angie
05-26-2013, 09:29 PM
I have been wanting a tail for a while, and am a fairly capable seamstress. I've done a lot of research on this site, and think I have my chosen tail-making method down. I want to make a neoprene tail, painted with acrylic (or fabric paint, whatever holds up best) and then cover it with clear aquarium sealant scales. That was the hard part, so while I was killing time waiting for funding, I tried making a mock-up from spandex, to get the pattern down. I followed the tried and true tape along leg, measure, divide by 2 method, ect. That worked great. I trust my ability to do do that. But when I tried to put it over my oceanika merfin, the monofin was too wide. The shape tapers down to the thinner rubber part. Like, sideways, the fin looks like a triangle from the feet tapering down. I like that, but I am not sure how to adjust my neoprene pattern to accommodate the wider fin and connect it to the bottom of the body section.
*to clarify, it was too wide for my even stretchier spandex mock-up. So I'm sure that the solution is not just to count on the neoprene stretch.
As another note, I was hoping to find some very thin lexan sheets, like those bendy cutting boards, to line the inner pocket of the fluke. If it was sealed watertight to prevent mold, I think it would keep the neoprene stiff over the fin, and fill in the hollow-ish part of the oceanika. (those who've seen the monofin know what I mean, the edge is thicker then the actual fluke.) But the lexan wouldn't bend nicely around the edge of the monofin, and I am trying to eliminate as many seams as possible. one side seam would be ideal, plus a zipper hidden by a dorsal fin.
On the subject of dorsals hiding zippers, I have another question? does one sew the whole neoprene tail, with the zipper, then ad the fin? or add the pattern for the fin onto the back center of the tail and cut out two halves for the back? that would mean it was one piece of fabric from the body to the fin. That sounds good for less visible seams, but them how do you attach the zipper?
I hope this made sense, does anymer have some ideas?
*to clarify, it was too wide for my even stretchier spandex mock-up. So I'm sure that the solution is not just to count on the neoprene stretch.
As another note, I was hoping to find some very thin lexan sheets, like those bendy cutting boards, to line the inner pocket of the fluke. If it was sealed watertight to prevent mold, I think it would keep the neoprene stiff over the fin, and fill in the hollow-ish part of the oceanika. (those who've seen the monofin know what I mean, the edge is thicker then the actual fluke.) But the lexan wouldn't bend nicely around the edge of the monofin, and I am trying to eliminate as many seams as possible. one side seam would be ideal, plus a zipper hidden by a dorsal fin.
On the subject of dorsals hiding zippers, I have another question? does one sew the whole neoprene tail, with the zipper, then ad the fin? or add the pattern for the fin onto the back center of the tail and cut out two halves for the back? that would mean it was one piece of fabric from the body to the fin. That sounds good for less visible seams, but them how do you attach the zipper?
I hope this made sense, does anymer have some ideas?