Fabric tail

[alliekity]

I have close to no sewing experience. I decided my first big project is going to be my mermaid tail.

I ordered a monofin from fin fun, I got a 2 way stretch fabric from Joanns. I know I can do this, my smaller prototype went horribly but i am ripping the seams and doing it again and i will until i get it right. I wanted to ask all of you lovely merpeople if you have any tips for me and my sewing. I know to use a ball point needle. I am working hard and believe in myself :)

[Ciriun]

Hi Alliekity! I just finished my first tail and have limited sewing experience myself. So here are my tips: Do not cut anything until you absolutely have to or are 100% certain you have it right; you can pretty much never use too many pins when pinning anything; read up on tailmaking threads and watch tutorial videos, lots of them; if you get stuck or things aren't going right, do not hesitate to ask this very community because there are tons of helpful mers who want to see us all be happy with our tails.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

2 way stretch might not stretch as much. 4 way stretch is better, its what everyone uses. You want the fabric to move with you, with bending and flexing. 2 way stretch restricts movement and may tear the fabric. And use zigzag stitch to sew. If you don't know which one or what it looks like, its a whole set of Vs lined together. VVVVVVVVV Hem the edges on the fluke, the part where you stuff in your monofin. Hemmed edges looks nicer and more professional looking.

[Ciriun]

Is there when I admit to not having hemmed my fluke edges? :$ I was told it would require acquiring an iron to do, so I sort of gave up on that step.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

Tutorial on making a tail: http://users.telenet.be/the-mermaid/tutoral/meermin/meermine.htm ;)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Is there when I admit to not having hemmed my fluke edges? :$ I was told it would require acquiring an iron to do, so I sort of gave up on that step.

Iron?!?! You put an iron to spandex and wave goodbye to your tail... Whoever told you that, doesn't know what spandex is.

[Ciriun]

Iron?!?! You put an iron to spandex and wave goodbye to your tail... Whoever told you that, doesn't know what spandex is.

:lol: My mother, and that is exactly what I tried to tell her. She was adamant that ironing was the only way to get a good crease on the curvy parts of the fluke shape, and that said crease was necessary to hem it properly.

[alliekity]

Wait why is it bad to iron spandex? I thought it helped?

[Mermaid Wesley]

It'll melt I think


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[Mermaid Jaffa]

:lol: My mother, and that is exactly what I tried to tell her. She was adamant that ironing was the only way to get a good crease on the curvy parts of the fluke shape, and that said crease was necessary to hem it properly.
:lol: Haha! Must be olden days notions. Back then you HAD to iron your fabric to sew the hems. I remember watching my Grandma, with her old foot pedal powered Singer sewing machine making stuff for us.

[Yulia]

Spandex is plastic so the plastic will melt if you iron it too hot.
Maybe if you wrap the fabric in a damp towel and use the lower setting it will be alright if you have to iron it.

[Princess Pearl]

:lol: My mother, and that is exactly what I tried to tell her. She was adamant that ironing was the only way to get a good crease on the curvy parts of the fluke shape, and that said crease was necessary to hem it properly.

For spandex and other knit fabrics, you need to use a double needle. It creates two parallel lines of stitching on the "good" side of your project, and a zig zag on the "wrong" side. This holds your hem flat without busting out the iron at all.

[PearlieMae]

Spandex is plastic so the plastic will melt if you iron it too hot.
Maybe if you wrap the fabric in a damp towel and use the lower setting it will be alright if you have to iron it.

Actually, you could use liquid starch to stiffen the fabric...fold it while it's wet and pin it into place. Let it dry and sew it that way. If you don't have a machine that uses a double needle, you can use a wide zigzag stitch that will stretch with the knit. Use ballpoint needles for knits like spandex so the needle doesn't split the threads and break the elastic of the fabric.

[alliekity]

I was ironing it O.o I had a steam iron and i would make it wet and go over it fast and it stays mostly straight and able to pin ive done it 3 times. >~<

[Ciriun]

For spandex and other knit fabrics, you need to use a double needle. It creates two parallel lines of stitching on the "good" side of your project, and a zig zag on the "wrong" side. This holds your hem flat without busting out the iron at all.

Is that something for sewing machines? It looks like it would be impossible to hand sew with.

[Princess Pearl]

Is that something for sewing machines? It looks like it would be impossible to hand sew with.
Yup, for sewing machines only. Sorry for the confusion.

[Dancing Fish]

Is there when I admit to not having hemmed my fluke edges? :$ I was told it would require acquiring an iron to do, so I sort of gave up on that step.

I don't hem the fluke edges either. Knits are cool in that they don't unravel. Also, I'm lazy. ;)

[Mermaid Wesley]

I don't hem the fluke edges either. Knits are cool in that they don't unravel. Also, I'm lazy. ;)

Hella.


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