fabric tail modifications

[SelkieCyrus]

for those who both purchase and make your own fabric tails, do please post and talk about the modifications you have made, from fringe to paint to sequence and beyond.

i had problems finding references for this. i have a few fabric mermaid tails i own myself, which i would like to look into enhancing, like extending the fluke, adding fins, and so forth.

[Merman Storm]

For my Fin Funs: I sew in a 2 inch elastic waistband to help keep it in place. Sometimes I sew in snaps at the end to help close the tail.

[Gail]

for those who both purchase and make your own fabric tails, do please post and talk about the modifications you have made, from fringe to paint to sequence and beyond.

i had problems finding references for this. i have a few fabric mermaid tails i own myself, which i would like to look into enhancing, like extending the fluke, adding fins, and so forth.

I coated my orca fabric tail with dragon skin silicone so that it would last longer, with the bonus that it looks more realistic unless you look very close at the unevenly coated parts.

[Merman Storm]

I coated my orca fabric tail with dragon skin silicone so that it would last longer, with the bonus that it looks more realistic unless you look very close at the unevenly coated parts.

Can you supply more details, please? I just got two FinFun Orca tails, cut them up and sewed them together to make a tail that fits my Lunocet monofin. I'm interested in making the result better. Which Dragon skin? 10 medium? How much silicone did it take to cover the entire tail? Did you brush, or spray?

[Gail]

Can you supply more details, please? I just got two FinFun Orca tails, cut them up and sewed them together to make a tail that fits my Lunocet monofin. I'm interested in making the result better. Which Dragon skin? 10 medium? How much silicone did it take to cover the entire tail? Did you brush, or spray?

I am 130 pounds and used about 2/3 of the sample size Dragon Skin 10. I mixed in a few drops of the Douglas and Sturgess silicone viscosity reducer so it would be thinner. I wrapped my legs in saran wrap and put on the tail and kept turning it so that the side I was working on was on my lap. I basically poured the silicone on and used my stir stick to spread it. (so when I did the side seams, the side seam was in front). The medium is supposed to take 4 hours to cure but with body heat it was more like 1 1/2, still a punishing experience to sit there the whole time. I am not sure if you can view this but there is a time lapse on my instagram. ://www.instagram.com/p/Bu1uajWH6c3/ (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu1uajWH6c3/)

[Gail]

It looked a little milky in some places because it's not perfectly clear, so I used a tiny, tiny bit of glitter on the black side. The laminator sheets I am sitting on are just to keep any possible floor dust off the silicone while it cures.

[Kwilena]

That was a very impressive sequence, Gail. Thank you for sharing it, and I admire your patience! Great result too!

[Gail]

Wow, thank you Kwilena!

[Kwilena]

My pleasure, Gail!

[Kwilena]

Speaking of modifications, Nyola spotted some plastic press studs and a device for installing them at Spotlight. Some basic colour choices (but no black - try a waterproof marker over the navy) so he was able to easily close up the bottom of several of our open form skins that way.

https://www.spotlightstores.com/sewing-fabrics/trims/sequins-beads-studs/birch-plastic-fastener-tool/BP80341142 for the tool
https://www.spotlightstores.com/sewing-fabrics/haberdashery/fasteners/birch-plastic-fasteners-12-pack/BP80341134-blue

[TybeeMermaid]

I lined my Finfolk fabric tail with another layer of neoprene and then fully embroidered every fin vein and scale to give it a realistic texture! It took me 2 months to do but was totally worth it! You can see pictures of it on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tybee_mermaid/