A Selkie Tail - Me Too!

[Mermaid Galene]

A few other folks on MN have taken on the challenge of making a selkie (seal to human shapeshifter) tail, and now I am, too! I've always loved the selkie legend, and this tail will be part of a rather dramatic creative project. I am currently writing a song called "The Selkie Shore," which will be followed by a children's book. I plan to both write and illustrate the book. To provide inspiration and take photos from which I can develop the illustrations, Stu and I are planning a trip to the Orkney Islands of Scotland in the summer of 2016. The Orkneys are steeped in the selkie legend, and the grand, moody scenery there will provide the perfect backdrop for my story. We will also shoot a music video there for our song, and do a mermaid photoshoot in my selkie tail.

I will probably begin making the tail later this year, toward the end of the summer. But this week I found a wonderful, spandex velvet fabric that really has a seal look:

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I bought the fabric from califabrics.com (http://www.califabrics.com/taupe-charcoal-and-silver-stretch-burnout-velvet/). (The correct color is depicted in their swatch photo.)

We'll present the book and song at our local library storytime. All in all, an exciting project!

[MermaidCelesteFL]

It looks perfect!!

[Mermaid Wesley]

one of these days ill make one too<3

[Mermaid Alea]

I am sure that fabric will make a wonderful selkie tail!

[Seatan]

Has anyone read the first book of Laurell K Hamilton's Merry Gentry series, A Kiss of Shadows? Whenever I hear "Selkie" I think of Rhys....

[Echidna]

Yep, I read that book and several others of the series. Because faeries.

The fabric looks lovely!
Why is no one considering making a full body selkie costume though? :thinks:
I think that would be totally cool, I mean, you'd pretty much be a Selkie for real!

[Elodea the Mermaid]

That fabric is dreamy!

[OceanWhisper]

Echidna- maybe she could do a full tail like Pearlie's? How it has a halterneck style thing? :)

[Mermaid Galene]

I'm planning to wear a sheer, long-sleeved gray top with this tail, and either a seashell bra over that or a bra made of the same selkie fabric. I think of the costume as being partway through the transformation from seal to woman. I might have extra fabric at the waist of the tail, so it looks like a partially shed sealskin.

When we go to Scotland, I'm considering doing a selkie photoshoot very close to some real seals. It would be fascinating to see how they react!

[OceanWhisper]

I'd love to see the photos :D

[Mermaid Galene]

I'll post pics as the project progresses!

[SiaTheMermaid]

Be careful when going near seals though, they may look cute but they are really dangerous too. Your project sounds freaking awesome! Just make sure no-one steals your selkie skin or you'll be stuck on land [emoji14]

[Echidna]

I have this theory selkies were divers who used prepared sealskins as diving suits.
Of course super secret procedure, to keep competition low.

I read that seal- or otterskin is actually superior to hyper modern diving suits in both insulation and hydrodynamics. I guess it's good that that is not too well-known though, or the seal population might have an even harder time.

[Mermaid Enora]

Can't wait to see how this turns out!
I've always wanted to be a selkie too.

[Mermaid Galene]

Oh, yes, Sia, I always keep a respectful distance from wildlife. (I actually have a Masters degree in wildlife management with an animal behavior specialty.) Thanks for reminding everyone that wild animals need their personal space! The recommended safe viewing distance for marine mammals is 150 feet (about 45 meters). I have read, though, that curious seals sometimes approach a calm and unthreatening human observer. I plan to softly sing my song to them and just see what happens!

[Mermaid Galene]

Taking a closer look at my selkie fabric, I see that it is very thin and somewhat transparent. I think that's okay for this project. It actually makes sense for my legs to show through the "sealskin," since I'm portraying a transforming selkie. But I don't think it will hold up to much swimming. That being the case, I can do without fins and just make seal flippers to hide my feet, which will make life easier!

[Mermaid Galene]

I recently read a theory that the selkie legend might have been inspired in northern regions by native hunters wearing sealskin coats with hoods in kayaks. If seen from a distance taking off the coat, they probably looked like a seal shedding its skin and becoming human.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

That fabric is perfect!

[Meronica]

I have vague plans to make a selkie skin, too. I haven't found a way to make it swimmable, as seals are little twisty-wiggly creatures in the water with tiny "foot" flippers.

Once I do make it, I may use traditional swim fins and trim them down a bit, just to give the flippers structure.

...I kind of also want to just take a big sheet of a similar fabric and get naked on a secluded beach for a "selkie" photoshoot. *winkwink*


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[Mermaid Wesley]

Aaaaaay. I actually want to make a selkie costume and volunteer for my local marine mammal center.


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[malinghi]

Cool project! Can't wait to see more as it progresses.

And Wes, technically you already have a selkie skin.

[Mermaid Galene]

I just watched a lovely little Irish film, Ondine, about a Selkie: http://www.amazon.com/Ondine-Colin-Farrell/dp/B003WKNDGI/ref=sr_1_20

I didn't even know it was Selkie-themed when I started watching!

[Mermaid Julianne]

I just watched a lovely little Irish film, Ondine, about a Selkie: http://www.amazon.com/Ondine-Colin-Farrell/dp/B003WKNDGI/ref=sr_1_20

I didn't even know it was Selkie-themed when I started watching!

I love that movie! Its on Netflix is anyone is looking to watch it. And I love your fabric Galene, I can't wait to see the end result :)

[Mermaid Clarity]

UGH I can't wait to see what you do. I've wanted to make a Selkie tail for a while but haven't even found the right fabric, so you've gotten further than me.

[CheshireKat]

My friend wants a selkie tail once I'm done making my fabric tail, I've been scouting for fabrics; the fabric you found is gorgeous!

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[Lotus the Mermaid]

Just sneaking in because I'm a fan of selkies, and I thought I'd share this trailer for the upcoming movie about a selkie! <3


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgbXWt8kM5Q

[Fifi Tigg]

Such a beautiful movie! Our whole family loved it :D xx

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I watched the whole movie on youtube recently. Its sad at the end.

[SelkieLuna]

Any updates?