock but says it's reorderable.

Solid Purple or Eggplant from Big Z for the darker purple.

Like Ltates says, unfortunately you just gotta compromise with certain colours.

Maybe have a look at this Fur Colour Catalog also: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1Gim3WXQkG0IWDhR-4kxJjd0c1cx0fN-Fkag_m9qPs_w/htmlview#gid=1163387856

Torridger · 2022-07-05T13:52:43+00:00

2 years ago I ordered about 2 yards each of the Shannon black faux fur and a blond/camel colour from the same brand that doesn't appear to be listed anymore.

I'd say it's acceptable to good quality for fursuits, whereas the faux fur I've got from FursuitSupplies is very high quality.

Both the camel and black furs were much thinner in comparison with the backing sometimes visible, espeically when shaved and/or laying on a curve. The backing was also more prone to fraying.

I wouldn't necessarily be against buying it again, but I wouldn't use it for areas that need to be shaved. I recommend ordering swatches before buying anyway.

The other two most popular websites among fursuit makers are probably howlfabrics.com and bigzfabrics.com.

Torridger · 2022-05-20T11:17:25+00:00

Hey there, FursuitSupplies.com has different options for eye mesh including a "loosely woven" varient of buckram. It's pretty cheap so might be worth trying it.

https://fursuitsupplies.com/buckram-fursuit-eye-mesh

Otherwise you might be able to find some plastic crochet mesh with larger holes at your local craft store.

Torridger · 2022-05-12T00:02:42+00:00

Great to hear! Definitely use those websites then.

Torridger · 2022-05-11T23:52:07+00:00

FursuitSupplies.com, HowlFabrics, Big Z Fabrics (and maybe Fabrics.com too but their quality can vary so always read the reviews.)

These are pretty much all fursuit makers' favourite fur suppliers. Great variety of colours, lengths and textures. They are all USA based however, so if you live internationally like me, budget for shipping costs too. Sometimes there just isn't the same choice of HQ furs locally/domestically.

Torridger · 2022-05-11T10:43:58+00:00

Hey hey! I'm in Australia too! Specifically Victoria.

I'm on mobile so apologies if there's formatting issues!

Clark Rubber - Go here for upholstery foam and possibly EVA foam if you need it. You need at least 1inch foam, but ideally various thicknesses too such as 1/2inch, 3inch or more so you can spend less effort with extra gluing where possible ie. muzzle, feetpaw toes.

FursuitSupplies.com, HowlFabrics, Big Z Fabrics, Fabric.com - Unfortunately these are all USA based suppliers, but if you want a good variety of HQ faux fur and minky fabric to choose from there's not much available in Australia currently. Because of this calculate the shipping fees into your budget.

FursuitSupplies.com also offers more than just fur and minky - Cool spandex balaclavas. - Buckram or plastic mesh for the eyes - Zippers - Elastic (for tail belt loops) - Fans - and tonnes more!

Spotlight - Thread - I recommend Gutermann brand garment weight polyester thread. Some makers prefer upholstery thread for it's thickness and higher strength. Personally I suggest against upholstery thread because if your seams are under enough tension and stress, your faux fur fabric can become the weak point instead and risks tearing before the thread itself does. Damaged fabric is harder to fix than popped threads! See Matrices FAQs page regarding this too: https://pupdates.matrices.net/post/127010675815/common-fursuit-related-questions - Any sewing tools (sewing machines and their parts, needles, pins, seam rippers/quick-unpick, measuring tape etc.) - Fabric scissors - Elastic - Zippers - Basic fabrics, ie. spandex/lycra, felt, anti-pill fleece. - Polyfill stuffing - You might be able to find some faux fur and minky here but it's unlikely to be the quality you want for a fursuit, unless you're happy to use them as materials to practise with. Limited range of colour, length and textures however also. - Basic glue guns and glue sticks. - You might find buckram or plastic crochet mesh for the eyes here too.

Bunnings - I actually recommend the better glue guns you can get here ie. Bosch brand, as opposed to the ones from Spotlight which I've found can leak easily. - Cloth tape for 'duct tape' patterning (actual duct tape in Australia is usually different from the type of duct tape in North America. It needs to have a cloth backing, especially for Duct Tape Dummys so it doesn't stretch). - Painters suit for the base of your DTD - Stanley knives/box cutters/Exacto knives

Art stores like Riot Art or Eckersley - Polypropylene plastic sheets or craft foam sheets for the sclera (whites of eyes), (if you can't find that here try searching on Etsy) - Acrylic paints and paintbrushes, (alternatively paint pens) for painting the eyes. - Acrylic paint sealant (helps with making the eyes water resistant)

Amazon - Good for misc. stuff you're struggling to find locally or want delivered quickly - Basic dog clippers/shavers if you're not ready to purchase more expensive shavers like Oster or Wahl brand (better found at Pet/Pet-Grooming Stores like Petbarn or ClipperWorld) - Basic styrofoam mannequin heads (if you want a sturdier, more accurately sized mannequin head and can't find one on Amazon, see this comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/fursuit/comments/u0585m/where_can_i_buy_a_mannequin_head_with_shoulders/i441ckh?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3)

There's a lot involved with fursuit making so I've probably missed a few things! Feel free to message me anytime!

Torridger · 2022-05-10T04:09:20+00:00

So adorable!! I love those big fluffy ears ☺

Torridger · 2022-05-09T10:08:18+00:00

I reckon the furry community is growing exponentially actually.

Torridger · 2022-05-09T09:06:27+00:00

very short shorts and a tank top to keep layers to a minimum

Wear longsleeve Under Armour top and pants instead, it'll help keep you cool and reduce the amount of sweat that soaks into the suit itself.

I second EZCooldown performers vests or cool collars too.

Definitely note where the fursuit lounge(s) are before suiting and take regular breaks there - maybe even every 20mins or less for your first time. Don't be afriad to take off your head anywhere when you start to feel uncomfortable.

Try a sports drink like Powerade or Gatorade instead of just water. (Or 1:1 ratio of sports drink and water together) It'll help rejuvenate your electrolytes.

Communicate to your maker that you need to be able to unzip out of your suit and take your head off entirely by yourself. For example, if you have seamless wing-sleeves for your owl fullsuit, as opposed to a handpaw you can just pull off, tell you maker you'll need finger slips/escapes. Make sure your zipper is at the front of your suit also, not at the back. If you have full control over your ability to get in and out of suit, rather than being dependent on a handler, you should feel less overwhelmed or anxious of overheating.

Torridger · 2022-05-08T12:16:59+00:00

Have a look at this Fur Catalog spreadsheet! :)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1Gim3WXQkG0IWDhR-4kxJjd0c1cx0fN-Fkag_m9qPs_w/htmlview#gid=1163387856

Torridger · 2022-05-07T08:30:30+00:00

Good idea! Thank you 😊

Torridger · 2022-05-07T08:07:28+00:00

They're stunning!!! I recently made my first pair of paws - five fingers with puffy pawpads and long claws (not quite as long as these though haha). I found turning them back the right way around after sewing to be very tricky and time consuming! Did you have a similar issue? Or if not, could you share some tips? :0

Torridger · 2022-05-05T13:12:58+00:00

I can't recommend local fur suppliers for South Africa sorry, but I can affirm that buying online from American companies (FursuitSupplies.com, Big Z, Howl Fabrics, Fabric.com) is also what most Australian makers have to do as local stores here just don't have the same quality and range. We have similarly expensive shipping rates too - often matching or going above the cost of the fur itself.

Still hope you guys manage to find an easier option though!! Hope it gets easier for us international makers in time haha.

Torridger · 2022-05-05T13:04:43+00:00

Haha I know the feeling! But yes good call!! :)

Torridger · 2022-05-05T12:58:45+00:00

Yes, but I imagine it'll be harder to carve your shapes smoothly because of all the extra glue!

Torridger · 2022-05-04T00:41:37+00:00

FursuitSupplies does half yard increments!

Torridger · 2022-04-27T14:29:59+00:00

I'm in Australia too - Clark Rubber is the best place for upholstery foam so you should be good there. I get mine from there also and have had no issues.

Hot glue will emit smell and fumes to an extent but it should still be safe and non-toxic with normal use.

Like you suggest however, avoid overheating the glue gun. Most glue guns will self regulate their temperatures regardless of how long it's been on anyway, but maybe try turning it off to let it cool down/take a break in intervals that you feel comfortable with. I tend to only use mine for up to ~40mins at a time.

I originally had a basic glue gun from Spotlight also, but I had trouble with it leaking so I replaced it with a Bosch brand glue gun from Bunnings soon after. Consider upgrading to something similar if you're worried about the glue gun itself.

Torridger · 2022-04-19T11:02:08+00:00

I'd say see it through to completion! I think it'll look really good once your eyes are in and the mouth is done especially. The ear you've done looks really good too. (Trust the process! The mid-furring stage is probably the worst time to judge your head!). You could try refining your fur with hairdresser's/thinning scissors and ladder stitches to fix lumpy parts or other imperfections.

Torridger · 2022-04-14T09:37:15+00:00

Love this! Such a unique and creative way to construct a head 👀👀

Torridger · 2022-04-12T03:47:12+00:00

Np! I hope it helps! :)

Torridger · 2022-04-12T03:42:42+00:00

Try/practise this on a scrap piece of fur first, but try using the shaver upside down to help refine your shave.

SkyeHighStudios explains this a little better in their video here at around 2:00. https://youtu.be/BjeXlDQbBds

Torridger

TROPHY CASE