Has anyone ever tried to make a ghillie suit or own one?

Heres some history if you have no idea what im going on about : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghillie_suit

The ghillie suit, made up by Scottish gamekeepers was originally made as a 3d camouflage instead of the linear. It resembles heavy foliage, includes sticks and sways in the wind just as the natural stuff would. Practically these should be doubled sided, one a darker colour and the next a light colour. Its the ultimate camouflage.  Its main use is for snipers, marines, bow hunters and the not so primitive riflemen. I imagine it would also be used for military scouts.

They are often coloured by being dragged on the dirt by a car, chucked in the mud or colour died to match the local surroundings. The wearer even discontinues showering and putting deodorants on for the 3 days before the day comes to use them. 

To test this, get a faded tennis ball and place it on the ground whilst sprinkling enough 1-2 day old grass cuttings to cover it. Now walk back around 10 meters and you most likely will lose track of the of the shape of the ball or barely see it if you were really trying.

If you have done this test, you should be amazed. Or at least slap yourself in the face and pretend  to be amazed.
The down side to these for the hunters or snipers is that the suit is very heavy, and can get to temps of 50 degrees (120 °F). Extremely vulnerable to fire.

Heres a video on how to make one :http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=s_iqqy4Fgm4

Im thinking about making one soon, apparently potato sacks arent so easy to find. If i were to find these bags, could anyone assist me?

Anyway, who wants to buy a real one from a shop? the custom built ones are better looking than the real ones anyway!

I challenge you to build a ghillie suit for under $20 bucks and then post a picture of yourself wearing the suit and then a "find the man wearing the 3d camoflauge" picture.  Maybe a small competition for bragging rights?

To entice you into this project, can you sling in these suits!!!?!??!?!   

Good luck!

   I have made a ghillie suit... two actually.  One was completely from scratch with scrounged materials, and the other with some lightweight jute that I'd purchased specifically for the project.  I don't have any pictures of my old one, and it dissappeared from my parents house while I was overseas in 2001-2002 (I still think my mom threw it away), but I should be able to get a few up of my new one.  That being said, both of mine where of the standard type used by U.S. Military snipers, with no burlap on the front to facilitate a crawling stalk.  A lot of (most of) the comercially available ones are made for an upright stalk.  I first attached a net to the back of the base clothing (old BDUs) and then tied the burlap and jute to the net.  You don't have to do it that way, but it makes it easier to modify later if you do.
    Could I sling in it?  Not with a figure-8 I'm sure, but maybe with a sidearm.  I dunno, never tried!  I'm sure I could find a way

I'm thinking I could probably manage to put something together. Should be pretty cheap, and I'm sure I could do it with stuff I have around the house and gathered outside.

Our local army surplus store sells light mesh hoodies specifically for making ghillie suits. they also sell bundles of different colored string.

In addition, they sell burlap sacks, but there are other sources.

Specifically, try to find a feed store in your area. Some types of livestock feed (like corn/molasses mix) are still sold in burlap bags. A gardening shop may also have some.

I haven't made a suit yet, but I'd like to try. My current project (besides my atlatl) is a decent-looking suit of paintball armor. Sewing it by hand takes a looooooong time.

K'Jev

have a look through past topics I remember quite an extensive ghillie suit thread  from last year or the year before.

cool, thanks

yeah im using jute twine at the moment as well. i have been busy recently and havent found the time to find fabric dyes. Im making a whole body suit though. I might as well go all in 

point taken