DIY Faux Fur from Poly Fill Stuffing - A Tutorial for Beginners

An easy-to-follow guide with visuals

 

Faux fur is an incredibly useful material- it's also an incredibly pricey one. Just half a yard of fur can run up to $30 or $40, which just isn't a realistic budget if you're only making one or two masks.

Let's look at a cheap alternative: polyester stuffing!

Before you go gluing wads of it on randomly, let's look at a technique that will look more professional, I call it polyfill-spinning! It's a similar technique used when spinning wool into yarn, where we will twist the fibers to make them stronger.

If buying a whole bag of stuffing isn't in your financial plans for the week, you can steal some from the nearest teddy bear or coat - just remember to sew them back closed when you're done :)

Alright, enough gibber jabber. Here's what you'll need:

• 1-2 handfuls of polyfill polyester stuffing
• A WIDE toothed comb (thin combs will rip apart your stuffing ruthlessly)
• Hot glue

 

Here's how to use them:

 

Step 1: Wool Spin The Fibers

Hold a small handful of stuffing in your non-dominant hand, and begin twisting a small edge with your other hand. As you twist, pull gently away from the main pile until you have a twist the length of fur you want. Keep in mind that this is not a very strong fiber, so erring on the side of caution is best- stay short.

 

Step 2: Create a Twist Knot

Take the strand you've created and fold it in half. Twist the folded center to create a bunch that we will glue to the mask (pictured below). Add a healthy amount of hot glue to the base of the folded strand (if your glue gun has two settings, keep it on the low setting to avoid melting the fibers into much).

 

Step 3: Repeat Along Edge of Craft

Continue to twist and glue strands along the edge of the mask or project that you are making. You can fill in multiple lines to create a denser fiber. The closer you glue each strand together, the more full your fur will look when you're done.

 

Step 4: Add a Smooth Transition 

Lay down a line of hot glue along the base of your strands. Work quickly to add a small amount of loose fibers to create a smoother transition from your project to the fur.

 

Step 5: Tease the Fibers

Using the wide side of a metal comb, VERY GENTLY break apart any big lumps towards the base of your project. I found that holding the comb vertically to the fiber strands and just wiggling it a bit worked the best for a gentle approach.

 

Step 6. Trim to Shape

The final step is optional, take a sharp scissors and trim off any fraying fibers.

 

 

That's all! This faux fur alternative is so quick and very cheap. You can use it to create cosplay, LARP, alter human, therian, furry, and other animal masks. It's also very useful for small DIY crafts such as gnome beards or button tails!

If you're looking for other animal related crafts, see my post about 5 Animalistic Activities to Do Inside When Bored!

I really enjoy creating these mini tutorials of cheap/free options for quick crafts, and I hope that you enjoy following them!