How to Build a Suit

On this page you'll find the materials, method, and steps behind our patented ghillie suit construction. We're sharing these details so you can see the value and craftsmanship behind our products — publishing them here doesn't grant any license to the design or method, express or implied. GhillieSuits.com retains all rights in the ghillie suit and its method and manner of construction. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you.

Converting a "Stalker" Suit to BDUs

This guide walks through turning one of our "Stalker" ghillie ponchos into a two-piece jacket-and-pants BDU set. It's the same conversion process behind our DIY Kits, including the BYO Ghillie Jacket and BYO Ghillie Pants.

What You'll Need

• 1 "Stalker" suit, color of your choice (see Color Options)
• 1 pair of military BDUs
• 1 yard of brown canvas material
• 1 roll of foam padding
• 2–3 tubes of Shoe Goo

Step 1 — Lay Everything Out

Lay out your Stalker suit and your BDUs side by side.

Step 2 — Mark the Pants Netting

Count up 30 squares of netting on the rear of the Stalker suit and cut across on the 31st square, leaving 30 squares.

Step 3 — Separate the Pant Legs

Starting at the bottom of the cut netting, count over 14 squares and cut on the 15th, going up 22 squares to separate the two pant legs. Repeat on the other leg. This removes one extra square from the middle of the netting and leaves 22–25 squares going up, which becomes the crotch of the pants.

Line the netting up so the top piece sits just below the belt line and front pocket, and the bottom netting stays about 4–6" above the pant cuff — that keeps it from being stepped on while the jute still hangs below the cuff.

Step 4 — Trim the Extra Netting

Trim the extra netting around the pant legs so only about an inch wraps to the front.

Step 5 — Glue the Outside Edges

Using Shoe Goo, glue all the outside netting edges to the pants, including the knots. Work in sections: glue the front first and wait 15–30 minutes (depending on temperature) before turning the pants over to glue the back edge. It often helps to glue the outside of each leg first, let it dry, then the inside, then the rear.

Step 6 — Glue the Knots Underneath

Once the edges are dry, turn the pants jute-side up. Count over 2–3 rows of netting squares, part the jute to expose the netting, and glue every knot across. Let it dry 15–30 minutes, then repeat 2–3 squares further in and glue every knot again.

Step 7 — Add the Foam Padding

Cut foam padding pieces for the legs and elbows and glue them in place with a dab of Shoe Goo. Let dry.

Step 8 — Cover the Padding with Canvas

Cut canvas pieces to cover the foam padding, leaving ½"–1" extra canvas to overlap. Spread Shoe Goo on the underside of that overlap with your finger — it's the easiest way to get even coverage — and press it onto the BDUs so the canvas fully covers the padding. Let dry at least 24 hours depending on temperature.

Step 9 — Prepare the Jacket

Lay out the remaining Stalker piece. The sleeves are seamed closed, the front panel runs all the way across to the opposite sleeve, and the back panel is about 30 squares across, seamed at the armpit.

With the suit facing you, count up 5 squares from the middle of the front panel and cut all the way across — save this piece, since it becomes a rifle wrap. Follow the 5-square line out to a sleeve, cut on the 6th square, and continue along the front to the other sleeve. Fold the piece forward; it's still attached at the rear of the sleeve. Count up 7 squares from the side and cut on the 8th, toward the end of the sleeve, to free it, leaving a 13-square open sleeve. Repeat on the other side. Once trimmed of its extra pieces, the panel you removed becomes a small rifle wrap on its own.

Step 10 — Open Up the Hood

With the sleeves folded open, look at how the hood is attached — 4 knots seam it on one side and 4 or 5 on the other. Remove the roughly 7x7 (or 7x8) square section between them to open up the jacket: starting at the front panel, cut up 7 squares to where the hood seams to the jacket netting, then repeat on the other side to free the piece and open the front.

Step 11 — Position the Jacket

Lay your BDU jacket on top of the Stalker piece. Position the sleeves on the netting so the underarm stays uncovered — that's where the foam padding and canvas will go next. Fold over the top of the sleeve and pull the jute back to prepare for gluing.

Step 12 — Glue the Jacket Edges

Glue all netting edges to the BDU jacket, including the knots. Depending on jacket size you may need to trim 2–3 squares from each side (a Medium Regular needed this). Keep your pockets accessible, and make sure the jute won't hang low enough in front to get pulled off while crawling — trimming 8–10" of jute over the top pockets helps too. We skip padding on the front chest area, since elbows and knees do most of the work crawling, but you can add foam and canvas there as well for full chest coverage.

Step 13 — Finish the Hood

As before, count 2–3 rows, part the jute to expose the knots, and glue every knot across to secure the netting to the jacket. Glue heavily near the hood, almost to the shoulders, and let it dry fully before trying the jacket on. If the hood hangs too low, glue up another row — it's hard to overdo the strength here.

That's it — your two-piece Stalker-to-BDU conversion is complete.

Shop the Suits & Supplies Used in This Guide

• Military "Stalker" Ghillie Poncho — Jute Thread
• Military "Stalker" Ghillie Poncho — Synthetic Thread
• BYO Ghillie Jacket
• BYO Ghillie Pants
• BYO Sniper Jacket
• BYO Sniper Pants
• Browse all DIY Kits

Prefer a printed or PDF reference to keep on hand while you build? We also offer the "How-To-Build-Your-Own" booklet and a downloadable PDF version. Have a question along the way? Contact us and we're happy to help.