Non-Stretch Fabric - Tips? Suggestions?

[Miyu]

I have some green ultrasuede/faux suede, it's a gorgeous dark green shade and I'd love to make a tail out of it. I know Sin has made a tail with this type of material before (Steampunk Tail), but that one seems to be non-swimming. If possible, I'd like to make this a swimmable tail.

How would one go about adding some ease to something like this? I'm new-ish to the concept creating ease in a garment, I generally stick with more basic shapes and then tailor it... but nothing could have prepared me for trying to get a swimmable tail out of non-stretch fabric! Should I just stick some stretchy panels in there? Where should they be placed? I still haven't gotten to swim in a tail yet, so I have no clue of what happens to fabric in different places while swimming. :sweat drop:

I do plan on having the fluke be an entirely different fabric all together, in the same manner as my last tail, though I may need to go the same route as Melaina and make the fluke "slip" completely separate from the main tail body.




...Why am I trying to make a swimmable tail out of this fabric? I have a lot of it, it matches the buttload of green shiny fabric (for the fluke) that I recently acquired, and it's sturdy - the better to attach SEQUINS to! ;)

[Sherielle]

I don't have any suggestions about this being a swimmable tail or not but Ultrasuede is the bomb for doing beaded embroidery

[Anahita]

Cut the fabric so that where you need the ease to be, it falls on the bias. I would also add a few teeny gussets in a stretchy fabric or heavy duty elastic around the waist, just to make sure that you can get out of it after it gets wet.

[Miyu]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I was planning on making a hidden velcro closure down the back (covered with a dorsal)! :doh: Perhaps I'll combine that with a partial elastic waistband! That way there's not too much stress on the velcro and my dorsal isn't popping open as I swim, LOL

Good to know ultrasuede is good for beaded embroidery! I did a bit of machine embroidery on a vest I made for my mertender out of the dame material, and it looked pretty awesome (for being really rushed, sloppy pirate embroidery, anyways :P)

[Miyu]

How would one go about getting the important parts on the bias? I don't even know which parts are going to need more stretch! :sweat drop: Or should I just attempt to put some sort of stretchy material along the sides, and disguise it with some translucent side fins a la PotC (like my first tail has)?

[PearlieMae]

before you go cutting into your really nice ultrasuede, go pick up some plain cotton muslin and make a prototype out of that it doesn't stretch and you'll be able to see where the bias is. then you'll be able to try it on and move around in it and see where you're going to need to ease.

better to use something inexpensive that will behave the same way before cutting into your nice fabric and finding out that it can't really be done.

have you thought about cutting scales out of the fabric and sewing them onto a stretchy base? I don't think you would need to hem them, because it won't fray.

Good luck!

[Miyu]

I do have plenty of old spare sheets around here, I was planning on cutting one (or two) up in order to make the pattern. Should I be able to tell on-land what areas are going to need stretch enhancement? I don't have access to a pool that often to be able to just test these things :cry:

I had thought about cutting fabric scales out, but that wouldn't really get the sleek look I'm going after - I also don't have spare stretch fabric for the "base" laying around either. I was looking for more of a flat, seal-like skin, with some sequin scales sparingly distributed throughout (I have a small amount Morticia had left over that she gave me to play with). Besides, my swimming skills are still rather underdeveloped, and I think fabric scales would add way too much drag for me to learn better swimming in (I'm trying to make some hardier tails to practice swim in than my spandex one - it's a bit on the delicate side, and I don't want to tear it to shreds the first couple of swims I have in-tail!).

Ultrasuede doesn't fray? Oooh, that's good info to know, that could save me a lot of "finishing" hassle in a few situations...

[PearlieMae]

You know, Blaze might be the one to ask about this, she sews like a mad woman!

[Anahita]

You need the stretch at joints and narrow bits. Make the sheet mock-up and adjust as needed, then use it as the pattern and set it at a 45 degree angle on the fabric, which should make the whole thing a bit stretchy both vertically and horizontally. Just try to make sure that no matter what happens, the knee area and the ankle area is stretchy. That's the areas that are going to need to have the most give.

[Jadestone]

Hmm, if you're already adding a dorsal--maybe if you make a panel down the back long where you have the dorsal out of stretchy material, that'll allow you the give you want for movement since the rest of the tail doesn't stretch? Like one segment that's elastic-y enough to help the fit.

[Miyu]

That's what I was considering, Jade - especially if I can make the panel wide enough (none of the other fabric I have is SUPER stretchy), and maybe I'll be able to blend it in to the main fabric with some sequins - I'm leery of using paint on this, as it looks like it would flake off right away, what with all the texture/nap. :)