How To Tutorials

Tutorial One - How to Hand Sew Shoulder-Length Paws

In this tutorial, I will show you how to make basic shoulder-length fur suit paws without the use of a sewing machine or complex pattern.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at nuka.hyena@gmail.com, and I'll help you as best I can.

Needed materials:

• Large sheet of paper for pattern (you can also draw directly on back of fur if you prefer)
• exacto or craft knife for cutting fur material (scissors will not work here)
• Scissors if using fleece for paw pads
• faux fur - total around 1.5 meter length of standard-width fur.  (if using different colors, you'll need to calculate how much of each depending on your taste)
• fleece for paw pads and claws
• needle 
• thread
• pins to attach pattern to fur if not drawing on fur
• pencil for drawing pattern and turning fingers/claws
• permanent marker to label pieces
• measuring tape
• approximately 500 cm long elastic strap (optional)

Step One - Creating the Pattern:

The first thing to do is create a pattern of your arm and hand together. You can do this on a sheet of paper or you can draw directly on the back of the fur.

Leaving about two centimeters as a seam allowance, trace the length of your arm and hand all the way up to the point that your palm meets your fingers. This will give you four pieces: top-left arm/hand, top-right arm/hand, bottom-left arm/hand, and bottom-right arm/hand. Be sure to label your pieces, using the permanent marker.

Arm/Hand and a Few Finger Piece

You'll now need to draw each finger separately, again leaving about an inch as a seam allowance.  You'll end up with twenty pieces: top-left set of fingers, top-right set of fingers, bottom-left fingers and bottom-right fingers. Be sure to label your pieces with a finger number, using the permanent marker.

One Side (can be top or bottom) of Fingers for Left Hand

Using a pattern to draw paw pads on fleese

For the paw pads and claws, you can simply draw a pattern in your preferred design.  I have attached a pattern below, but you can also get ideas from the internet, using pictures of animals, etc. Once you have drawn the pattern, either on paper or directly on the fleece, cut it out using scissors, leaving about 1 centimeter seam allowance. You will have two paw pads for the palm; ten finger pads (left and right paw) and ten claws (one for each finger). Be sure to label your pieces, using the permanent marker.

Drawing the Claws

Step Two - Attaching the Fingers

Sewing the Fingers

Fingers Which Have Been Attached to Hand

Now you'll attach the fingers to the arm/hand pieces.  Attach the bottom set of fingers to the bottom of the right arm/hand piece, and then attached the top set of fingers to the top of the right arm/hand piece.  Now you'll take the time to attach the palm and finger pads to the bottom of the hands. These are attached by sewing from the back, thus minimizing the visibility of the stitches. After completing the right arm/hand piece, do the same for the left.

Step Three - Sewing and Attaching the Claws

Sewing the Claws

Next, you will sew the claws together inside out, so that the stitching will not be visible. Don't sew up
the bottom of the claws (where they attach to the fingers), as you will need to use this opening to turn them right-side out.

Now turn the claws right-side out. To do this, you can use the eraser end of a pencil or similar object to push the material through. Once the claws are turned, you will sew them onto the fingers of the top portion of the arm/hand piece.  Be sure to sew them onto the backing and not the top fur.

Step Four - The Final Product
Next, you will sew the arm/hand pieces together, creating the final product. Align the pieces inside out (the fur of both top and bottom pieces will be inside), with the backing exposed. Begin stitching the fingers, taking care that they align properly. Be sure that the claws are pushed through to the inside, so that when you turn the arm right-side out, the claws will stick out. After stitching the fingers continue sewing up the entire length of the arms.  Be sure that you do not stitch up the opening for the arms.

Completed Paws - Inside Out

After sewing the pieces together, you'll now turn the arms right-side out, once again using the eraser end of a pencil or similar object to push the fingers through.  Your arms are now ready to be worn. In order to secure them to your body, some people choose to attach an elastic strap between the arms.  These will run behind your back, under your shirt,  and will stop the arms from slipping. This is, however, optional.

Completed Paws