Conversation Pieces

So finally as promised, here is the making of the world’s most awesome Xmas present… as told to me by my little sis and OH. (They are so sneaky!!)

Step 1:
Source furry material for the main suit, yellow fleece for the crown – plus some buttons and velcro.

This may involve the following conversation in a fabric shop:

“How much fabric would I need to make a wolf suit?”

“To make a wool suits?”

“No, a WOLF suit” *bare teeth, growl & show claws*

“Oh, about 4 metres.”

Step 2:
Wait until your sister/other half (ie me!) is out for the night… and then steal her pjs to make your template with! (This will ensure your wolf suit fits.)

You’re going to cut two sides out of the fabric – a front (which will look like a gingerbread man without a head!) and a back (which will look like a gingerbread man with a head… this head will form your hood eventually).

Step 3:
Put the furry sides of the suit together (so the fur is inside) and lightly stitch the whole thing (apart from the cuffs and hood) to hold in place.

Watch out for cats wanting to sit on it. (Note this will happen a lot.)

You may have to hoover your carpet several times if yours is a stealth suit making mission as the fake fur will go everywhere!

Step 4:
Dust off your sewing machine… and sew like a crazy thing. (Obviously still leaving the ends undone for feet, hands and your head.)

Step 5:
Cut your wolf suit’s tummy open… this is where you’ll put velcro on the inside and buttons on the outside – and will ensure the suit can be put on.

Also why not try on the suit at this point – just to check out how cool it looks already! Ok, so you have no ears but you can use your hands to pretend you have some!

Step 6:
Sorting out your hood… because the back of your suit still sort of resembles a gingerbread man with a head (!) this big square section is what makes up your hood (as the previous pic).

Then “make a separate fur sausage shape to sew to the front of that (hood) for the curve & hemming of the front. If that makes sense!”

Step 7:

“Wolf ears – pointy triangles with two cards inserts each and stuffing. Sew on and pin to hood where they will stand almost upright. This was more than somewhat fidgety when doing it on yourself! Note: If possible get your helpful father to assist with pins… try to make sure he doesn’t repeatedly stab himself in the thumb though.”

Step 8:
Make your tail… “the tail’s gotta be long and heavy so with lots and lots of stuffing”. Then sew it on your suit.

Step 9:
Make yourself a fleece crown. Base this on a Christmas cracker hat… insert plastic tips into the crown points to ensure they stay up.

Step 10:
Give to your sister for her Xmas… expect a lot of wild behaviour to ensue!

P.S. Watch out for this checklist of injuries which may occur during the making of your wolf suit:

- Two pierced father’s thumbs
- 3 broken machine needles
- Two pairs of forever fluffy black tights
- One kitty that thinks I might have attacked her
- Many lost hours trying to figure out the right tension for elasticated fabric

P.P.S. Just in case, you haven’t had enough wolfy suitness. Here’s a vid my Dad shot on Xmas Day… let it be said that I didn’t know I was being filmed, I thought I was just getting my pic taken… and I hadn’t seen what I looked like yet! (Watch for the bit when I discover I have a tail!!)