How-to Handpaws

          Here's a short and hopefully simple tutorial on how to make handpaws! This technique is done using a sewing machine, and you really only need 1/2 a yard of fur material for this project, depending on how long you want the wrists/sleeves to extend up your arm, and you need any sort of material for your paw pads. Fake fur, or regular non-fraying fabric works well.

Materials

1. First, spread out your hand as much as you can, and trace around it with at least 1/2 - 1 inch bordering around your fingers (this will be your seam allowance).
   • Tip! To make sure your fingers will physically fit once the paw is sewn and 3-dimensional, a good rule of thumb is to make the space for a single finger as wide as 2-fingers. You can always sew it narrower if it is too wide!
2. Cut out your "pattern" in cardstock, and transfer that pattern to your fur with chalk. Cut out ONLY the palms. (two pieces: left and right hand, just flip your pattern)
3. Cut out the paw pad shape the exact size you want it.
4. Use a "satin stitch" (which is a close zigzag stitch) with matching thread and stitch around the paw pad on my palm. (this is called "Appliqué")
   • Make sure to only stitch the edge of your paw pad material. And pull the fur out of the way so you are just sewing the backing to your palm.
   • Tip! This is a pretty good YouTube video demonstrating that technique (not my video)
5. Leave a little opening big enough to squeeze a finger in, so you can stuff the large palm pad with a little bit of stuffing, then finish up the appliqué.
6. Cut out little circles for your finger pads, exactly the shape and size you want them to be.
7. Appliqué them on individually. You can stuff them if you like (the fur underneath is usually adequate enough to make them stick up).
   • Make sure there is 1/2 inch left around the fingertips, you need this for your seam allowance for sewing the back of the paws to the palms.
8. Lay your palm with completed paw pads onto a flat piece of your chosen fur material. Cut the general shape (just a square around the whole piece). See image to the right.
9. Sew your palm to the back piece flat.
10. Trim loosely around your paws, just enough so you can turn them right sides out.
11. Pull the fur out of the seams, and check to make sure the fingers are shaped how you want them.
    • Tip! A wire brush works great to get fur out of tight seams like on Handpaws! Look at hardware stores for a wire brush in the paint department or sold near Barbecue equipment!
12. Turn them back inside out, fix any problems, then trim the edges down to 1/4" seam allowance.
13. Final step: Turn your paws right sides out, and viola! Completed paws. :3

    For a final touch, you can sculpt claws out of polymer clay (link to video tutorial), score the back (so the adhesive sticks better) and bake according to the instructions on your chosen clay's packaging. Let cool, then use a washable permanent adhesive (like E6000, found in craft and hobby stores) to glue the claws in place. Hot glue is NOT recommended because your claws will eventually pop off with use if hot glue is used! You can also use plastic claws, you can purchase some (just like the ones pictured) in many colors from Grey Owl Crafts.

The paw to the left is the finished paw turned inside out. The paws below are finished, with claws attached.

Handpaw pattern!

          Tracing your hand hasn't worked out? You like the reliability and repeatability of an existing pattern? I have a pattern for you -- Make your own dog hands! A printable pattern for the handpaws I do! Your seam allowance may be narrower than the one I illustrated, but it is just a guideline for how much space to allow around your fingers when stitching.
 

Click to go to the fullsize 8.5 x 11 inch printable version (print landscape).

If its not obvious, this is intended for machine sewing, but you certainly can adapt the pattern VERY easily to handsewing, perhaps even using a Blanket Stitch (link to a YouTube video, not my video).