Sewing the monofin?????

[Debbie-k]

Hi everyone!

I am thinking of making my own tail and am stumped on one part of the making... the monofin. I get the general idea of the pattern but how does the monofin get into the tail???? Is it removable? The how-to's I've seen are somewhat vague on this part of it.

I'd think the very bottom edge stays open so you can take out the monofin to clean or put into another tail. Of course I could be wrong. Don't want an obvious seam or anything to detract from the overall tail look.

Only thinking of a tail right now because I can't seem to find a place to swim that fits my schedule and open water in Canada right now is too darn cold.

Thanks for the help!
Debbie-k

[Mermaid Jewel]

Some people sew the monofin in, either by sewing closed the bottom after putting it in or, when turning the tail right side out, rolling it over the monofin so it's stuck inside. I know you can put the monofin in by rolling it up and getting it in past the ankles part, then letting it go and it'll open up inside. I put a zipper in the side of my fluke or you could put it at the bottom and hide it with fins or something.

What kind of tail are you making? (as in spandex, neoprene, etc.)

[Debbie-k]

Not quite sure what I will make it out of but my guess will be basic swimsuit material. Mainly because I don't have a lot of access to open water/pools and the tail won't get THAT much use. I hope my local pool will let me at least use the monofin alone, the town gets nervous with anything that was developed in the last 100 years (they still think the earth is flat :) ).

Good to know there are a lot of options to the fin. Thankfully, I know my way around a sewing machine so now that I have a couple ideas I can figure out a plan.

Now to find a monofin...

Thanks for the help!

[Mermaid Momo]

you can keep the bottom open or on of the sides that's big enough to take out the monofin and use some of these to keep it close until you want to take it out so it looks like a complete seam:
*snap buttons-you can buy these in rows so that they all snap shut in a straight seam like line
*velcro circles-(these are what hannah fraser uses to keep her extra fluke mats closed) you can put them spaced out in intervals to close them
*zipper-if you're making a fabric tail, i don't suggest using a zipper to close the monofin pocket because it'll be way to obvious

[Winged Mermaid]

You can do any of those things, but the best thing for a fabric (lycra/spandex) tail is to make it with the bottom closed and just take it in and out of the fluke like so:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWMEEOsfFyw