| purpose of the suit, as well as the quality and | | | | finish with blocks of strips in similar coloring, as this |
| longevity you want from the finished product, you | | | | will defeat the aim of using the ghillie suit to |
| may spend many hours preparing, making, and | | | | merge into the background. |
| seasoning it before you can put it to use. When a | | | | The dye colors should be chosen to blend in with |
| ghillie suit is made from scratch, these tasks can | | | | the area where you will be wearing your ghillie suit. |
| take as many as 100 hours to complete. For a | | | | You can also increase the authentic look by taking |
| small cost, however, you can buy most of the | | | | the suit to the area and rolling it around in the |
| materials you need to put your camouflage | | | | local vegetation, or by adding some of the |
| together more quickly and easily. A third option is | | | | vegetation to the strips on the netting or the suit. |
| to buy a ghillie suit that is pre-made and ready to | | | | Keep in mind, however, when making your ghillie |
| wear. | | | | suit, that burlap is hot and heavy. If you add too |
| A ghillie suit starts with a foundation, usually a | | | | much to it, you may find it difficult to move as |
| battle dress uniform (BDU) comprising pants and | | | | quickly as you may need, as well as being |
| jacket, a flight suit, or simply an old pair of | | | | uncomfortable, particularly in hot weather. |
| coveralls. If you improvise your own foundation | | | | You can omit the dyeing and cutting, but still have |
| suit by using such garments as old coveralls, | | | | a hand in the making of your ghillie suit by buying |
| make sure they are first washed with a | | | | a ghillie kit that includes all the materials you need, |
| detergent that has no scented chemicals added. | | | | as well as assembly instructions. These can be |
| When you need your ghillie suit to provide cover | | | | ordered in the custom color combination you |
| only from the waist up, leaving your legs free for | | | | want or bought in available patterns, and can take |
| movement, you can plan to make a net poncho | | | | from five to 10 hours to complete by hand. If |
| covered with ghillie material rather than a full suit. | | | | time is a factor, a pre-made ghillie suit costs more |
| Dedicated people who are determined to make | | | | than a kit, but saves time and effort. |
| their own ghillie suits from scratch need to buy | | | | When making your own ghillie suit, you need to |
| burlap in preparation for the most time-consuming | | | | remember that Hessian and burlap are highly |
| and tedious part of the operation. This involves | | | | inflammable and take appropriate precautions to |
| dyeing the burlap to various shades ranging from | | | | treat it. This need should not apply to the ghillie |
| medium green to brown, cutting it into strips, and | | | | suits and kits available for purchase, because they |
| sewing the strips onto the foundation suit with the | | | | are usually treated with fire retardants before |
| ends of the higher strips overlapping the | | | | you buy them or are made of fire resistant |
| attachment points of the lower strips by about | | | | materials. They are also often made of materials |
| half an inch to provide coverage. Alternatively, | | | | that are lighter and cooler than burlap, making |
| you can first sew and glue netting to the | | | | them more comfortable, if less traditional, than |
| foundation suit, then attach the dyed burlap strips | | | | the type of ghillie suit you would make yourself. |
| or jute twine to the netting. Be careful not to | | | | |