White sequin/latex/spandex tail

[Ilonka]

SO! I got my first tail down, loved the experience of mermaiding and its really helping me get attention as an artist and underwater model here in Puerto Rico.
I like my latex/neoprene tail, but its so heavy and clunky and it floats waaay too much for my liking.
Iv decided to make a new tail, but with NO neoprene cuz thats whats turned my tail into a floatation device.
I dont have the money right now, nor the studio space to make the silicone tail of my dreams (it will come though!)
So im gonna try something different and much more lightweight.

I thought of instead of using neoprene which 1. is expensive and 2. floats , im going with thick spandex.
EVERYONE is getting into sequins, and they do look amazing, so, monkey see monkey do, im gonna try it too! XD

Im going with a pearl white tail like my beautiful little friend here:

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Why white?

White animals have always facinated me, white reminds me of something mystic and magical, something rare, a creature of myth. White animals have always been portrayed as sacred and having special powers. I had a white cat that lived for 18 years and my hair is bleached white, im just kinda nuts like that.

So this is the effect i want to achieve with the sequins and spandex (maybe a bit of latex thrown in the fluke and fins)

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What online store for spandex do you guys reccomend and what is the thickest kind i can buy?

Thanks!

[Mermaid Saphira]

You could try WWW.SPANDEXWORLD.COM (http://www.SPANDEXWORLD.COM) :)

[Mermaid Jewel]

If you want to make it thicker, maybe double up? Because spandex in general tends to be pretty thin.

[LittleTreasure]

I have a somewhat unrelated question...using the spandex sounds like a good idea. How do you think the same material would take paint? Also, your design idea is so pretty! I had a dream once that I was swimming with a tail very similar...wanted a white one ever since. Good luck!

[Mermaid Saphira]

I have a somewhat unrelated question...using the spandex sounds like a good idea. How do you think the same material would take paint? Also, your design idea is so pretty! I had a dream once that I was swimming with a tail very similar...wanted a white one ever since. Good luck!

I believe LindseyLu painted a spandex tail before, I may be wrong but either way she is very talented with paint and I am sure she would be willing to help you out :)

[Ilonka]

Yeah iv seen painted spandex tails and have painted spanxed bodysuits myself. The paint stays on well, there are various.fabric paints and acrylics that are good. I used folk art acrylic paint on some bodysuits that were black and the paint showed nicely. I might coat a thin layer of latex on the lycra though to make it thick and to get rid of the fabrics texture. Plus my fluke is going to.be latex anyways.

[LittleTreasure]

Ok, cool, thanks for answering. It's mainly the texture of the fabric I'd be worried about with painting it. Would you be offended if I used this material idea for my latex tail I want to make? It's just that I don't want to float if the floating problem is that bad with neoprene.

Back on topic: I would also check out SpandexWorld.com. Another post from some thread brought me here because I believe you said you wanted to use moleskin spandex. I found these on the website and they seem to fit with what you want: http://spandexworld.com/c3/catalog/product/977 and http://spandexworld.com/c3/catalog/product/978 They are $12 to $14 / yard.
Supposedly these are thick and suitable for swimwear - you might not even need to line the fabric. The only thing is these are 4-way stretch so the tail might need to be sewn to a very tight fit.

[Winged Mermaid]

You really WANT to go with 4 way stretch if you can. You need the tail to have stretch horizontally, otherwise there are huge fitting issues. And with the two way unless they tell you the grain of the stretch, you could end up needing the fabric cut so the stretch is vertical, and that would be useless. That's why neoprin tails are baggy at the waist for most people, and most of them end up installing a zipper in the back to get it to fit right. They don't have enough stretch so if you can get your hips through the waist to get into the tail, the waist will be too big. Dealing with stretch is just the nature of the beast. Usually with spandex/lycra tails you need to sew them a little smaller than the measurements, or try it on and take it in after the initial sewing, to account for the extra stretch in the fabric. Also remember to use a stretch stitch when sewing- this is especially important with lycra because of how much it gives. A straight stretch won't stretch with the fabric so the thread will eventually break and the seams will give. A stretch stitch (like zig zag) will stretch with it so it will hold up much better.

You CAN paint lycra with all matters of paints. Just be aware that if you paint the fluke, especially the very bottom of the fluke with acrylic paints it may create a huge amount of drag. Some people put holes in the bottom to help with that though. There are lots of threads on painting fabric tails, if not on here then you can always search Mer.Yuku.com as an archive.


But yeah! Really looking forward to seeing your white tail! My first tail design was a white tail with a rainbow fluke and dorsal! Never got around to making it though. You don't see many white tails, but the ones I have seen look great!

[Ilonka]

That's another reason I didn't like neoprene, it doesent hug my hips like I want it to and I'm going to add a belt inside because of this. Since I'm.a model I need my tails to hug my body tightly and not bag anywhere cuz its noticeable in photos and videos.

But if anyone wants to use this idea I really don't mind, I like to help others with their costumes, that's why I document the processes of mine.
I already bought the moleskin spandex, gallon of latex and several light shades of sequins (mostly white and pearl)
Now to wait.

[Winged Mermaid]

That's another reason I didn't like neoprene, it doesent hug my hips like I want it to and I'm going to add a belt inside because of this. Since I'm.a model I need my tails to hug my body tightly and not bag anywhere cuz its noticeable in photos and videos.

I was talking about neoprin, not neoprene, just to clarify :) Neoprin is really horrid quality for anything to do with a tail IMO. So far, there is only one person I know who tried making a tail with the stuff and actually stuck with it as a material, and that's the Mertailor. He does it for cost reasons. Good neoprene has lots of stretch, and that stuff can hug every curve tightly! To get it as tight as you want it may take a few more minutes to put on the tail though. It can be very buoyant if you get it thicker though. You can get it as thin as 1.5mm. Since you were having such issues with the buoyancy I'm curious as to what thickness you were using!

Also I am puzzled with your change becuase spandex is such a big downgrade from neoprene in terms of quality and aesthetics (realism, being able to see the legs and monofin clearly with spandex). Usually with neoprene and molded latex or silicone tails, the neoprene is used to save money. It allows you to get the thickness of the tail, which means a more aesthetically pleasing and realistic look that hides the legs and such, while allowing you to use less of the (expensive) latex/silicone. So to cast the the scales and fluke thin. I guess I'm trying to ask since you have experience making a molded tail, why not skip the fabric and just cast it thicker and make a plain latex tail? I hope I'm not coming off too haughty or anything :P

[Mahi Mermaid]

I actually got my material from Joanns Fabrics and with their coupon, sometimes you can get it for 50% off--much cheaper than paying for shipping plus you get it right away! :)

[Ilonka]

Ohhh neoprin, ok, iv heard bad things about it yeah.

I got really thick neoprene, 3mm which was obviously a huge mistake, I also don't like how expensive it is and the companies on the internet charge me almost $30 in shipping which is another thing that put me out.

This tail is going to be made out of lycra cuz of my $$, I don't want to spend $500 again, I can't.

This tail is being made for a magazine that wants a bridal mermaid, so its also being made on short notice.
I will make a full silicone tail eventually cuz I really hate using fabric for tails period, but just not this one. I have to move to FL, don't have the space for moulds, don't have allot of $$ etc.

So this will be an experiment and a chance for me to make a new type of tail, sequin/latex hybrid.

[Ilonka]

I actually got my material from Joanns Fabrics and with their coupon, sometimes you can get it for 50% off--much cheaper than paying for shipping plus you get it right away! :)

I got my moleskin from spandexworld.com on clearance for $4.99 which is awesome! They also gave me free shipping which was a miracle cuz shipping to PR is always mad expensive cuz most idiots think this is a different country when its not :l

[Mermaid Dottie]

...using the spandex sounds like a good idea. How do you think the same material would take paint?
My Spandex tail is painted. I made it in February, and it is now starting to wear very thin around the scales I painted on, but I wore it at least twice a month to a chlorinated public pool until June. So, in other words, it takes fabric paint well, but the wear and tear is really uneven, and if you painted the entire tail, you might end up with cracking. especially if it's a thick paint job.

[Mermaid Dottie]

You'll do awesome, Ilonka. You seem to have that mystical essence about you that allows you to succeed more than others do, sometimes.

[Ilonka]

Thank you dottie I hope so!
I'm not going to paint directly onto the fabric, instead I'm going to coat on a thin layer on latex to hide the fabric texture, protect it, andthat will be painted on with latex paint. My current latex tail's paint has held up extremely well, only a few spots on the back of the fluke scrapped off a bit from rubbing on.the bottom of the pool I worked in last week. Other than that special fx latex is really durable and holds its paint well.
Im also going to try fusing the sequin scales into the latex instead of sewing them one by one, if that doesn't work then they will be sewn (im not too exited about that part, I hate hand sewing)

[theoceanblue]

Maybe try a polyester/lycra mix. It's a bit heavier but it is thicker! Just make the tail pretty tight. Hope this helped!

[Ilonka]

So now iv hit a big dilemma, I bought my spandex from.spandexworld.com, my purchase was $25.00 plus $8.00 shipping. They took four days to send me my spandex and they charged my $70 for the shipping! So my total was almost $100 Wtf!? Now my boyfriendcs visa balance is in negative thanks to those bastards and who knows when that stupid package will arrive! Omg I'm soooo pissed! Never buy from that company, bad customer service, they never even answered any of my emails!

[Mermaid Saphira]

So now iv hit a big dilemma, I bought my spandex from.spandexworld.com, my purchase was $25.00 plus $8.00 shipping. They took four days to send me my spandex and they charged my $70 for the shipping! So my total was almost $100 Wtf!? Now my boyfriendcs visa balance is in negative thanks to those bastards and who knows when that stupid package will arrive! Omg I'm soooo pissed! Never buy from that company, bad customer service, they never even answered any of my emails!

I am sorry for what happened! That is quiet odd. I have always had good service with them, they even call me sometimes to let me know my order has been shipped. Have you tried calling them?

[Winged Mermaid]

That's awful D: Try calling them! If contacting them doesn't work out, dispute the claim with your bank, or your credit card company- tell them you did NOT approve that amount and were over charged. If you need to print out the receipt and send it to them as proof.

[Ilonka]

That's awful D: Try calling them! If contacting them doesn't work out, dispute the claim with your bank, or your credit card company- tell them you did NOT approve that amount and were over charged. If you need to print out the receipt and send it to them as proof.

Im gonna do that then because they replied to me with an email saying that they dont control their shipping costs, WTF they have to know how much shipping is being charged to their customers and notify them too! And they told me that it has to do with the weight, i only bought 3 yards of lycra not a full bearskin, and i dont live in china either! And to top it all off, they said they cant refund the $70.00 because it was for shipping not the fabric, i only spent $23.00 on the fabric...
Im SOOOOOO pissed! I need a beer before i stab someone.

[Ilonka]

A positive turn of events! My sequins arrived in the mail today!
I bought four kinds, orchid, deep blue sea, clear, and white, all are iris shell sequins. They arrived super fast too so I might buy more.
I have about 2,500 sequins give or take.
The tail won't be fully covered in sequins, I'm doing it patchwork style like Hannah's first tail and orange one. Still haven't drawn up the official designs, but its going to be mostly white with blue and purple accents on the sides and ankles

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I also got a full refund from spandex world.com and a decent apology. I also found a store downtown that specializes in lycra! So I will go check it out on Friday or Saturday, I'm so relieved and il be able to start my tail faster than first anticipated.

[Ilonka]

So I went to a local store that specializes in spandex and other uncommon fabrics and I bought 1 1/2 yards of white jumbo spandex , which was their heaviest and 1 yard of the most beautiful fabric I have ever seen. It's translucent lame' and I'm going to use it for my fluke trim , dorsal fin and ankle fins. I loved it cuz it has tiny grooves that make it look like a fish fin!
Here is the tail's cut out and a close up of the fluke
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The entire tail will be covered in special fx latex to protect the fabric and also give it a nice shiny finish..I bought a different kind of latex this time, this one is not as thick as monstermaker's but its clear latex which makes tinting it easier. It also dries glossy which is super cool! My other latex would dry bland and grey so I think I prefer this one for my tails now.
I got it on ebay for $55.00 and its one gallon, shipped fast too.
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[Winged Mermaid]

Beautiful fabric! Glad you could find what you needed!
You know, I'd never heard of clear latex before before you posted about it! Do you think it could be used to cast a fluke? The translucent fluke issue has been.. well, an issue for a long time. Usually translucent flukes would mean casted silicone and either no monofin (just a foot pocket) or a custom made lexan one. But even then the silicone discolors over time to a a brown color. I'm wondering if the clear latex will do the same thing. Only time can tell, sometimes years. What do you think?

[Ilonka]

Beautiful fabric! Glad you could find what you needed!
You know, I'd never heard of clear latex before before you posted about it! Do you think it could be used to cast a fluke? The translucent fluke issue has been.. well, an issue for a long time. Usually translucent flukes would mean casted silicone and either no monofin (just a foot pocket) or a custom made lexan one. But even then the silicone discolors over time to a a brown color. I'm wondering if the clear latex will do the same thing. Only time can tell, sometimes years. What do you think?

"clear" latex isent really crystal clear like clear silicon, it has a yellowish color to it but when used in very thin layers it can pass as clear. Usually clear latex is used for prosthetics cuz it almost matches human skin color so its very easy to blend. What I recommend is using it to cover a transparent fabric like I'm going to do with mine. It will protect the fabric and give it the rubbery texture, but it has to be applied very thin. So yes it can be used for a full latex fluke but it has to be half regular latex and half clear for a . About the discoloration, I don't really know, but we will find out eventually.

[Ilonka]

Soooo I need some help, I can't decide which of these shapes I should choose for my ankle fins, suggestions ?
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[Ilonka]

Finally started attaching the sequins, I was going to stick them together with latex but it wasn't working very well so instead I'm using e 6000 glue which is waterproof, clear, and it stretches. The glue is really good and the scales are hard o rip off once dry.
I.won't be covering the whole.thing in sequins, instead I'm going to do stripes and patches like Hannah's orange tail.

With flash:
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Without flash:

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[Mermaid Arianna]

that looks........AWESOME!! cant wait to see your progress!

[Ilonka]

Thanks, glad you like it :3

[Winged Mermaid]

Looking good! A glue that stretches? That sounds awesome, and just what a mermaids needs! By the way I vote for the 2nd fin shape.

[Azurin Luna]

Looking very cool! :D

I vote also for the second fin shape, looks more elegant

[Mahi Mermaid]

Hey I also secured my sequins on a tail with latex, and an additional layer of latex over top and although it looked AMAZING. it didn't stretch, so when I put it on, it pulled apart (mostly just on the sides) so I would be cautious with it! I thought it was a good shortcut to hand-sewing but I never thought about it not being able to stretch after...grrr..

[Ilonka]

I decided not to use latex with it because the wouldn't stay on very well so I'm using e 6000 glue which is really strong and it stretches.

[Ilonka]

Progress! Haven't worked on the tail for two days because I was working on my latex tail, but here is what I have done so far.
I added another triangle, and I just noticed that its a bit misaligned so I need to fix that, but its getting there.
Im replacing the purple sequins at the top with peach colored onces that I just sent for, and the purple will be used on the sides along with the blue/green.

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[Spindrift]

Looking great! How are you going to replace the already glued down sequins? Will you just rip it off, or will you use something like paint thinner?

[Ilonka]

I'm probably gonna use paint thinner because the glue tears the sequins and damages them pretty bad. Although its only a few purple ones, not a whole lot so I won't be losing much if I tear a few of them. I dunno, il mess with that tomorrow cuz I ran out of glue anyways.
As for the sides, I'm gonna have to sew those cuz the seam rolls inwards and doesn't allow the glue to stick properly, oh joy.

[Ilonka]

Whew, half way done, now I have to do the other side! I'm gonna check my mailbox tonight for the rest of the sequins I ordered so I can add the peach colored ones at the top. Haven't tried the tail on yet with the sequins, might take a pic of that tonight too. I'm gonna cover the fluke in liquid latex and then paint it pearly white and add more sequins to the borders.
I'm really exited !
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[Mermaid Saphira]

wow!!! great job! :D

[Ilonka]

Thanks! I just want it done already, glue on sequins one by one gets annoying sometimes, i cant imagine sewing them! I would never finish a sewn one sincerily.
I also cant wait till its done cuz im already planning a 3rd one, will also be sequin and spandex but its gonna be for a little mermaid cosplay :D

[Mermaid Jewel]

Oh wow, E6000 glue works? I tested it out and it came off it so easily for some reason! Wow, I have some E6000 so I might try that, cause sewing is taking forever!

[Ilonka]

Oh wow, E6000 glue works? I tested it out and it came off it so easily for some reason! Wow, I have some E6000 so I might try that, cause sewing is taking forever!

Seriously, try it, once its properly adhered and dry its impossible to get off. I had to rip out a few sequins to sorrect some mistakes and the glue would tear them in half, it looks delicate but its not so i really reccomend the stuff.

[Mermaid Saphira]

I love e600 glue! :D

[courtneymermaid]

Wow! Your tail is looking really beautiful! I can't wait to see it finished! :D Keep up the great work!

[Mermaid Lira]

I don't know this type of glue, where do you find it ? Your tail is wonderful !

[Mermaid Jewel]

You can find it in any craft store and I actually found it in Walmart, in the craft section.

Oh and I tried the E6000 glue on a scrap of neoprin...it's not completely dry yet but for some reason it's like weighing it down or something because it's creating deep like indents in my neoprin. I guess I have to keep sewing! Not that I mind terribly, I love the look ^.^

[Ilonka]

What I do is that I don't apply the glue to the fabric, instead I scoop the glue with a sequin and stick it on. That way you don't waste glue and the sequins bond better, I'm using lycra and I haven't had any problems with it.
I also used the glue for my latex tail to bond the neoprene seams.

[Ilonka]

I don't know this type of glue, where do you find it ? Your tail is wonderful !

Wallmart, craft stores, car part stores too, I get mine at western auto.

[Mermaid Lira]

I don't know if I'll find this type of glue in France, but I hope so :/

[Ilonka]

You could always buy it online! Just look up e 6000 on ebay or amazon :)

[Ilonka]

Cut out my dorsal fin and I'm now covering it with liquid latex to get the rubbery texture and also stiffen and protect it.
I'm going for a butterfly koi look, since the tail will be featured in a bridal magazine issue I want it to be breathtaking in the water.
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[Mermaid Dottie]

I think I'm in love with this tail, Ilonka.

[Lyna]

omg this is going to be soooooooo amazing when it's finished!

[spottedcatfish]

Your tail looks great! I can't wait to see it when it's done.

[Spindrift]

@Jewel: I would have personally stuffed the tail first before gluing on the sequins, especially on spandex, but I really hope this works out! Perhaps the glue will be flexible enough to accommodate the stretch. :D

That is a gorgeous pattern you are making, Ilonka! I really want to see how this works out. I was going to add sequins to my tail, but haven't decided how to yet (as in what pattern).

[Ilonka]

Sooo the latex idea on the thin shiny fabric didn't work too well, it made it shrivel up. Luckily I have tons more of this fabric cuz I loved it so much so I'm just going to have the fins made of the fabric by itself, which isent a problem cuz its so pretty anyways!
Besides that, I'm still gluing sequins one by one on the back and sides.

[Ilonka]

Cut out my new dorsal fin, the other one was ruined by the latex. This time I'm not going to cover it in latex, the fabric is too thin and shrivels up when the latex dries (latex shrinks a bit when it dries)
So this is how it looks so far in the back, I glued the dorsal fin down and did single stitches in a straight line down the certer as reinforcement. I'm using the glue and sequins to build a stiff base for the fin so it sticks up a bit instead of laying flat on the tail. Looks really cool :D

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[Mermaid Saphira]

beautiful!

[Ilonka]

Thank uuuuu! :3
I can't wait to get it into the water its gonna be so shiny and pretty!! It just sparkles so much its making me giddy XD

[Winged Mermaid]

Looks great! If that fabric is what it looks like, it tends to fray. You may want to do something to minimize or stop that. Either by overlock stitch, french hem, or some kind of glue. They sell "Fray check" at fabric stores, but I'm not sure how waterproof it is.

[Ilonka]

Looks great! If that fabric is what it looks like, it tends to fray. You may want to do something to minimize or stop that. Either by overlock stitch, french hem, or some kind of glue. They sell "Fray check" at fabric stores, but I'm not sure how waterproof it is.

Thanks ! Yeah the fabric does fray so il check out the local fabric shops and see what they recommend or if they have any of this fray check you speak of!

[Blondie]

Awww this tail reminds me of a really pretty angelfish for some reason <3 It's heavenly

[Mermaid Lira]

I love definitely your tail ! I want to see it finished !!

[Ilonka]

Awww this tail reminds me of a really pretty angelfish for some reason <3 It's heavenly

Thank you! I'm aiming for heavenly look cuz im going to model it in a bridal issue of a local magazine :D
I got inspiration from a white butterfly koi I saw.

[Nyx]

Oh awesome!
I love how you're putting scales on the dorsal fin.
I can't wait to see this finished.

[Mermaid Caidence]

It's looking great! I might use the E-6000. :D

[Ilonka]

Almost done, almost done,almost done!!!!! Iv been so tired from work that i took a break from my tail but now im back in action because the shoot for the magazine i will be featured in is gonna be the week after next. All I need to do is finish half of the back, paint the fluke, add a zipper, and done!
Still need to try it on too but everytime i take it out its to work on it and i forget :/

[Mermaid Celissa]

Can't wait to see it!

[Mermaid Marissa]

Can't wait! It's gonna look great! I was also planning on starting my own patch work tail. Not sure on colors yet but I think yours looks amazing so far :D

[Ilonka]

Finally tried on my tail and it fits perfect! All I need to finish now is the fluke which I'm going to.paint using gold and pearl paints mixed with latex. Still need to finish gluing scales to the dorsal fin and adding Velcro to the opening of the fluke.
It has to be done by Saturday which is my underwater shoot :)
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[courtneymermaid]

Gorgeous! I can't wait to see more photos! Well done!

[Mermaid Arianna]

That looks soo pretty!! I love it! How many sequins did you use if you don't mind me asking

[Blondie]

B-e-a-utiful!!!!

[lynsea]

Glad to see the glue is working out for you. I tried sewing mine and it was a disaster. I think I will try this next. Definitely worth all the time and effort if they actually stay on.

[Azurin Luna]

Looks cool, love the soft colors your chose for it

[Mer_Adella]

If you want to make it thicker, maybe double up? Because spandex in general tends to be pretty thin.

Here's a tip. if you are doing sequins yes you want to double up. actually it might be easier to make your whole tail no sequins attached. then make a "slip cover" out of the same fabric and sew your sequins to that. add some glue to your stitches on the back (waterproof of course) to hold then sew it to your whole tail. added security

[Ilonka]

After procrastinating for almost a week I'm finally finishing my tail. Painting the fluke has )wen my favorite part, I'm using folkart acrylic paints (yes they are waterproof on fabric).
I lined the fluke with thick vinyl sheets to hide the monofin ridges and color. Still need to add shadows and detail to the paint and glue the frill at the edge of the fluke. I'm going to sew industrial velcro at the opening so I can remove my fin.

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Without vinyl

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With vinyl

My photoshoot was rescheduled for Monday due to a tropical storm that passes through.
I will be modeling wedding jewelry from Forever Crystals for the magazine AND I'm going to have a hot prince from a professional agency!! I'm so exited!

[Ilonka]

Finished painting one side of the fluke, onto the other side! The paint at the top will be completely covered in sequins and I will add clear ones to the edges so the paint underneath will be visible :)

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I have used about 1,600 sequins so far and I still need to add a few hundred more to the fluke O.O
I'm so glad I'm using glue. Sequins are not falling off either and iv been dragging my tail around the house, folding, unfolding, and tried it on and the glue has stayed put :D

[Ilonka]

Soooo this is my tail so far, its about 80% complete. Still need to finish adding sequins to the top of the fluke and put in the velcro.
I can't wait to test it out, i cant believe I was able to pull this off!

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Without flash

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With flash

I had bought about 3,000 sequins, I do have some left but almost all of them are gonna end up on the fluke. I might make a top, but for the photoshoot I'm going to have sequins glued to my breast Hannah mermaid style!

[lynsea]

LOOKS AMAZING! seriously though, you have given me hope that sequin tails are sort of realistic. I tried sewing them and apart from not working, I wanted to shoot myself out of frustration. You were using E6000 craft glue right?

[Ashe]

that is looking so great! looks like Hannah made it herself it is so pretty! good job

[Ilonka]

LOOKS AMAZING! seriously though, you have given me hope that sequin tails are sort of realistic. I tried sewing them and apart from not working, I wanted to shoot myself out of frustration. You were using E6000 craft glue right?

I was thinking of sewing them too but its way too much work and too time consuming. Yes I used e 6000, and even with glue it takes a long time! I didn't even cover the entire tail, I admire Hannah for having the gift and patience.
I'm glad you like it and good luck, I definitely recommend using the e 6000.

[laamberry]

It's really beautiful, you've done an amazing job!

[Ilonka]

Finished and ready for my shoot tomorrow, unfortunately I never got to test it out first so wish me luck that it holds up in the sea.

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[Ophelia]

Its soooooo pretty! *luck luck luck*

[Winged Mermaid]

Looks amazing! Perfect for a bridal shoot! Just make sure it's tight enough. Fabric stretches out more than other tails once you're in the water. If you can bring something that can act as pins (even just safety pins) or a belt of some kind just in case you find out too late that it's loose. Good luck with your shoot! Excited for you!

[Blondie]

Good luck!! It looks wonderful! It'll look even prettier underwater!

[Azurin Luna]

Woow! Cool looking! I love the colors, good luck with your shoot :D

[Mermaid Arianna]

O_O beautiful!!! We are gonna need pics of your photoshoot!!!!! Have fun!!

[Morticia Mermaid]

Wow Ilonka! That is GORGEOUS!!! And agreed, Photos from the shoot would be awesome. Can't wait to see them :yay:

[Spindrift]

Good luck!! :D Bring your other tail too, just in case!!

[Mermaid Melusinah]

Stunning! Can't wait to see better pics!

[Ilonka]

Back from the shoot! It went really well, tail swam wonderful much better than my latex one. The guy I modeled with was really cool (and mad cute)
Only downside is that during our shoot I scrapped my back on a fire coral and we had to leave because there was no first aid kit on our boat! FAIL
I don't know when I wil get my pics but don't worry, as soon as I get them I will post them here :3

[Spindrift]

Sounds like an amazing day! I can't wait to see the pics of you (and the cute guy!) Lol

[Merman_Shawn]

Back from the shoot! It went really well, tail swam wonderful much better than my latex one. The guy I modeled with was really cool (and mad cute)
Only downside is that during our shoot I scrapped my back on a fire coral and we had to leave because there was no first aid kit on our boat! FAIL
I don't know when I wil get my pics but don't worry, as soon as I get them I will post them here :3

OUCH!!!!! Hope you feel better in a few days!

[lynsea]

Fire coral... never fun. I feel ya.

[Ilonka]

OUCH!!!!! Hope you feel better in a few days!


Thanks Shawn :)

This is a pic of it after the swelling went down, it was really bubbly and dark red the first hour. It feels much better now, kinda bummed that I couldn't take more pics with the male model. Oh well, Saturday we will be trying it again

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It's on my lower back, almost my butt. I pretty much crashed into the Damn thing while I was swimming backwards.

[Ilonka]

I received my photoshoot pics! They are everything I have ever wanted! Only thing is that the sequins don't shine as much as I would have liked, maybe if I added more colors...hmm
Anyways, please do not upload these pics anywhere I'm not supposed to be putting these up until the magazine is published, so this needs to be hush hush ;)

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[Meghara July]

Wow... this is perfection. You are so beautiful, and your tail is phenomenal. It's almost unreal how perfect this is. :)

[LittleTreasure]

Oh my... This is absolutely gorgeous! You look perfect and the tail is stunning!

[Morticia Mermaid]

Oh my gosh! The tail is stunning. And the photos are fantastic :D Great work Ilonka

[Capt Nemo]

Excellent job!!! I was worried that the white spandex might go transparent, but it didn't! I hate white spandex for doing that!

WTF about no sting cream in the first aid kit! I dive in freshwater, and my kit has 4 packets!

[Kanti]

Wonderful work yet again Ilonka :')
The white suits you very well!
It gives such a beautiful shine to it o.O

[Azurin Luna]

Beautiful photo's! I feel jealous now.

[Ilonka]

Thanks everyone I'm so happy you all like it! There were so many things I was afraid of going wrong with this tail but everything turned out better than I could have imagined (except for my little accident with Mr.Coral) I still have 2 more shoots scheduled with this tail, both out of the water, I can't wait to see how its going to look!

[lynsea]

How many bags of sequins would you say you bought? (and would you estimate that you covered 50% of the material?)

[Mermaid Arianna]

you are a beautiful mermaid!I love your tail!

[Blondie]

Heeeaaavenly!!!! Maybe add some sort of shimmer paint/glitter/pearlescent paint to the scales to make them shine?

[Mermaid Arianna]

what about the glossy spray on modge podge?That would make them shine.

[Ilonka]

How many bags of sequins would you say you bought? (and would you estimate that you covered 50% of the material?)

I bought about 3,000 maybe a bit more, I have maybe 300 leftover. I covered about 55-60% of the tail in sequins.

As for the shine, the sequins shine well out of the water but in the photos they just aren't as visible as I would have liked. It's probably because most of them were clear sequins, I might add some more green later on and also cover the fluke completely.

[lynsea]

That's 3000 sequins not bags right?

[Ilonka]

That's 3000 sequins not bags right?

yeah sequins, i dont remember how many bags i bough but i know i got one bag of 1,200 and lots of smaller bags of 350 i think it was.
I got them from Cartwright's Sequins, good prices fast shipping i reccomend them.
:)

[Morticia Mermaid]

I LOVE Cartwrights. I got my sequins for the tail I am working on from them. Got a couple colours to test out ideas, then ordered more for my my tail. All the bags I ordered were approx. 200 in each

[Ilonka]

The pics of my latest shoot are in as well as an edit of my underwater one from last week. My tail looks so much better above water, the details can be much better appreciated. I am so in love with this tail and I really look forward to making another one :)

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[Mer_Adella]

I love that first and second picture.

[Kanti]

Wow
The camera really made this shot amazing
I love how the waves look more like streams than oceans. They're all fuzzy and stuff

You're right about the details you can certainly see them much better above water.
Still, I like the glow of the tail underwater as well

[Ilonka]

Thanks guys :3
The photos were taken at dusk using a slow shutter, this causes anything that is moving to blur and anything still to focus. This can only be achieved with low light.
I got more on the way too!

[lynsea]

I kind of like the subtlety underwater although I completely understand you wanting it to shine more. Definitely will be attempting this myself. Thanks for all the tips!

[Capt Nemo]

Thanks guys :3
The photos were taken at dusk using a slow shutter, this causes anything that is moving to blur and anything still to focus. This can only be achieved with low light.
I got more on the way too!

Neutral density filtering can do it too.

[Winged Mermaid]

I LOVE the second picture! Wow!

[Ilonka]

Thank you winged mermaid :3

[Ilonka]

Another pic from my shoot. I like this one cuz you can see the shiny fabric at the end of the fluke really well

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[Winged Mermaid]

HOLY MOLY that is one stunning photo!!!! :jawdrop: (< added new smiley to the system just for this, haha)

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ lol! lover it and the smiley 2 :)

[Ilonka]

XD I feel special now

[Blondie]

Hahahahaha xDDD I agree :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: It really does look stunning and goddess like

[Patches]

Okay so I have several questions. Please bear with me. xD You have pretty much the same measurements as me. How many yards of spandex fabric would I need? (4?) How many yards of lame for pectoral fins and a dorsal fin? (1-2?) What kind of monofin did you use and did you modify it by cutting it or no? Did you attach white vinyl to conceal the real color of the monofin and did you attach it by gluing it? Did you use a paintbrush for the paint or an airbrush? I was thinking about using an airbrush because I don't want lines from using a brush. When you put the latex onto the fabric does this make a good base for the folk art colors to stick to? I feel like the paint would start chipping off after a while. Do you REALLY need a whole gallon of latex to paint onto the fabric? I honestly have NO idea what to look for when it comes to clear latex so I guess I'll just buy the XX brand one. I saw a site where they sell the 16 ounce for 20 dollars. If I plan on making more in the future I guess I'll go back and buy a gallon afterwards.

[Ilonka]

Okay so I have several questions. Please bear with me. xD You have pretty much the same measurements as me. How many yards of spandex fabric would I need? (4?) How many yards of lame for pectoral fins and a dorsal fin? (1-2?) What kind of monofin did you use and did you modify it by cutting it or no? Did you attach white vinyl to conceal the real color of the monofin and did you attach it by gluing it? Did you use a paintbrush for the paint or an airbrush? I was thinking about using an airbrush because I don't want lines from using a brush. When you put the latex onto the fabric does this make a good base for the folk art colors to stick to? I feel like the paint would start chipping off after a while. Do you REALLY need a whole gallon of latex to paint onto the fabric? I honestly have NO idea what to look for when it comes to clear latex so I guess I'll just buy the XX brand one. I saw a site where they sell the 16 ounce for 20 dollars. If I plan on making more in the future I guess I'll go back and buy a gallon afterwards.

Whew, lol ok here goes

I bought 1 1/2 yard of jumbo spandex, it was very wide but just to be safe ask the seller and give them your measurements. I bough my spandex at an actual store so they got to look at me and give an estimate.
I bought extra lame to use as backup, bit 1 yard should be enough, also depending on your fin design and how much you want to use. Draw everything on Brown paper with the exact measurements so you have a better idea of how much material you need.
I did cut my monofin into a dolphin/whale shape using scissors, finis waves are very soft. I also used sandpaper to even everything out and to remove the ridges the monofin has on the top and bottom.
I did use thick table vinyl, and I used an industrial tapestry needle to sew it on
the inside of the fluke. I also bought industrial Velcro and sewed it in so that the monofin can be taken out.
the oly part of my tail that has latex is the fluke, and its mixed with the folkart pain. It won't chip nor peel because the fabric absorbs it. You can use an airbrush but you need to thin the latex paint mix with water, latex and folkart are both waterbased but make sure you have a good cleaner for your airbrush because it will get clogged.
I used sponge brushes for mine and it gives it an airbrushed effect.
You don't need a whole gallon because you will be adding to the latex volume when you mix in the paint and water. Make sure you either buy white or natural color, preferible white cuz natural gives a bit of a yellow tint to lighter colors.
DO NOT use pure latex on thin fabric, it will make it shrink, you can use the paint/ water mixed latex though

[Mer_Adella]

wow those were great questions rayeblonde! helpful to me too :)

[Mer_Adella]

Oh Ilonka...what if you have extra fabric could you make a "sleeve" for your monofin to hide the color and words? my fabric is pink and i have extra fabric

[Ilonka]

Oh Ilonka...what if you have extra fabric could you make a "sleeve" for your monofin to hide the color and words? my fabric is pink and i have extra fabric

It will hide the color, but not the shape of the monofin and when you swim it will be really noticeable, but that's just me being anal.
I like to use vinyl because when the tail gets wet it maintains the exact shape I cut the fabric instead of taking on the shape of the monofin.

[Mer_Adella]

Ya i am using vinyl shelf liner to cover my fluke inside to hide the shape as well. i ws just thinking of a way to cover the color so you dont have a light tail and a dark monofin.

[Patches]

I thought it would've been more fabric than that. I'm sure I'll end up having to buy more
considering I'll have to go to Joanns. Theres no good mom and pop fabric shops around here.
Thanks so much hun ^_^ wow! thank god. I was hoping
I'd be able to cut it with scissors. I don't really own industrial power tools. >_>


Ohhhhh, I thought you covered the whole tail in latex first to make it a more dependable base.
That's what I was thinking about doing because I feel like it'd reinforce the fabric.


I wonder if there's any way I can PAINT the monofin. I try to be crafty but I lose patience
if something starts to frustrate me and I feel like trying sewing vinyl on
would really piss me off. What do you think about painting it? I wonder how I could do that.
I bet there's some sort of primer I could buy then just get really thick white paint to make it match the
white base of the tail.


I honestly have NOOO idea what to buy as far as liquid latex. There's body paint
and then there's all this house painting and home improvement shit. I'm
sooooooo confused. O_O

[Sierra Larars]

I must say your tail turned out fantastic! The photos looked amazing too :3

[Blondie]

Ilonka, I was curious, about how much money (US dollars) do you think it took to make this tail?

[lynsea]

Hey Ilonka, just checking up to see if the sequins are still holding up with the glue you used? I was worried they might come off when you stretched the fabric with them glued on.

[Ilonka]

IBlondie, it cost about $200 to make, pretty economical considering the costs of tails.

Lynsea, the glue is still holding up! The only things is that the sequins tend to peel away from their foil covers and the foil will stay glued to the tail, but the plastic scale will come off :/
So, it turns out that the glue that bonds the plastic scale to their foil isnt very good. Other thank that, my tail still looks amazing. I sent for extra scales to use as repairs and touch ups, even Hanna Fraser's tails require constant maintainance.

[lynsea]

So is it mostly contact and is making the scales come off or the actual stretching of the fabric interacting with the glue?

[MerEmma]

Wow, I love it! I love your past tail (the blue and yellow one) and this one is just as gorgeous.

[Mer_Adella]

im actually considering making another tail or just adding sequins to the fluke of the one i have but sewing them on #1 to see if i can have the patience to do it #2 to see how they look and hold up against the glued ones.

[MermaidAmestris]

I know I got here really late, but at least i didn't have to wait to see pics :) kekeke, joking
But seriously. i usually hate spandex tails, but this was one of the most beautiful tails I've ever seen in my life. Very gorgeous, angelic, and heavenly is the best word to use here. A beautiful tail for a very beautiful mermaid ♥

[AmbrGlows]

((I know this is an old thread but I'm unable to send a Private Message to Ilonka.))

Hello Ilonka.

I was thinking of ways to make my second spandex tail look a bit more realistic and thought of using sequins. In my search through the threads I found one of yours from 2 years ago. You were making a white tail for a bridal magazine photo shoot. I LOVE that tail!!!

I was just wondering how the tail has held up over the last two years because if I read correctly you glued the sequins onto the spandex with e6000 glue. I'm guess I'm just a bit confused because at the start of the thread you had said you were going to put a thin coat of latex over the spandex so I'm just trying to get my facts straight before I dive into this project.

Thanks,

AmbrGlows

[Rebekah.fish]

This tail is amazing. I can't believe that is a lycra tail with sequins glued straight to the fabric. So excited to do this myself. I've had a plain lycra tail for a long time and haven't known what to do with it. Thank u so much for the inspiration! So excited to dive into this. I also model!!!

[Echidna]

That's a really nice tail, I wonder what became of it.

Never seen many white tails around, maybe because in western perception, white is always linked to bridal garb.
Makes me wonder why that one existing white wetsuit (which is marketed as "bridal wetsuit") is always out of stock :p

[Mermaid Wesley]

I think Ilonka has been inactive for a while on here. Sorry, ambrglow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AmbrGlows]

I think Ilonka has been inactive for a while on here. Sorry, ambrglow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It was worth a try. I've decided to test a test piece as soon as I can get my hands on the sequins I wanna use.

[AniaR]

She's got my fabric tail to sequin for like a year now. Occasionally I see updates on Instagram but it has been months.

[Mermaid Caspiana]

Hey I also secured my sequins on a tail with latex, and an additional layer of latex over top and although it looked AMAZING. it didn't stretch, so when I put it on, it pulled apart (mostly just on the sides) so I would be cautious with it! I thought it was a good shortcut to hand-sewing but I never thought about it not being able to stretch after...grrr..
This is exactly what I've been looking for! :) So wait, you glued your sequins down, you used latex, I used E6000 but still lol... then you put latex on top of the sequins? How well did it work besides the pulling apart on the sides? (Mine is already the shape of me, so I'm not super worried about that. ;)

[Mermaid Caspiana]

IBlondie, it cost about $200 to make, pretty economical considering the costs of tails.

Lynsea, the glue is still holding up! The only things is that the sequins tend to peel away from their foil covers and the foil will stay glued to the tail, but the plastic scale will come off :/
So, it turns out that the glue that bonds the plastic scale to their foil isnt very good. Other thank that, my tail still looks amazing. I sent for extra scales to use as repairs and touch ups, even Hanna Fraser's tails require constant maintainance.

I'm having the same issue with my neoprene-sequin tail. I covered the entire thing, save a few spots I use iridescent vinyl on, and a lot, especially around the knees and ankles have come off, most leaving the shiny foil so it still looks cool, but it's still disheartening. But you are right when you say the E6000 works wonders hahaha. I was thinking of repairing major issue spots with replacements and then a thin layer of clear latex, or if necessary, clear silicone. What do you (or anyone else) think about this? :) Thanks and love the tail, I might have already said that somewhere, but oh well. ;))
My tail:
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[Mermaid Caspiana]

Hey I also secured my sequins on a tail with latex, and an additional layer of latex over top and although it looked AMAZING. it didn't stretch, so when I put it on, it pulled apart (mostly just on the sides) so I would be cautious with it! I thought it was a good shortcut to hand-sewing but I never thought about it not being able to stretch after...grrr..
This is exactly what I've been looking for! :) So wait, you glued your sequins down, you used latex, I used E6000 but still lol... then you put latex on top of the sequins? How well did it work besides the pulling apart on the sides? (Mine is already the shape of me, so I'm not super worried about that. ;)