Several measurements will be required for the making of your suit, depending on your order. Below you will find the measurement requirements for each tier.
Order Requirements:
Head only: Head
Partial: Handpaws, Head, Feetpaws
Fullsuit: Body, Handpaws, Head, Feetpaws
What is a DTD?
A duct tape dummy is a solid representation of your body shape. This is made by laying paper towels or plastic wrap on your body and duct taping over it. It is very important that the DTD be made strong and durable so it can be stuffed and used. Using a DTD will help make your costume fit you as well as it should.
Making the body:
You will need:
Paper towels or plastic wrap
Durable Duct Tape (2-4 rolls)
Black Sharpie/permanent marker
Scissors
Old clothing
One or more helper(s)
How do I do it?
Prepare yourself by being hydrated. It may get hot while you are being taped. Have at least one helper to duct tape you (doing it by yourself is very difficult).
Step One:
Put on the old clothing. This may get cut in the process of taking off the DTD. I have found it easiest to start from the legs and go up the body to avoid feeling trapped or difficult to breathe. Start by holding the paper towel around the ankles and in medium sized pieces, tape around the paper towel. Try not to have the tape bunch up by using too long of a piece.
Step Two:
Work your way up the legs. The tape should be smooth and tight but not tight enough to cause breathing or blood circulation issues. When it comes to the crotch, you can leave a small space for room. Work up to the stomach. This will be quicker because you can use longer pieces.
Step Three:
Continue up the body. You can do the arms of the neck first; it does not matter. When wrapping the neck, be mindful of how tight the Duct Tape is.
Step Four:
When taping the arms, hold them out in the classic “T” pose. If your arms happen to get tired you can lean them on a close object of the same height. Wrap them all the way to your wrist.
Step Five:
Revise the DTD. Have you covered up everything? Is there some weak spots that need more Duct Tape? Did something come loose or expand while you moved? When finished, you should have a solid body of Duct Tape. If it falls apart when it is received then you may need to send another one (and nobody wants to do that).
Step Six:
With the permanent marker, draw lines on both sides of the body. Place X marks occasionally to help line up the result better. Draw a circle where the tail should be on the body for proper placement. Start cutting on these lines and be careful not to cut anyone. Once that is done and you are out of the DTD, line up the X marks and begin taping the body back together. Once the body is securely lined up and held together, fold it up carefully and prepare it for shipment.
Making the handpaws:
You will need:
Cardboard
Black Sharpie/permanent marker
Scissors
Getting measurements of your hand is easy. On a piece of cardboard, trace your hand with the Sharpie. Make sure you add a bit of your wrist. Your hands should be laid flat on the cardboard. After tracing both hands, cut them out with scissors.
Making the feetpaws:
You will need:
Tape Measurer (Optional)
For measurements on feetpaws, I will need your shoe size (in US women’s or men’s). If you’d like, you can also measure your foot length and width, but may not be necessary due to the large size of the feet.
Making the head:
You will need:
Tape Measurer
Measure the distance between your brows to the back of your head. The common distance is between 21”-25”. Then, measure the top of your head down to your jaw. This will help with the placement of the head. Next, Measure the length of your neck from the end of your jaw (below the ear) to your collarbone. Then wrap the measurer around your neck around the Adam’s apple.
Order Requirements:
Head only: Head
Partial: Handpaws, Head, Feetpaws
Fullsuit: Body, Handpaws, Head, Feetpaws
What is a DTD?
A duct tape dummy is a solid representation of your body shape. This is made by laying paper towels or plastic wrap on your body and duct taping over it. It is very important that the DTD be made strong and durable so it can be stuffed and used. Using a DTD will help make your costume fit you as well as it should.
Making the body:
You will need:
Paper towels or plastic wrap
Durable Duct Tape (2-4 rolls)
Black Sharpie/permanent marker
Scissors
Old clothing
One or more helper(s)
How do I do it?
Prepare yourself by being hydrated. It may get hot while you are being taped. Have at least one helper to duct tape you (doing it by yourself is very difficult).
Step One:
Put on the old clothing. This may get cut in the process of taking off the DTD. I have found it easiest to start from the legs and go up the body to avoid feeling trapped or difficult to breathe. Start by holding the paper towel around the ankles and in medium sized pieces, tape around the paper towel. Try not to have the tape bunch up by using too long of a piece.
Step Two:
Work your way up the legs. The tape should be smooth and tight but not tight enough to cause breathing or blood circulation issues. When it comes to the crotch, you can leave a small space for room. Work up to the stomach. This will be quicker because you can use longer pieces.
Step Three:
Continue up the body. You can do the arms of the neck first; it does not matter. When wrapping the neck, be mindful of how tight the Duct Tape is.
Step Four:
When taping the arms, hold them out in the classic “T” pose. If your arms happen to get tired you can lean them on a close object of the same height. Wrap them all the way to your wrist.
Step Five:
Revise the DTD. Have you covered up everything? Is there some weak spots that need more Duct Tape? Did something come loose or expand while you moved? When finished, you should have a solid body of Duct Tape. If it falls apart when it is received then you may need to send another one (and nobody wants to do that).
Step Six:
With the permanent marker, draw lines on both sides of the body. Place X marks occasionally to help line up the result better. Draw a circle where the tail should be on the body for proper placement. Start cutting on these lines and be careful not to cut anyone. Once that is done and you are out of the DTD, line up the X marks and begin taping the body back together. Once the body is securely lined up and held together, fold it up carefully and prepare it for shipment.
Making the handpaws:
You will need:
Cardboard
Black Sharpie/permanent marker
Scissors
Getting measurements of your hand is easy. On a piece of cardboard, trace your hand with the Sharpie. Make sure you add a bit of your wrist. Your hands should be laid flat on the cardboard. After tracing both hands, cut them out with scissors.
Making the feetpaws:
You will need:
Tape Measurer (Optional)
For measurements on feetpaws, I will need your shoe size (in US women’s or men’s). If you’d like, you can also measure your foot length and width, but may not be necessary due to the large size of the feet.
Making the head:
You will need:
Tape Measurer
Measure the distance between your brows to the back of your head. The common distance is between 21”-25”. Then, measure the top of your head down to your jaw. This will help with the placement of the head. Next, Measure the length of your neck from the end of your jaw (below the ear) to your collarbone. Then wrap the measurer around your neck around the Adam’s apple.