Sequin Neoprene Tail!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Hey guys!!! I'm embarking on my first tail journey! I plan to make a neoprene tail that's fully sequined with a Mahina Merfin in the fluke! I just received my monofin a couple days ago and went swimming with it this morning, so here's a few videos so you can see how the fin looks:
https://vimeo.com/155253977
https://vimeo.com/155254045
https://vimeo.com/155254101
https://vimeo.com/155254167
https://vimeo.com/155254244

If the videos aren't showing up, you can look up "Mahina Merfin" and you will find plenty of swimming videos! My quick review is that this monofin is AWESOME. I looked at basically every other monofin out there and I think this was absolutely the best option for me. I was swimming in a shallow pool so it was a little difficult to maneuver at first, but still flow-y enough to work in a small swimming area. It's also large enough and provides plenty of propulsion to swim in open waters. The design looks incredibly beautiful underwater. The only thing with this monofin is that if you're not wearing neoprene socks, your feet might get a little sore after swimming for a long time. I bought the size (large) bigger than my measurements to leave room for the neoprene socks; but even when I swam without the socks, it took a long time for my feet to get sore and the monofin didn't come off at all when I didn't want to (even though it was very large on my feet without the socks). It also wasn't impossible to get on and off, though I had more trouble when I tried to put it on dry. Your best option is to do it while in the water. I swam for hours and it was very comfortable the whole entire time. I love that the heal straps aren't adjustable so I don't have to worry about breaking or them coming loose while in my tail. This monofin is a little pricey, but definitely cheaper than a competitor. It was $118 new on Amazon including shipping and tax. If you decide to buy this, please buy it one size bigger than you need and factor money to buy neoprene socks into your budget. I don't want you to hurt your feet! The socks I got were about $24. I'm washing the fin and socks right now with some gentle laundry detergent and baking soda in my bathtub [emoji5] I'll keep you guys updated when I get my other materials and start making my tail!!! Please be patient, I have to wait to buy each thing until I have money to do so, so it'll be a couple weeks until I can order the neoprene. Thank you and I hope this is helpful!!!

Edit: I heard from others that it's hard to swim in the ocean with this monofin, so be wary when swimming in places other than a pool!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160213/829bd6ffc3586ca7d7b84fa1d3f32716.jpg

Bath time!

[Mermaid Tami]

Looking forward to the updates! I'm also getting ready to start my first neoprene tail!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Nelly]

Looking forward to the updates! I'm also getting ready to start my first neoprene tail!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's awesome!!! Are you going to make a thread showing your progress? [emoji5]

[Mermaid Enora]

Can't wait to see it!

[Mermaid Tami]

I hadn't really thought about that but maybe I should!

[Mermaid Nelly]

I hadn't really thought about that but maybe I should!

You should!!! It's a great way to track your progress, get advice from others, and maybe help someone wth their tail along the way [emoji5]

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks Enora!!!

[Rett]

Cant wait to see your tail progress! I will be tracking this thread ;)

[Mermaid Nelly]

So last night I got a chance to try out some waterproof makeup, and I'll post some brief reviews of the products here! All of the makeup was under $10 and I got it all from Target (mermaiding on a budget). I used NYX Gotcha Waterproof concealer which was a little pricey ($9 for a little bottle) but it stayed on really well and worked great on my blemishes. I have freckles so I don't usually wear full foundation and concealer in trouble spots does the job fabulously for me. I used Covergirl trublend minerals for powder and it was not waterproof, but I think it set my concealer and blush and evened out my complexion before I got in the water. For lips, I used Revlon Just Bitten lip stain in a purplish-red color (called Crave); it stayed on the entire 3 hour swim and held color very nicely. I used Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush and even though it isn't advertised as waterproof, the color held perfectly and I didn't have any issues with awkward smearing (this blush is more of a cream than a powder). For eyeliner, I tried Revlon Colorstay felt tip and it was terrible for underwater. I couldn't find a waterproof eyeliner so I went with something that had reviews suggesting it for water resistance. Without any rubbing of my eyes, the eyeliner just melted off. For my lids, I used NYX Proof It waterproof eyeshadow primer and L'oreal 24 hr infallible eyeshadow. The eyeshadow was pricey ($8 per tub) but stayed on through the whole swim! Toward the end, I accidentally rubbed my eyes and I got sparkles in them... Let me tell you, sparkles and chlorine are not the best combination. So be VERY careful to take care of your eyes and not subject them to torture or recklessness. Last but not least, I used Maybelline Colossal Volum Express waterproof mascara. This stayed on well; it didn't flake, smear, or come off. But it did clump very unattractively. It wasn't noticeable underwater, but above water, it looked like I had 4 giant eyelash chunks on each eye. To get everything off, I used Almay eye makeup remover pads longwear and waterproof. Everything was off in one swipe (even the lip stain), it was by far the best makeup remover I've ever used.

I WOULD recommend: the eyeshadow, eyeshadow primer, concealer, lip stain, powder, makeup remover and the blush. I would NOT recommend: mascara, eyeliner.
Let me know if you have any questions for me or suggestions for a better waterproof mascara and eyeliner!!!

[Mermaid Tami]

So last night I got a chance to try out some waterproof makeup, and I'll post some brief reviews of the products here! All of the makeup was under $10 and I got it all from Target (mermaiding on a budget). I used NYX Gotcha Waterproof concealer which was a little pricey ($9 for a little bottle) but it stayed on really well and worked great on my blemishes. I have freckles so I don't usually wear full foundation and concealer in trouble spots does the job fabulously for me. I used Covergirl trublend minerals for powder and it was not waterproof, but I think it set my concealer and blush and evened out my complexion before I got in the water. For lips, I used Revlon Just Bitten lip stain in a purplish-red color (called Crave); it stayed on the entire 3 hour swim and held color very nicely. I used Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush and even though it isn't advertised as waterproof, the color held perfectly and I didn't have any issues with awkward smearing (this blush is more of a cream than a powder). For eyeliner, I tried Revlon Colorstay felt tip and it was terrible for underwater. I couldn't find a waterproof eyeliner so I went with something that had reviews suggesting it for water resistance. Without any rubbing of my eyes, the eyeliner just melted off. For my lids, I used NYX Proof It waterproof eyeshadow primer and L'oreal 24 hr infallible eyeshadow. The eyeshadow was pricey ($8 per tub) but stayed on through the whole swim! Toward the end, I accidentally rubbed my eyes and I got sparkles in them... Let me tell you, sparkles and chlorine are not the best combination. So be VERY careful to take care of your eyes and not subject them to torture or recklessness. Last but not least, I used Maybelline Colossal Volum Express waterproof mascara. This stayed on well; it didn't flake, smear, or come off. But it did clump very unattractively. It wasn't noticeable underwater, but above water, it looked like I had 4 giant eyelash chunks on each eye. To get everything off, I used Almay eye makeup remover pads longwear and waterproof. Everything was off in one swipe (even the lip stain), it was by far the best makeup remover I've ever used.

I WOULD recommend: the eyeshadow, eyeshadow primer, concealer, lip stain, powder, makeup remover and the blush. I would NOT recommend: mascara, eyeliner.
Let me know if you have any questions for me or suggestions for a better waterproof mascara and eyeliner!!!
MAC makeup is really good, I also have a Kat vondee waterproof eyeliner pen that is amazing!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Nelly]

Ooooo ok I'll look into that! Thank you Tami!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

https://vimeo.com/157081455

Here are some less-than-perfect bubble rings [emoji6] working on the mermaid tricks!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Neoprene arrived today!!!!! I'm going to Pittsburgh for a dance festival but I'm going to start sewing when I get back next week! So excited!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/3a0429b12a3a0fe3f5d1db5351a10989.jpg
Alright!!! I looked at tutorials on how to make a pattern for a mermaid tail and found something that looked legit. Basically take a bunch of measurements (as shown in the picture) and then divide those measurements by 4 so you get 1/4 of the circumference of your legs. I started trying to do my monofin and then gave up because it was significantly harder. Imma tackle that one a different day (probably will just trace it because it is more flat than my body).
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/69ea21599bbe126565b78dccfd54b3c8.jpg
The result should look something like this! So when laid with the straight edge against a fold in fabric and you cut that out (leaving sewing room- I left 1.5 centimeters for sewing room and then another 1.5 centimeters for a potential mistake I might have made. It's always easier to make the tail smaller than larger!), the pattern will make a perfectly symmetrical 1/2 of a tail.http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/616d6056bc4579d191ba62d35e19401b.jpg
Here's just a picture of my material folded in half and an outline of the pattern plus 3 centimeters for mistake-and-sewing room. The material I'm using is called muslin. It's very thin, very see through, frays easily... VERY CHEAP. I wanted something to work on before I jumped into the $90 neoprene that I have to use very sparingly because I barely have enough for the entire tail! The muslin is nice because sharpie shows through both sides (nice for marking adjustments while I had it on and still being able to see the marks on the inside when I turned it back inside out to sew).
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/fea7b78d3442ba1ba4185363834f2433.jpg
Here are my two halves!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/a860eea143ea43a530f7b0ddc5866446.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/a508ab5c711dfe3b6f3c2889f2eb8a48.jpg
I laid the two halves on top of each other and then pinned them in place. I drew a dotted line because this is the second time I've ever sewn (the first was in prep for this. I made a very crooked pillow for my boyfriend) and I needed something to follow.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/df04fa7e8997accbd2956437a588a87e.jpg
This was the first time I put it on, the hip and butt area were way to big and the upper calves needed a little adjustment, but it honestly wasn't too bad! The pattern I used worked really well! I would suggest it.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/02bb73ebba44202f7160b688acf4be56.jpg
You can see some sharpie marks of the adjustments that were needed. Basically I pinched the areas that were too big and my mom ran a sharpie where the end of my finger was. I had to go through the adjustment process 3 times. It really wasn't bad at all and the material is so thin I didn't have to fight with it!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160317/62549b43cb3865dbdefe676122e6c601.jpg
Here is the perfectly fitting final product!! My parents were asleep by the time I got it done. So I wasn't able to get a picture of me in it, but it looks much nicer than the other one in this post! My plan with the neoprene is to cut the muslin fabric in half down the back and lay it out in one piece on my sheet of neoprene. That way I will only have one seam in the back of the tail and attaching the zipper will be easy! Doing the muslin skeleton for my monofin next!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

OH MY GOSH GUYS!!! I finally heard back from my school on if I received my requested student grant money to help make my neoprene tail (it's a school project)!!!! I'm receiving $150 in reimbursement which is just so amazing and I'm extremely grateful because that will cover the cost of sequins!!!!!!! If the grant wasn't approved, I would've made a painted tail. Those are beautiful of course, but a sequin one is my dream! I'm going to order the sequins VERY soon!!!

[Rett]

Just throwing in that it is exponentially easier to just lay down on some large paper and have someone trace you and then add a centimeter or two all around for a seam allowance. Once you sew up the two sides of the tail you can slip it on inside out and mark with chalk or pins any areas that are loose till it fits you like a second skin. Should be much easier to make than the measurement method.

And congrats on the grant! I hope to attend an arts school one day and the school I'm looking at offers an advanced costuming class (and, best of all, most every student gets a grant to encourage larger more unique costumes that may be too expensive to produce on the students own funds). Sounds amazing that you are getting to use the grant money for your tail! :D

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks!!! I saw both ways on how to make the tail, I agree that tracing out is much easier! I was originally going to go straight to the neoprene and that's why I did the measurements, because I wanted to take into account my circumference, not just my width. And if I were going straight to the neoprene, I wanted it to be precise because it is very expensive and I don't have any extra material to make mistakes! But you're right, that would've been easier for the muslin fabric I was using! [emoji5]

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160318/986ec1965b479962e66835237e2e15f8.jpg

Just ordered my sequins!! That is my last huge expense. I'm hoping I got the right amount, I don't want to have to order more and pay shipping again, but I also didn't want to have way too many!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Today my plan is to get my ribbed shelf liner painted gold and my monofin pattern completed for the muslin fabric!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160318/a869ba3753f4cdd0c2db7a8bd595d9c6.jpg
Here's the gold spray paint I'm using. I picked it up at Home Depot and it's been working great so far. Very easy to use and the color is awesome! It's outdoor paint so it should last in the water
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160318/bf4b86326dc9ec3aaaa80980d6d9ee76.jpg
Here's the unpainted shelf liner! Again, just picked it up at Home Depot, super easy.
I'll update when it's all dry tomorrow!!! And I'll post my adventures with the rest of the muslin fabric later today!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160319/c7aeaf5dc195d3438e13ef557192bd85.jpg
Alright my process for this part was to just trace the monofin... I don't know if I was tired or delusional or what when I did this (I stayed home sick today), but there were a million and a half lines that I somehow managed to sort through. I ended up not leaving quite enough space to fit Velcro so I'm going to need to compensate for that when I cut my neoprene.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160319/80128e82374ecc31b2364b0f4fe16ef4.jpg
Oh here's my handsome boyfriend helping me get my fin on with the muslin around my legs (once the rough-draft tail was completely on, he carried me around... It was cute *sigh*)
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160319/6595a9bf5f5ec3525659babb39147459.jpg
Here's the muslin pattern of my entire bodaaaayyyy. Finally done! I'm kinda lost on my next steps cuz I don't quite have the courage to cut the neoprene yet and my sequins are still in the mail...

[Mermaid Nelly]

So good news is that my sequins arrived today... Unfortunately all other updates on my tail aren't as positive. For everyone reading this thread looking for a tutorial, do NOT do what I did in this particular step. It was a terrible idea that didn't work at all and has only left me frustrated and upset. I'm only posting about it for the sake of my process.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/95dba649cbf3ac23908a920b269d5ba0.jpg
I started out trying to get my pattern in one piece so I would only have one seam. Didn't work for more reasons than one. You can see how it's bunched. My dad brought up some other concerns (after I had cut it). After that I tried to do it in two pieces and I didn't have enough neoprene. I tried a different tactic to trying to make it one piece which involved cutting up the pattern some more. Turns out by the end of that I didn't have neoprene for that way either.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/ea3021ba1e1986f35acec0d2ffb0cb87.jpg
Well after hours and hours of working and at least 2 emotional breakdowns, I finally got the tail traced into 4 different parts. I ended up having to piece my muslin pattern back together to get the shape of my body and monofin. I'm sorry if the lines are hard to see in the picture, I used white chalk.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/5da3a886363c3a33ca31aeb26e8c8a23.jpg
The final product is uneven pieces of neoprene that don't fit together and are going to be torture to sew!!! Number one lesson I learned: BUY MORE NEOPRENE THAN YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED. Everything else that went wrong was a result of BARELY having enough neoprene and trying to find ways to squeeze it in.

[Mermaid Wesley]

dont worry! you made the best of a lame situation!

[Saelyyia]

The situation might be lowsy but you did a great job with the lemons that life threw at you. Even if it is wonky it will be an amazing and special tail because it was your very first.

[Rett]

Your progress looks great! Keep it up!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you guys so much for all of your support. It was really discouraging to have such a setback but all your encouragement helped a ton. I'm going to sew the neoprene together tonight and hopefully have my first tail swim tomorrow. Wish me luck!

[Mermaid Nelly]

I had another discouraging end to a work day.... It makes the rest of the progress less exciting. I'm going to try to keep it positive, but before I dive into progress posting, I wanna show you something that makes me happy to see and think about!
36233
This is a ceramic mermaid that my boyfriend and his family painted for me! I was really really touched when I found out that they went to a place called the Mermaid Factory while on a family vacation to paint me one. So I decided to make my first mermaid tail purple and gold because this one is ❤️

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/c047a8ee3237990fae5c7a993c6e6e37.jpg
I sewed my body cutouts and my fin cutouts together and then this was me prepping the two full halves to be sewn together.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/3e3df401ec2216fbac8e3cf6bce713b4.jpg
Here's a tricky spot in sewing the two halves together.... I was sewing over 8 cm of neoprene because of the seam allowances left over from when I sewed the fin and the body together.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/d570c0a68fbfb0b9dec26942793a8e77.jpg
Here's me pretending like I know what I'm doing on a sewing machine [emoji5]
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/9bec9525ec17674f03e10e66ba558fbe.jpg
Here's the very first time trying it on!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/bd1fc83cf44c2401d2e437c6675d65d5.jpg
Here's the fitting tail after making adjustments and getting rid of extra fabric on the inside of the tail along the seams!
Now is when the discouraging comes into play.... I need to finish the tail by tomorrow (minus sequins) and so I decided to attach the zipper and adjust the waist.... But then it was way harder than I expected and now I have this ugly spot on my tail
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/5d46813315eca7c272f6e06feaf06c05.jpg
I'm really hoping that the sequins will help cover a lot of that up... I'm exhausted and I made a ton of bad choices because I was frustrated and tired. I have no idea if the tail will even fit anymore. Trying to see the positives: the sequins will be beautiful and help cover all the little mistakes.... The tail fit great before the zipper, I get to go swimming in it tomorrow!!!

[Mermaid Tami]

I've been concerned about the loss of stretch from the sewing the entire thing in sequins. Are you covering the entire tail? Let me know if this becomes an issue!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Enora]

The sequins cover a multitude of errors :)




I've been concerned about the loss of stretch from the sewing the entire thing in sequins. Are you covering the entire tail? Let me know if this becomes an issue!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

when the sequins are sewn vertically they don't affect the stretch of the neoprene as they would of they were sewn horizontally.

[Mermaid Nelly]

I've been concerned about the loss of stretch from the sewing the entire thing in sequins. Are you covering the entire tail? Let me know if this becomes an issue!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

I plan to sew them vertically! Also, the neoprene is a lot stretchier than it looks in the picture! [emoji5] I'll let you know what's going on when I start sewing sequins, still gotta problem solve with that one.... I think I'm going to hand sew!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you Enora for the comment!!! I'm really glad to hear that the sequins will help cover stuff up!

[Mermaid Nelly]

36235
Did the waist band this morning and here it is!!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/bd4e7768434b49d1aaaf44a6a894de85.jpg
I'm a little worried about extra material on the back of the waist band when I move... I'll swim in it today and see if it's an issue and what I can do to fix it!! I found some places where the stitching was coming undone, so I'm going through with the sewing machine and reinforcing all of that!!! I'm also going to sew a few of the sequins on today to see how different stitches hold up when moving around!!!

[Mermaid Russet]

This looks so great! I can't believe you were able to use a sewing machine for your neoprene, that must've been so much easier than hand sewing!

[Mermaid Nelly]

36238
Ok! To the bottom of the tail, I attached Velcro and ribbed shelf liner. I wanted to do it on both sides of the tail, but I ended up not doing that because in the process of one side, I broke three sewing needles [emoji15]
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/2c8a4eb2860852d66c4c3b2b3ab92977.jpg
Well eventually I got the shelf liner on one side, then the other side was a breeze just sewing the Velcro!
I shredded the shelf liner and here is my little mini success photoshoot!!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/db021ff14aa8b78cdf9bef8c4f452534.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/cd825227138b5303ac84f0c8b3304828.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160326/9655e9de978f687a65087dd861d07dba.jpg

[Mermaid Clara]

Looking fintastic!

[Mermaid Nelly]

This looks so great! I can't believe you were able to use a sewing machine for your neoprene, that must've been so much easier than hand sewing!

Oh my gosh. There were a few parts where I had to hand sew and it was TORTURE. I got 2mm thick neoprene from Seattlefabrics and I had no problems at all!!! The only thing that caused trouble was sewing the ribbed shelf liner on!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Looking fintastic!

Thank you so much!!!

[Mermaid Enora]

Looks amazing so far!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Looks amazing so far!!!!

Thanks!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160327/bed269bb9736b8ad4eeed8c810e79cbe.jpg
Here's just a sassy little picture of me with my monofin [emoji5]
https://vimeo.com/160493802
First roll-in!!!! Oh quick before I forget and post the other fun pictures and videos: I need to take the knees in about 1/2 an inch on each side and then adjust the waist a TON. 2 inches on each side and it's about 4 inches too tall... Lots of adjusting to do!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160327/23136047238def95ad4ebc3ed71aa5e3.jpg
Struggling to get the tail on [emoji23]
https://vimeo.com/160493911http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160327/d414db70578e290e28c826fad9838be5.jpg
This last picture was when I took everything off and became human again [emoji23]

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160327/e0e52f7b54b9573fc2dedc1139f7527c.jpg
Thennnn once all the beauty is said and done, there is washing and drying of neoprene to tackle!

[suzanne86]

I have the same "tomato" pin cushion. You are an inspiration!

[Mermaid Nelly]

I have the same "tomato" pin cushion. You are an inspiration!

Thank you so much!!! Too kind [emoji5] it's a good pin cushion!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Update!!! I think I'm going to use E6000 glue instead of sewing the sequins on.... The reasoning is that hand sewing was very frustrating and painful with the centimeters that I had to do on the tail so far... And I don't want it to shrink by machine sewing the sequins. Also, I think it would be an unnecessary challenge to try to orient my tail in my old little sewing machine. I dunno! Just figured I'd update [emoji6]

[Saelyyia]

It is coming along swimmingly Nelly. I can't wait to see it as you get the sequins on!

[Mermaid Nelly]

It is coming along swimmingly Nelly. I can't wait to see it as you get the sequins on!

Thanks!!! I'm excited! I'm going to start testing patches of extra neoprene tomorrow!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/8463ba6447fdf22686ce0b98404aa7c8.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/a474821f44f82b16a1500c2ebbd2ac4e.jpg
Alrighty! Here we go!! These are my little tester sequin spots! For the gold, basically I have a design planned out and the white will be speckled in. Then for the purple (the second picture has purple sequins even though they don't look purple!), it's going to cover the majority of the tail with white speckled in more frequently!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/a543c60790cb5217c8768c5f8682edb9.jpg
The glue is working well so far, I'm taking safety precautions with the e6000. MAKE SURE IF YOU USE THIS GLUE THAT YOU RESEARCH SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. IT IS TOXIC. The first row was a little tricky because the sequins had no place to really sit, yah feel? I get about 45 minutes of class time Tuesday through Friday to work, the rest I need to do at home!

[LouLouBelle]

Those sequins look really pretty laid out in a scale pattern. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Nelly]

Those sequins look really pretty laid out in a scale pattern. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/d53dd899bd311be469c376d5494c66d2.jpg
Here is my definite design for the front! I'm really excited and hope it works out!!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/fc6bdd6504d979ed6b24b08fa4b29884.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/a378285feb28337e76e1880863d3d55f.jpg
Here are a couple designs I've drawn out for the back.... The one with speckles is supposed to be an ombré of gold sequins (which might look awkward because it's a completely different type of design than the front)... I'm not attached to either of them and don't think they compliment the front very well. I sorta want the back to be a simpler version of the front. I like the idea of a similar design on the fluke for the back, I'm just not sure how to fit it all together... I'll try and design something new and post it if I like it! Let me know if you have any feedback or ideas for ways to make the front and back look more cohesive!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/0e056a196ea86f52c7073c37d40a7d17.jpg
I'm thinking maybe something like this for the back...

[LouLouBelle]

Maybe you could make the back of the fluke the same as the front, and keep the rest of the back purple?

Or you could continue the gold ombré speckles around and fade it into the purple around the sides.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Nelly]

I played around with keeping the fluke the same... It just looks a little awkward with the shape in the center that doesn't continue all the way up. And the two curves on the side look strange without the center... I like the fade ombré idea! Hang on!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160331/d6462cbfde88b78fd78b05cd3aa21ba5.jpg
Something like that? How does that look?

[LouLouBelle]

I love the look of that [emoji4] Purple and gold do look beautiful together!




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[Mermaid Nelly]

I love the look of that [emoji4] Purple and gold do look beautiful together!




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Thanks! I think so too!! I can't believe how well it's turning out so far!!! I'll probably post a progress pic tomorrow!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160402/5ff8b0bb30d12cb266ad0caf8bf425e1.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160402/70795dbae804c2f555bfba9744aca6a6.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160402/77838334a775f0848abee95069f5571d.jpg
(Brag moment: I have the sweetest guy in history. He helps me so much with the tail. He's just the most supportive and loving about my passions and interests! Couldn't be more grateful for him and everything he does for me!)
So today was my third day at school working on it and I wasn't happy with the amount of progress, so I took it home to work before I leave for Texas tomorrow morning! My sweet boyfriend came over and helped. I'm taking a bra and some gold and white sequins to work on a mermaid top while I'm in Texas visiting my mom. I would say all of this progress took around 3 hours total. I used nearly my entire 2 fluid ounce tube of e6000. I'm super happy with how it's turning out!!!

[LouLouBelle]

That's looking gorgeous already. Looking forward to seeing it progress. [emoji4]


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[Mermaid Nelly]

That's looking gorgeous already. Looking forward to seeing it progress. [emoji4]


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Thank you!!!!

[Mermaid Marius]

When does the tail have to be finished for class?

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[Mermaid Nelly]

When does the tail have to be finished for class?

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Late May. The presentations are the first week of June. 2 months!!!!

[Mermaid Marius]

Late May. The presentations are the first week of June. 2 months!!!!
HOLY DEADLINE, BATMAN. Sending you warm vibrations and fish kisses. I know you'll make your end date. What's the presentation consist of?

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[Mermaid Nelly]

HOLY DEADLINE, BATMAN. Sending you warm vibrations and fish kisses. I know you'll make your end date. What's the presentation consist of?

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Thanks! Yeah, the deadlines are coming up like a semi truck! The presentation is basically walking my class through my process and giving them background information and such. I'll probably present in my mermaid tail, show a photoshoot, and then allow question/feel-my-tail time. My friend's project is doing a portfolio of prosthetic makeup. She really wants part of her portfolio to be mermaid makeup all along my body (silicon scales, fake gills, extended ears, things like that). So I'll probably include some of the photos from that shoot in my presentation, as well as just normal sparkles-and-mascara photos from a different shoot I'm doing with my other friend who is a fabulous photographer.

[Mermaid Marius]

That sounds amazing. I'd love the opprtunity to educate my colleagues on mermaids in a classroom setting. I think so many people think of it as just this ditzy thing we do but a lot of hard work and art goes into it.
Plus you get to make a tail.
I'm jealous in the best way💖

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[Mermaid Nelly]

That sounds amazing. I'd love the opprtunity to educate my colleagues on mermaids in a classroom setting. I think so many people think of it as just this ditzy thing we do but a lot of hard work and art goes into it.
Plus you get to make a tail.
I'm jealous in the best way[emoji178]

Sent from my SM-S920L using Tapatalk

The tail is definitely turning out to be way more of everything than I expected.... Way more stress, way more frustration, way more failure, way more successes, way more work, way more beauty, and way more emotional attachment!! I'm just already so in love with it and it's not even 1/4 done!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160404/3e542c9afc942ce0efa463a397d0d7f5.jpg
Time to sequin the top!!! It's just going to be full sequins. I've stumbled across some pretty beads that look like pearls, so I might throw those in dangling across the bottom. It's bright pink so I need to make sure I cover every little piece. The top is a sports bra from target, it doesn't show any cleavage. I actually wish I could've found something else that shows a little bit more just because I like that type of mermaid look, but I'm running on a tight budget and it's hard for me to find tops that fit. Only two of my current bikini tops fit, but those wouldn't work with sequins and I don't have enough bras to justify sequining one other than this one, so this was my only option. Low key worried about the hot pink but I'm only using the white and gold solid sequins, not the purple iridescent ones, so hopefully the pink won't cause issues!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160404/9b604b3abe3a3113b9cb53c4c7af9d97.jpg
The straps are pretty tricky so I can only due bit by bit and wait for each section to dry as much as possible so it doesn't slip around while doing the next section.

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160406/11b69420e20284527eb9889bc19d2eb0.jpg

Well I was hoping to get the entire back done before I posted progress, but man... Sitting hunched over toxic glue doing the same thing over and over again really gets boring [emoji23] so I'm taking a break and thought I'd post an update because the first side of the back took forever so it might be a while until I get the other side done. I put a bed sheet in it because it was too hard trying to maneuver the bra without something in it [emoji5]

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160406/9a808b672f4d75371d4ee326d7aaeda9.jpg
Here's the rest of the back!!! I had time to finish it today! I think the gold is really pretty, but I'm not a huge fan of the way it looks as a whole... Im sure it will look better completed and on my body! Soon I will have my VERY FIRST mermaid top (that hopefully is comfortable, fitting, and pretty *nervous chuckles*) that matches my very first tail-in-the-making! So excited!!!

[Shyren Shey]

Good luck finishing everything on time! I like the pattern you've got going on your top so far. Does the fabric stretching case any issue for the E6000 glue?

[Mermaid Nelly]

Good luck finishing everything on time! I like the pattern you've got going on your top so far. Does the fabric stretching case any issue for the E6000 glue?

Not so far!! We'll find out if there are any issues when I try it on though!

[LouLouBelle]

That top looks great so far. I'm looking forward to the next update [emoji4]


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[The Water Phoenix]

The top is beautiful so far! :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you both!!!

[The Water Phoenix]

Thank you both!!!
You're welcome! Good luck!

[Mermaid Alea]

Good luck finishing everything on time! I like the pattern you've got going on your top so far. Does the fabric stretching case any issue for the E6000 glue?

E6000 is generally a very flexible glue. Normally when I am working on a project that needs to be a bit flexible I use the E6000 because it will flex without popping off. ;)

[mermaidopal]

This is gorgeous, I can't wait to see how it comes together! Also I'd love to hear your experience with the E6000 and if you prefer that over machine stitching the sequins on and how much glue you use, since I was thinking of making a neoprene/sequin tail for myself sometime.

[Mermaid Nelly]

This is gorgeous, I can't wait to see how it comes together! Also I'd love to hear your experience with the E6000 and if you prefer that over machine stitching the sequins on and how much glue you use, since I was thinking of making a neoprene/sequin tail for myself sometime.

That's awesome!! They are just amazingly beautiful tails. If you just search "sequin tail" a bunch of threads will pop up. I found 2 of them particularly helpful. Enora's is a really good example of someone who hand stitched everything. She used 12mm sequins from Cartwright's. The other one I referenced a lot was from a user named "LockandKey". She used the 22mm sequins from Cartwright's that I'm using. She stitched the sequins with a sewing machine. Both of those tails are just phenomenal and took soooo much work, so I looked a lot at those when deciding if I wanted to paint the fluke, sequin the fluke, how to attach sequins, what monofin to get, etc. My process of measuring, cutting, and sewing was a compilation of a bunch of different articles, YouTube videos, and threads. I couldn't credit just one person for that aspect of the tail making. As far as glue goes, it's been working really well so far! I've had a lot of trouble with the top and the angles that it has, but the tail is pretty straight and I haven't had any issues at all. I fully used a 2.0 fluid ounce tube of the glue on what you see as the last update of my tail. And I've used about 1/2 of a 3.0 fluid ounce tube on what I've done so far with the top. My mom ordered 3 more tubes of the glue and I know I'm going to need more, but it should tide me over for a while. The price depends on where you get it. I got the smaller tube at Joanne's for $6 and the bigger tube at Walmart for $4... One was advertised for crafts and the other for home repairs. I wouldn't necessarily SUGGEST using the glue... But I wouldn't suggest hand sewing or machine sewing either. They're all really good and really terrible ideas at the same time. I would say hand stitch if you are VERY patient, don't have a deadline, and have enough sewing experience where you already know different stitches you can use. I found hand stitching pretty painful, and I didn't know how to use needle lubricant or have any finger protection... So I ruled out hand stitching the sequins pretty much as soon as I had to hand stitch some parts of the neoprene. Use a sewing machine to attach them if you have one that is big enough and roomy enough where you can bunch up the tail on the inside part of the machine to sew the middle sequins on... Not sure if that makes sense, it's hard to visualize. Also, you'll break some of your sequins if you use a sewing machine and the tail will shrink significantly because you're sewing horizontally. I would say use glue if you don't fit the criteria for hand stitching, don't have a machine that you could bunch thick neoprene in, and have read all of the E6000 safety information to make sure you know that you need gloves and some sort of mask. The glue is a perfect medium for me, but it might not be for you. It really just depends what your needs and wants for a tail are. This answer was really long winded, I hope it helps and let me know if you have anymore questions!!!!

[Vela]

Wow Great top! How is the glue working? I have had some issues with it. Hope it is working well. :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

Wow Great top! How is the glue working? I have had some issues with it. Hope it is working well. :)

It's been working great! The only issues I've had is the bendy parts of the bra, and the issue is just getting the fabric to stay still. But it's been fine after some effort. What issue have you had?

[Vela]

It's been working great! The only issues I've had is the bendy parts of the bra, and the issue is just getting the fabric to stay still. But it's been fine after some effort. What issue have you had?
I have had things fall off. I am pretty sure it did not cure right. I am glad that it has worked for you better :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

I have had things fall off. I am pretty sure it did not cure right. I am glad that it has worked for you better :)

Hm, I'm sorry to hear that happened! I plan on swimming in my tail in a couple of weeks with the sequins around 1/2 done... I'll see then if anything falls off!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Update: I'm ALMOST done with the top!!! I have like a row and a half more to do!!! But I ran out of glue [emoji17] so off I go to get some more!!! I would really like to get it done in 1 hour because tomorrow morning I get on a plane and I would like the glue to be all set and dry!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160408/d45b8408c8b6c59259730410d36779e3.jpg

It took a little longer than I hoped, BUT ITS FINISHED!!! I wasn't sure if I liked the look of the shells on the back, but I LOVE them on the front!! I'm so excited to try it on in a couple hours!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160408/c7b9e4dfdd2812af98fff92e62c404ea.jpg
The only other thing I need to do is cut off these little loops so they don't dig into my skin!

[Shyren Shey]

Very cute!

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[Mermaid Nelly]

Very cute!

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Thanks!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160408/56dac39665169f1f610506d8a9033fa1.jpg

Tried it on! The front looks really good! I love the design!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160408/b1a318f8f8a5175e1b9d8673da12efcb.jpg
Buuuut...... Unfortunately we had some fitting issues... Surprisingly, only one sequin popped off!! The rest settled right back into place as soon as I took it off. I think my game plan is to cut the straps and make it a halter top... Then cut out the entire back and attach some type of fabric in its place to hold it together. Not sure yet, but I'm going to try to make the most out of this slight failure [emoji23] I honestly feel so blessed that the front stayed together as well as it did!!! It means that this top is salvageable!!!!

[Mermaid Russet]

It is so cute!! The sequining is gorgeous!! that's honestly one of the prettiest tops i've seen, I love the gold!

[Mermaid Nelly]

It is so cute!! The sequining is gorgeous!! that's honestly one of the prettiest tops i've seen, I love the gold!

Thank you!!! That means a lot! Feel free to post if you have any suggestions on how to fix up the back!

[LouLouBelle]

That top looks amazing from the front. Very pretty and sparkly!


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[Mermaid Nelly]

That top looks amazing from the front. Very pretty and sparkly!


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Thanks!

[Luna Dreamtide]

That's so pretty! I like a more modest top like that too. Helps hold you in a bit more :P

[Mermaid Nelly]

That's so pretty! I like a more modest top like that too. Helps hold you in a bit more :P

Hehe yeah! Thank you!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160410/af16f8e27c9fcec2752e0dc9ce5246d5.jpg

Oh here's another picture that I took and really like because the flash was on so it hits the sequins in a different way and I think it looks real pretty [emoji5]

[Mermaid Arabella]

Thank you!!! That means a lot! Feel free to post if you have any suggestions on how to fix up the back!

You might be able to keep the back as-is if you make sure to stretch it while filling the gaps.

Just read through this whole thread, LOVE the tail and top! Great job, can't wait to see the final result!

[Mermaid Tami]

This has been a great thread! I've been working on my tail about an hour a day a seem to be making so little progress!!! I need more time! Deadline is June 26th! Can't wait for your next update!


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[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160420/0c181fec335ee8f5400024de7bf0f54e.jpg

PROGRESS [emoji445][emoji444]

[Mermaid Nelly]

This has been a great thread! I've been working on my tail about an hour a day a seem to be making so little progress!!! I need more time! Deadline is June 26th! Can't wait for your next update!


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Thank you!!!! Your tail is coming along swimmingly!!! It's beautiful!! That's something I've struggled with too, just the feeling that no progress is being made and it's going nowhere even though I've spent so many hours on it. Just remember that even though it FEELS like it's not going anywhere, all the hard work is going to stack up and it's going to be AWESOME! You're going to ROCK that deadline, good luck!!!


You might be able to keep the back as-is if you make sure to stretch it while filling the gaps.

Just read through this whole thread, LOVE the tail and top! Great job, can't wait to see the final result!

That's a good idea for the top, honestly what I should've done in the first place [emoji23] my biggest issue now is that it has no stretch as is and it's very uncomfortable, as well stiff. But that's a great suggestion and when I'm fixing it up, I'll be sure to glue the sequins with the fabric stretched!
I really appreciate taking the time to read my thread! I'm really hoping it'll be helpful and entertaining! And thanks! This tail is my baby [emoji7]

[SeaMansa]

Wow, this looks amazing!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Wow, this looks amazing!

Thank you so much!!!!

[MerMaiden Lissa]

What kind of sewing machine did you use when sewing the neoprene?

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[Mermaid Nelly]

What kind of sewing machine did you use when sewing the neoprene?

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I'm actually gluing them with E6000!

[MerMaiden Lissa]

I'm actually gluing them with E6000!
I meant when you sewed the tail together. Sorry

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[Kait]

Coming together beautifully hun, keep the updates coming!

[Mermaid Lily_Pad]

With the sequins turned up like that, I hope the water getting under the lip and pull them off when your swimming forward. It's really pretty.

[Mermaid Clara]

What kind of sewing machine did you use when sewing the neoprene?

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I don't think you need a special machine, I just used a regular one. Be sure to use a sewing machine needle that is meant for sewing leather or denim, otherwise sewing through the neoprene could break the needle and possibly injure you.

[MerMaiden Lissa]

I guess I don't have to worry then. I have good needles and sew denim and upholstery fabric fairly often, so my machine shouldn't have any problem. Thanks

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[Mermaid Nelly]

I meant when you sewed the tail together. Sorry

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Oh! Sorry! I used a normal machine! I used needles that say they're meant for "heavy knits"... The purple kind at Joanne's. I had some issues with upholstery thread, so I just used an all purpose thread.

[Mermaid Nelly]

Coming together beautifully hun, keep the updates coming!

Thanks! I will!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160422/dac585e396c7a0f0c5f46dd9d7a324f0.jpg

Finished one side of the fluke!!!!! Going swimming Saturday for the first time with sequins! I guess I'll find out then if there's any major disasters with the glue!

[Kait]

Woohoo, good luck with the swim :dance:

[MerMaiden Lissa]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160422/dac585e396c7a0f0c5f46dd9d7a324f0.jpg

Finished one side of the fluke!!!!! Going swimming Saturday for the first time with sequins! I guess I'll find out then if there's any major disasters with the glue!
I really like how you have lighter sequins here and there. So pretty

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[LouLouBelle]

That looks gorgeous. [emoji4]


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[Mermaid Enora]

Looking great!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks everyone!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160424/b0c721a77aa57761478ed448c5f88196.jpg
I went swimming yesterday, and I am pleased to say that none of the sequins came loose or fell off!!! Woohoo! I didn't get the top fixed in time, so I wasn't able to try that out along with the tail..https://vimeo.com/163996832
Here's a video of how the sequins look moving underwater [emoji5]
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160424/f3f875d812b9305b4f7995a7e7ca3818.jpg
Oh! This is my best friend! Her grandparents are the owners of the pool I swim in. Every time i go swimming, she helps me get the tail on and off and makes sure I don't drown! So sometimes she'll put on my tail and swim around a bit at the end of our swimming session!

[Kait]

So shimmery in the water [emoji7][emoji7]


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[Mermaid Clara]

Beautiful! Love the shine and shimmer. Can't wait to see your tail finished!


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[Merman Arion]

Great work! Keep going! You're doing great! :clap: :clap: :clap:


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[Mermaid Arabella]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you all!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160429/d0a7658097b97dd735cdf8aae093aff7.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160429/b1b6b1b7948d74dfd58e3c1ebb7e87ef.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160429/fbc9d1f562207987d03c14140aa43066.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160429/b7da0f380b332c9051ee2d37e7690ef7.jpg
Here are some pictures from the beginning of my work day today, so I'm actually a little further than this, but I forgot to take a picture at the end!!! I'm doing the back of the fluke before I start on the main body of the tail. The seams and front-back connecting places are a lot harder than I expected them to be, but definitely doable. And sequins are so forgiving. I mess up basically every other sequin and you can (hopefully) barely even tell!!!

[The Water Phoenix]

Looks gorgeous! [emoji1303]


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160501/104f3f78412df17dc1279cb39fdcdb27.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160501/0164aef526343156fab8dabd9d840cd5.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160501/75bcf662f9bb045a842315ffdc619d7f.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160501/a5fb7bc5f7ac6502fe661738e6efc7e2.jpg
Alright well here is to my last valiant effort of making the top work. I tried everything (I'm not going to post all of it here, but believe me, I've tried every route to make this top work) and unfortunately it is becoming more of a problem than it's worth. I'm a little bummed that I wasted all the time, money, and energy that I spent making it originally... But I decided that instead of pulling my hair out about it, I'm just going to buy a gold top online. I've definitely learned a lot and know what NOT to do if I try to make a top again!

[Mermaid Summerlilly]

Bummer. The top was honestly beautiful, a shame that it wasn't manageable. At least you know the do's and don't's of making tops like that now! :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you! And yes I do!

[Sapphire Mermaid]

Holy sparkle, it looks great! I LOVE the shell sequins as scales! Following this for sure!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/88b8a5edd5462dda6d20b14b26d642a0.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/a29513952e87b3ccd7f5073f24424241.jpg
Today I made a filler mold of my legs to put into the tail for sequining! My lovely friend Jessica wrapped me up in packing tape with a pair of old leggings on!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/bec9ab3966ee13e263d647150e55b6ac.jpg
Turns out I couldn't get anywhere, so shout out to my friend Matthew who picked me up and carried me to the bathroom where Jessica cut me out of the wrap! I proceeded to tape it back together and stuff it with newspaper from my school's visual art room!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/5bb20b4c8cf75ac6b024c876d471d963.jpg
Annnnndddd here's the final thing!

[Mermaid Russet]

Brilliant! I sooo need one of these!!

[Mermaid Alea]

You can also wrap around your legs using one to two layers of plastic wrap first to keep the tape from sticking to you or your clothes an then put the tape down over that. I like wearing shorts when I wrap my legs because it can get hot pretty fast being encased in all of that tape!

[LouLouBelle]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/88b8a5edd5462dda6d20b14b26d642a0.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/a29513952e87b3ccd7f5073f24424241.jpg
Today I made a filler mold of my legs to put into the tail for sequining! My lovely friend Jessica wrapped me up in packing tape with a pair of old leggings on!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/bec9ab3966ee13e263d647150e55b6ac.jpg
Turns out I couldn't get anywhere, so shout out to my friend Matthew who picked me up and carried me to the bathroom where Jessica cut me out of the wrap! I proceeded to tape it back together and stuff it with newspaper from my school's visual art room!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160506/5bb20b4c8cf75ac6b024c876d471d963.jpg
Annnnndddd here's the final thing!

That photo of you en-route to the bathroom... [emoji23]

That's a shame about the top, but if you just accept it as a learning experience, nothing's been wasted. [emoji4]

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160521/8bd282fac7e659726c2a408955074c03.jpg

Alright! So here's the finished back of the fluke annnnddd my design for the rest of the back (although you can't tell what the design is because of the mess of lines). I originally wanted the back to just be the purple, but I bought 5 bags of both purple and gold and I'm down to 2 of each... So I decided that I needed to add more gold to the design to make it as even between the two colors as possible. I worked for 3 hours straight tonight and I made a lot of progress! I basically have a week to bust out the rest of the tail... Wish me luck and here I go!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160521/0742c67fb01b147f273b969048377ab3.jpg
Ok! Finished the back side of the tail!!! Will be working on the front probably starting on Monday!

[Mermaid Mia]

That looks AMAZING


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you!!!

[LouLouBelle]

Wow that looks incredible!


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[The Water Phoenix]

Looks gorgeous!


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you guys so much!!! I'm a bit of a perfectionist so it bugs me that it's not completely even, but my friend always says "mermaids are organic creatures! If the tail was perfectly planned and symmetrical, it would look fake!" So that's what I'm going on now!!!

[Mermaid Russet]

That's so amazing!!!! It's gorgeous!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

That's so amazing!!!! It's gorgeous!!!!

Awe thank you so much!!!

[Lexicious]

Wow!! That's stunning! :swoon:

[Vela]

This is a beautiful tail!!! I have the same problem when it comes to the tail being perfect! But this tail is beautiful!!! I love the mix of colors!!! :)

[Mermaid Lieke]

I love it! It's super pretty!

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[Mermaid Clara]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160521/0742c67fb01b147f273b969048377ab3.jpg
Ok! Finished the back side of the tail!!! Will be working on the front probably starting on Monday!

Ahhhhh!!!! It looks so good! I can't wait to see it finished and see close ups and swimming videos!! I'm so excited for you to finish it!!!!

[Kait]

OMG!!! YAY! It turned out so great! You should be really proud :)

[Mermaid Arabella]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160524/b8947c69f10972789f7d25ffa1b5946e.jpg

Thank you everyone!!! Here's my progress for the night [emoji5]

[Mermaid Alea]

This is so very beautiful! :swoon:

You are doing a wonderful job!

[Mermaid Nelly]

This is so very beautiful! :swoon:

You are doing a wonderful job!

Awe! Thank you very much!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160524/35787a232271b496cb1704cbd831c8c3.jpg

More progress ft. My cat's butt. The excitement is building!!!!

[Mermaid Alea]

How many tubes of E6000 have you used so far?

[Mermaid Nelly]

Hmmm.... I used 1 tube of 2.5 oz.... 2 tubes of 3 oz, another tube of 2.5 oz, then 3 tubes of 3.7 ounces, and then I bought 4 tubes of 3.7 oz and I'm on my second tube of that... So I've used about 27.8 ounces so far but I'm probably gunna use a total of 36.9 oz

[Mermaid Mia]

This is very useful information. Thanks :3


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Glad I could help [emoji5]

[Mermaid Aria]

Do you wear a respirator or any protective equipment when using the e6000? Or just use it outside? I really want to make a sequin tail but am afraid of e6000 poisoning.

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[Mermaid Nelly]

Do you wear a respirator or any protective equipment when using the e6000? Or just use it outside? I really want to make a sequin tail but am afraid of e6000 poisoning.

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Alright... Time to get real... I did not use a respirator... I didn't have the money to spend on it and I know my health is more important, but I figured I would go as long as I could without it and see if it became an issue, which it never did. I ALWAYS used gloves and whenever I could, which was about half the time, I covered my mouth and nose with a doctor mask cover thing... Up until recently (since its been too heavy and more surface area of the tail has been drying at once), I moved my tail outside my room when sleeping. While working at school, I was in one of the biggest rooms of the school that has good airflow. I've worked on it outside a couple times... My biggest concern has been working in my room with it. I turn on my ceiling fan as well as a window fan and open my windows as wide as they go. That helps a lot, but people walking into my room still notice a smell. The e6000 hasn't ever really bugged me very noticeably... SOMETIMES I have a slight headache or feel nauseous if I have been working with it a lot in addition to special circumstances (not enough sleep, really late at night, tired from the day, dehydrated, hungry, etc). Since I don't plan to regularly work with e6000, I'm not going to develop any issues and I'm just powering through and getting the sequining done. Honestly the amount of time it takes to glue a tail isn't substantial enough to do significant damage in my opinion. I know this was a super long reply but I was really worried when I was thinking about e6000 too! Just remember that it's a mainstream product that a TON of people use and the horror stories are rarer than the success ones. Take as many precautions as you can, but I would say the absolute necessities are gloves and ventilation as long as it's not LONG TERM daily usage of the glue. Don't let it scare you, it's not like you'll drop dead spontaneously, symptoms will develop gradually (if they happen at all) and you can figure stuff out if you start to notice something. I really hope this helps and sorry for the lengthy read!!! Happy mermaiding!

[Mermaid Arabella]

Alright... Time to get real... I did not use a respirator... I didn't have the money to spend on it and I know my health is more important, but I figured I would go as long as I could without it and see if it became an issue, which it never did. I ALWAYS used gloves and whenever I could, which was about half the time, I covered my mouth and nose with a doctor mask cover thing... Up until recently (since its been too heavy and more surface area of the tail has been drying at once), I moved my tail outside my room when sleeping. While working at school, I was in one of the biggest rooms of the school that has good airflow. I've worked on it outside a couple times... My biggest concern has been working in my room with it. I turn on my ceiling fan as well as a window fan and open my windows as wide as they go. That helps a lot, but people walking into my room still notice a smell. The e6000 hasn't ever really bugged me very noticeably... SOMETIMES I have a slight headache or feel nauseous if I have been working with it a lot in addition to special circumstances (not enough sleep, really late at night, tired from the day, dehydrated, hungry, etc). Since I don't plan to regularly work with e6000, I'm not going to develop any issues and I'm just powering through and getting the sequining done. Honestly the amount of time it takes to glue a tail isn't substantial enough to do significant damage in my opinion. I know this was a super long reply but I was really worried when I was thinking about e6000 too! Just remember that it's a mainstream product that a TON of people use and the horror stories are rarer than the success ones. Take as many precautions as you can, but I would say the absolute necessities are gloves and ventilation as long as it's not LONG TERM daily usage of the glue. Don't let it scare you, it's not like you'll drop dead spontaneously, symptoms will develop gradually (if they happen at all) and you can figure stuff out if you start to notice something. I really hope this helps and sorry for the lengthy read!!! Happy mermaiding!

I haven't started using it yet, but that's more-or-less what I did. I bought a sanding mask and some gloves, and I already have safety glasses that I'm going to wear too b/c I have pretty sensitive eyes. Just gotta be smart about it!

[mermaidopal]

I love seeing the progress, and can't wait to see finished pics and videos! I'm curious, did your tail take all of the sequins you bought or did you have extra?

[LouLouBelle]

Looking fantastic so far! Your first swim in this should be amazing - I'm really hoping for a video!


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[Mermaid Nelly]

I love seeing the progress, and can't wait to see finished pics and videos! I'm curious, did your tail take all of the sequins you bought or did you have extra?

I'm actually nearly done with the last bag of every color I bought!!! I probably have about 30 purple, 100 gold, and 100-200 white left.... I cut it really close, I had to adjust my design to have less purple toward the end, but I'm really proud of myself for estimating so close!! The tail has around 5,000 sequins (probably a little more), then the first bra I made has around 150 and the bra I'm making now... Maybe like 75?

[Mermaid Nelly]

Looking fantastic so far! Your first swim in this should be amazing - I'm really hoping for a video!


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I actually have a photoshoot tomorrow, which is why there was a rush to finish the tail!!! I'm really excited and my friend's project is designing makeup and prosthetics so she's adding gills, scales, and fins to my body in silicone!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160526/869dd166b93e946686b094a23bc4ee54.jpg
I FINISHED!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160526/c8acf46066bc168461194e095be095ef.jpg
Here's the top of the tail. I didn't remove the loops because I wasn't sure how I was going to end it... But I decided to not worry about covering all the purple and just make it so the sequins won't poke my skin. I'm going to add fish netting to the bra and the top of the tail as a belt! I was running out of purple sequins, so I had to make this design more gold-based as well as the design on the back, but I really love how it turned out!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160526/be31670830a96e1533d636e67e471cfb.jpg
And here's the start of the bra!!! I think I'm going to drape beads in between the two pads and do fish netting at the bottom... OR I'll switch that and do fish netting to cover the cleavage and beads dangling from the bottom... Not sure yet!

[Lilyrose Fish]

You have done an amazing job. Your tail looks fantastic. I love your color blends and placement. Watching your progress has been inspirational. I can't wait to see the results of your photoshoot.

[Mermaid Arabella]

STUNNING!!! :swoon: I can't wait to see your official pictures!

[Mermaid Mia]

This is all seriously beautiful. Can't wait to see the results from the shoot!!


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[LouLouBelle]

Absolutely stunning. [emoji4]
I can't wait to see the photos either!


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[Luna Dreamtide]

Yay!! Well done. I love the iridescent white scales among the gold it's so pretty. And while I'm not usually a fan of sequinned flukes you really did a great job. It looks really pretty. :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thank you everyone!!!! It means a lot all the support I'm getting from this thread!!
I apologize for all the boob-age, but here's just a picture of the top on me! I don't have time or money to get fish netting and attach it before the shoot tomorrow so it's just going to be the tail and bra by itself!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160527/781844a0190f00a7587d8d1de2e1142c.jpg

[Luna Dreamtide]

Boobs are fine when covered in sparkly mermaid scales! That looks great as is.

[Mermaid Lieke]

The bra is super pretty. Can't wait to see the pictures.

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[Vela]

wow beautiful tail!! Colors are awesome!! :)

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks guys!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Alright! Last night was SO much fun!!! A couple notes: the prosthetics that my friend wanted to put on me took WAY longer than I anticipated... So by the time we were finished, it was already dark. We had a great place for pictures, but we could only get one angle and it's still kinda grainy (even with 4 people shining flash lights on me) because iPhones are bad at picking up light. We didn't have a nice camera so my little 6s with a lifeproof case did all the work. The pool room has lights, so we were able to get SOME in there. The underwater stuff looks good, but just letting you know the photoshoot was sort of a bust!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/73f48789159ba8aac3a07414d752ba64.jpg
Here's my favorite out of the 5 photos that we managed to get!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/eb64f8b363f1783cb56ff79b181fd946.jpg
This shows off the ear and scale prosthetics that Sophie made!!
https://vimeo.com/168471436
Matthew setting me in the pool (shout out to him, he carried me around everywhere, as well helping with prosthetics)
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/ed39f6d81222323016e79c4e26ffafa2.jpg
https://vimeo.com/168471744
Mermaid vs Matthew (Matthew won...)
https://vimeo.com/168471932
https://vimeo.com/168472016
https://vimeo.com/168472273
Now onto the less fun things! My tail held up really really well, I know there's a few spots that I already needed to adjust because of the way the glue dried, but I only have 2 messed up sequins from the shoot! I was standing on jagged rocks and everything, it got quite beat up and doesn't show it at all!http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/59608d060b2ea1ffeb1ea57961fb99f3.jpg
You can see this sequin broke off... But the glue stayed completely in tact with the part of the sequin that was glued, it's stronger than the sequin itself!!!
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/65003936c5ecf5614a2689a76079f072.jpg
For this one, the coating on the white just came off, no big deal really!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Side note: I know I'm not supposed to stand in my tail, but there were a few times I had to, especially on the rocks (and I'm REALLY heavy with the tail on, Matthew can only do so much). My ankles started to have really bad pain and everything hurt, but as soon as I got in the water, it was like an instant bite of chocolate for my entire body [emoji7] tails are DEFINITELY made for swimming

[Mermaid Mia]

Im glad your tail held up so well. It looks BEAUTIFUL in the water.


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Im glad your tail held up so well. It looks BEAUTIFUL in the water.


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Thank you!!! I'm glad too!!!

[moniee]

Oh my! Your tail turned out gorgeous -I'm so happy for you! You're so inspiring :)

[LouLouBelle]

Wow! Your tail looks amazing!! And I love the twirls in the water! ❤️


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[Mermaid Nelly]

Oh my! Your tail turned out gorgeous -I'm so happy for you! You're so inspiring :)

Awe thank you so much!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Wow! Your tail looks amazing!! And I love the twirls in the water! ❤️


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Thanks!!! My friend taught me the twirls, she's a very talented competitive swimmer!

[Mermaid Arabella]

GORGEOUS!!!! :swoon:

[Mermaid Nelly]

Thanks!

[RNHime]

At long last we have someone reporting in detail on how a glued sequin tail holds up to use... I know sewn sequins are considered the gold standard of construction by most but I have been wondering if gluing is better for these 22mm's due to their size and stupidly crafted single-hole loops of uselessness.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, and please do continue to keep us posted! I'd be curious to see how repairs go. Where the sequin broke off but the glue is still holding, I'd love to see/hear how you replace that. Maybe you can grab onto the glue with pliers and pull it away from the neoprene?

[Mermaid Russet]

THIS IS GORGEOUS. *fangirling* this is so pretty!! And you look so pretty!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

THIS IS GORGEOUS. *fangirling* this is so pretty!! And you look so pretty!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!

Hehe thanks girl!!! You're the best [emoji23][emoji177]

[Mermaid Nelly]

At long last we have someone reporting in detail on how a glued sequin tail holds up to use... I know sewn sequins are considered the gold standard of construction by most but I have been wondering if gluing is better for these 22mm's due to their size and stupidly crafted single-hole loops of uselessness.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, and please do continue to keep us posted! I'd be curious to see how repairs go. Where the sequin broke off but the glue is still holding, I'd love to see/hear how you replace that. Maybe you can grab onto the glue with pliers and pull it away from the neoprene?

According to my lack of tail casualties thus far, I can honestly say that glue is a really really wise and sturdy option! I'll post pictures when I have time to do the repairs!

[Sapphire Mermaid]

WOW. Just, WOW. Your tail is amazing! I am feeling so very inspired now to start sequin-ing mine. I only just finished sewing it together a couple of days ago. Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It is fabulous! I am feeling all of the feels right now for your tail. :swoon::eyepop::highfive::hail::cheerleader:

[Mermaid Nelly]

WOW. Just, WOW. Your tail is amazing! I am feeling so very inspired now to start sequin-ing mine. I only just finished sewing it together a couple of days ago. Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It is fabulous! I am feeling all of the feels right now for your tail. :swoon::eyepop::highfive::hail::cheerleader:

Haha thank you so much!!! It means so much to hear that!!! Good luck with your tail, it's going to be beautiful!!!

[Sapphire Mermaid]

I am honestly in love with your tail! I mean, I can not get over how beautiful it is. I keep coming back to this thread all day and just staring at it haha

[Merman Arion]

Amazing job! Truly a work of dedication and passion. I admire that in you. You really deserve it.
I wish you great times with this tail! I'm very impressed! :clap:


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[Mermaid Nelly]

I am honestly in love with your tail! I mean, I can not get over how beautiful it is. I keep coming back to this thread all day and just staring at it haha

Awe! Thank you!!! That is just so kind [emoji5] I'm glad you like it!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Amazing job! Truly a work of dedication and passion. I admire that in you. You really deserve it.
I wish you great times with this tail! I'm very impressed! :clap:


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Thank you so much!!! It means a ton to me that you have taken time to check out my progress! You're definitely a huge inspiration to me, I love looking at your Instagram!!!

[MermaidKaelyn]

You have inspired me! I have been dying to make a sequin tail but the idea of hand stitching of 5,000 sequins terrified me. You're glue looks like it did the job! Also I plan to incorporate a zipper. I'm planning on not doing sequins on the fluke for the sole reason of being able to stand for a hot second to be moved around and adjust the tail. But I wish I could because yours looks SOOOOOO good! Any tips for maintenance and cleaning?

[Mermaid Nelly]

You have inspired me! I have been dying to make a sequin tail but the idea of hand stitching of 5,000 sequins terrified me. You're glue looks like it did the job! Also I plan to incorporate a zipper. I'm planning on not doing sequins on the fluke for the sole reason of being able to stand for a hot second to be moved around and adjust the tail. But I wish I could because yours looks SOOOOOO good! Any tips for maintenance and cleaning?

Thank you so much! I'm glad I could help and I can't wait to see your tail!!! I talk about cleaning earlier on in the thread I believe but I'll be more specific here. Maintenance wise, my tail is really sturdy and the only thing is re-gluing sequins which isn't an issue.
For cleaning, I start by rinsing everything off as soon as I can after I get out of the pool so that there's not mass amounts of chlorine when I clean. Then, I soak my neoprene socks, bra, monofin, and tail all in a cool or room temperature (NOT HOT: things will risk melting) bathtub filled with about 3/4 of a cup of laundry detergent and maybe 1/4 of a cup of baking soda (I don't measure, I just dump until it looks good, so those aren't exact). The baking soda neutralizes the acid in chlorine and the laundry detergent cleans the tail and makes it smell fresh. I just kinda swish it around, make sure the baking soda and detergent have worked through everything. To dry, I hang everything except the monofin on my shower rod and let the Velcro and zipper open up so the tail can breath. Once it's all dry, there's usually still a damp spot where the tail was hung over the rod, so I just lay it on the floor all opened up! That's pretty much it, hope that helps [emoji5]

[Sapphire Mermaid]

So I have a question. How many tubes of e6000 did you end up using all together? And what size were they? I have very recently decided (after starting to sequin my fluke) that I DO NOT want to hand sew all of them on to the body of the tail as well. I think I would go mental.

[Mermaid Nelly]

So I have a question. How many tubes of e6000 did you end up using all together? And what size were they? I have very recently decided (after starting to sequin my fluke) that I DO NOT want to hand sew all of them on to the body of the tail as well. I think I would go mental.

Please refer to page 8, I already answered that question [emoji5]

[RNHime]

According to my lack of tail casualties thus far, I can honestly say that glue is a really really wise and sturdy option! I'll post pictures when I have time to do the repairs!
Thank-you!! ♥

[Mermaid Tami]

At long last we have someone reporting in detail on how a glued sequin tail holds up to use... I know sewn sequins are considered the gold standard of construction by most but I have been wondering if gluing is better for these 22mm's due to their size and stupidly crafted single-hole loops of uselessness.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, and please do continue to keep us posted! I'd be curious to see how repairs go. Where the sequin broke off but the glue is still holding, I'd love to see/hear how you replace that. Maybe you can grab onto the glue with pliers and pull it away from the neoprene?

I'm using the same 22mm on mine. I didn't trust that little loop so I've been using my sewing needle and a candle to heat up the needle and poke a new hole a little down from the loop. It seems very secure!


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[RNHime]

I'm using the same 22mm on mine. I didn't trust that little loop so I've been using my sewing needle and a candle to heat up the needle and poke a new hole a little down from the loop. It seems very secure!


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I've heard that (in fact I saw it in your tail thread and you're doing excellent work!), and I believe another person found a tiny hole craft punch that could be used to successfully create holes on each side. Awesome solutions if you have time for it but with at least 5,000 sequins going into the average tail, that's at least 5-10k individually made holes going into sequins depending on your method. Plus making holes in your spare sequins for repairs/broken scale replacement.

I'm not discrediting either method. For anyone who wants to sew these, you definitely SHOULD come up with your own hole solution because of how wimpy the provided loops are. But I personally can't justify spending that much time "fixing" what should be a ready-to-go embellishment. I'd rather glue 'em IF I ever make a sequin tail.

[Mermaid Tami]

Your right! It takes forever! I spend my lunch break poking holes in sequins and my evenings sewing them down!! I have a deadline of 06/26/2016! I'm getting worried. Lol
I'm using the E6000 on the fluke since I can't actually sew it... It seems to be holding perfect!


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[Hydra1337]

First off, your tail is effing gorgeous. Second, i became so engrossed in this thread i just went through every page instead of going to bed. Thirdly, what kind of velcro did you use?

[Mermaid Nelly]

First off, your tail is effing gorgeous. Second, i became so engrossed in this thread i just went through every page instead of going to bed. Thirdly, what kind of velcro did you use?

Oh my goodness!!!! Thank you so much!!! I just picked up some sewable Velcro from Joanne's. Heavy duty! [emoji5]

[Hydra1337]

Oh my goodness!!!! Thank you so much!!! I just picked up some sewable Velcro from Joanne's. Heavy duty! [emoji5]

No problem, hun. :)
Does the velcro hold up well underwater?

[Mermaid Nelly]

No problem, hun. :)
Does the velcro hold up well underwater?

Yupp! No problems with the Velcro coming undone or the stitching of the Velcro to the tail coming out.

[Mermaid Caspiana]

Nelly... This is absolutely stunning. I feel like I should have used these sequins when I made mine. I used the smaller, thinner (I think), iridescent shell sequins. They had a thin shimmer/metallic backing on the plastic. I glued all of my sequins too, but it seems as though the E6000 worked wonders, but the glue Cartwright's used to attach the shiny backing to the plastic doesn't. As of right now (I finished my tail towards the end of August last summer), I'm trying to think of a way to repair the trouble spots, knees, waist, ankles, etc. without sewing. I tried btw... can't handle it. lol. My sequins are even smaller than yours. haha. Anyway, I was thinking of a thin layer of latex over my tail to kin dof seal them on. I know you didn't use latex, but as a fellow sequined mer, what do you think? :) I have picture of my tail on my page and threads if you need a reference. Also, can't wait to see more of this gorgeous tail!!! :)

[Hydra1337]

If this helps I read on the forum somewhere that using a couple layers of acrylic spray will keep the shiny backing from coming off. Apparently it works well but I'm not sure for how long. If I remembered the thread I'd link it.

[Mermaid Enora]

been away for a bit and checking up on threads now.
Your tail is stunning!!!!!!
keep up the good work and get some more photos and videos this summer!!!!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Hey guys! I know I've been absent for a while, but I just got home from camp and I made some repairs on my tail and am working on fixing up the top!http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160908/5ef18c1904ff9ba98c85cc3d424af77c.jpg
I added beads and that's it so far! I'm hoping to do some detail work with individual pearls and then also add some fishnets [emoji5]

[Mermaid Nelly]

Nelly... This is absolutely stunning. I feel like I should have used these sequins when I made mine. I used the smaller, thinner (I think), iridescent shell sequins. They had a thin shimmer/metallic backing on the plastic. I glued all of my sequins too, but it seems as though the E6000 worked wonders, but the glue Cartwright's used to attach the shiny backing to the plastic doesn't. As of right now (I finished my tail towards the end of August last summer), I'm trying to think of a way to repair the trouble spots, knees, waist, ankles, etc. without sewing. I tried btw... can't handle it. lol. My sequins are even smaller than yours. haha. Anyway, I was thinking of a thin layer of latex over my tail to kin dof seal them on. I know you didn't use latex, but as a fellow sequined mer, what do you think? :) I have picture of my tail on my page and threads if you need a reference. Also, can't wait to see more of this gorgeous tail!!! :)

Thanks!!! I really appreciate your support and encouragement! Your tail is really quite beautiful, I actually really like the small shells on your tail [emoji5] i'm really not an expert on tail making except for the materials that I used on my tail, but what I've heard is that latex and neoprene don't mix well. I could be recalling wrong but that's just what I remember hearing from other mers when I was researching materials. Best of luck to you!

[Mermaid Nelly]

Nelly... This is absolutely stunning. I feel like I should have used these sequins when I made mine. I used the smaller, thinner (I think), iridescent shell sequins. They had a thin shimmer/metallic backing on the plastic. I glued all of my sequins too, but it seems as though the E6000 worked wonders, but the glue Cartwright's used to attach the shiny backing to the plastic doesn't. As of right now (I finished my tail towards the end of August last summer), I'm trying to think of a way to repair the trouble spots, knees, waist, ankles, etc. without sewing. I tried btw... can't handle it. lol. My sequins are even smaller than yours. haha. Anyway, I was thinking of a thin layer of latex over my tail to kin dof seal them on. I know you didn't use latex, but as a fellow sequined mer, what do you think? :) I have picture of my tail on my page and threads if you need a reference. Also, can't wait to see more of this gorgeous tail!!! :)

Actually, it might be petroleum that doesn't mix well with neoprene. And oh man, I'm not the person to ask! Sorry I couldn't be helpful!

[Iamonlyme@me.com]

Hey guys! I know I've been absent for a while, but I just got home from camp and I made some repairs on my tail and am working on fixing up the top!http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160908/5ef18c1904ff9ba98c85cc3d424af77c.jpg
I added beads and that's it so far! I'm hoping to do some detail work with individual pearls and then also add some fishnets [emoji5]

So beautiful!!!


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[Mermaid Nelly]

So beautiful!!!


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Thanks!!!