DIY BDSM Straitjacket - Learn How to Make Your Own

I was looking online to buy a straitjacket (also sometimes spelled straight jacket) for some of my own BDSM play.

If you have money, it’s easy to buy something nice, sturdy, or authentic – all the way to the leather ones that can run upwards of $600 (or more). The thing is, I’ve always existed on a limited budget with my kink devices – and I know there are others like me out there.

This is why I was fairly disappointed with my options.

I could get something flimsy that was meant for Halloween or something equally flimsy that was made strictly for appearances or lighter bondage – but that was it … and it was still a bit pricy for me.

So, for those of you in the same boat, here’s some information and ideas I’ve assembled.

FIRST THINGS TO KNOW…

The good news first…

If you’re not looking for anything “pretty”, it’s really easy and affordable to make one.

The bad news…

If you want something that will actually restrain your partner, you’ll need a basic understanding of sewing and sewing machines – or someone that knows and is willing to do the work for cheap or free (and won’t judge lol).

Fabric belts in similar material and color work well for straps

NOTE: Keep in mind there’s fabric tape. All you need to do is put it between two pieces of fabric and iron it down (turns into a glue substance) – but that will NOT resist any significant pulling or stress. So anything you see with seams can be affixed this way if you want.

DIY STRAITJACKETS

FIRST, decide on the material.

It can be anything – leather, cotton, neoprene, wool, cotton canvas, latex etc.

Each will come with their own pros and cons. Leather is sturdy AF but harder to clean from bodily fluids, harder to sew, and more expensive. Cotton will be cheap but easier to tear (if it’s thin). Latex is hard to work with and easily tears as well. Mesh is pretty but not as functional and harder to sew.

Personally, I would go with a thicker cotton or cotton canvas (which you can buy from fabric stores or even art stores if you see a sale). It’s a great balance of strength, price, ease to sew, and breathability (I don’t like fabrics that make people overheat).

SECOND, decide on the style and details.

Do you want arms crossed in front or the back?
Would you rather the arms be fixed to the side of the body?
Do you want a crotch strap or not?
Two crotch straps?
Buckle or loop body straps?
Do you want it loose fitting or like a bodysuit?
Do you want a high collar or a low one?
Do you want it functional or pretty?
Do you want extra loops to attach leashes or ropes?
Do you want it to extend into a body bag?
How is the back section tied? (straps, a zipper, corset-like etc)

Traditional jackets have a low collar (avoiding the neck for safety), arms crossed at the front (through a strap), one crotch strap, and four straps along the back to adjust the fit.

Here is an image from an RX-targeted jacket…

But, since it’s your party, you can design whatever you want, make any alternations you want.

BASIC JACKET FROM A SHIRT

If you want to avoid a lot of fuss…

Buy two of the same long-sleeve shirt
Cut off the collar and cuffs
Cut off the sleeves of the second shirt
Sew the extra sleeve length to the main shirt
Sew off the ends of the sleeves
Sew on some belt straps

If you really want to be lazy (which is okay), you can make the arms long enough to just tie in a knot instead of having straps. Also, if there are buttons or zippers, just turn it around and do it up from the back.

The pros are that it’s less work and better for beginners or people who don’t want a lot of sewing. The cons, it doesn’t look as nice and (depending on the shirt you buy) won’t be as strong against a squirming body (especially if the sew job isn’t that great).

JACKET FROM SCRATCH

There’s not much in the way of straitjacket patterns out there. But all you really need is a pattern for a long sleeve shirt. Here’s a simple one…

If you’ve never worked with patterns before…

Draw (with pencil on the side that will be hidden) the shapes onto the material in the size you’ll need, making sure you leave around a ½ to 1 inch extra to sew your seam along.
Cut out the pieces and pin them together
Do a test fit and make adjustments (careful of pins!)
Sew the pieces together
Sew your straps into place

“pull” straps are ok – single hook belts are stronger – double hooks are the strongest

(depending on what kind of play you’re looking for)

The pros are that it will produce a much better final product and can have any alterations or additions you want. The cons, you need at least a basic understanding of sewing.

SIDE NOTE: I have yet to find an actual straight jacket pattern that isn’t protected by “don’t share this” disclaimers – but a long sleeve shirt is the same principal.

SEWING MACHINE TIPS

I’m going to assume you’re using cotton canvas…

Use cotton, polyester or cotton wrapped polyester thread (heavy duty)
Use lighter foot pressure (the foot is the thing that holds the fabric in place)
Experiment with stitch lengths (3 to 3.5 is common for heavier fabrics)
Bobbin tension will depend on your material and machine
Stitch slowly and backstitch even slower
Do a secondary line close to the first line (to reinforce your seam)
If you’re not confident, test on scraps of the same material