Fancy Fish Fashions: silicone flukes/fins for tails and fancy beaded swim tops

**MermaidBrandie** · 07-12-2016, 08:18 PM

MUCH EXCITE.

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**Dancing Fish** · 07-13-2016, 02:41 PM

Yay!

It's live! I'm really happy with how they turned out on my personal tail (the blue one). I'm taking it for a swim this afternoon.

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**lynsea** · 07-13-2016, 02:46 PM

THIS IS GENIUS!!!! I would definitely be interested in this. I would love to make an individual scale tale mainly because they take up so little room (i.e. no giant scale sheet molds to deal with) but the fluke was always the drawback but this is the solution!

**TheSaltySiren** · 07-13-2016, 03:08 PM

How did you attach the fins to the fabric tail? I just purchased a magical and would love to add some extra things to it!

**Dancing Fish** · 07-13-2016, 03:43 PM

I used Dragon Skin but you can also use Sil Poxy. I've tested those, but I'm also reasonably certain you can use aquarium silicone adhesive or even 100% GE silicone caulk too. I like the Dragon Skin because it doesn't REEK of vinegar. The sil poxy I used on the fins still stinks two days later.

**TheSaltySiren** · 07-13-2016, 05:04 PM

So you just like glued them to the sides of the fabric wit the silicone?

**geffy** · 07-13-2016, 05:10 PM

Your fluke is beautiful

**Dancing Fish** · 07-13-2016, 05:18 PM

Not quite. First I wrapped the monofin in saran wrap, because I want to be able to remove it later (it's cracked!). Then I put the monofin back into the tail to stretch it out properly. Then I smeared dragon skin all over the back of the spandex and mashed it right onto the bottom fluke. Then I smeared silicone onto the spandex on the top portion (with the foot pockets) and sides of the silicone, leaving the bottom of the fin unglued (so I can still take the monofin out), and pinned everything together until the silicone hardened. So it's still open on the bottom. Later, when I've replaced the insert, I'll add dabs of silicone to close the bottom, but I'll leave most of it unglued so water can get out easily.

Thanks, Geffy!

**merwandering** · 07-16-2016, 01:22 AM

This is so fantastic. I really didn't know about sequin tails until very recently seeing one on a tail making thread, and I loved the idea of a sequin tail, but thought about how the fluke must be vulnerable to damage. This is SUCH a cool and easy way to blend different styles together, and I really love the silicone fluke with a sequin tail. I love the large sequins, just- love, love all of it.
Really neat.

**Dancing Fish** · 07-18-2016, 03:20 AM

Thanks! Rowan loves it too!

(The picture

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I have a video of my daughter wearing just the body and falling on the knees, then rolling around over the hardwood floor...so far the sequins are holding up well! She's going to do her best to destroy it so we can see how durable they are!

**MermaidBrandie** · 07-23-2016, 03:37 PM

This thread just gets better every time I come back on

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**Dancing Fish** · 10-02-2016, 09:13 AM

Fancy Fish has five styles of hip/ankle and dorsal fins, for embellishing mermaid tails! You can sew them onto fabric (see pic above) or glue them onto silicone. Currently offered in one color, two-tone, or frosted (and I will try to match the colors of your tail).

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**PearlieMae** · 10-02-2016, 05:09 PM

Wonderful work! Some really innovative stuff here!

**MermaidBrandie** · 10-02-2016, 05:32 PM

Mmmmf

Omg

So amazing

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**Dancing Fish** · 10-06-2016, 04:09 PM

Lookie! A new thing! Just a prototype, edges not yet finished, but it turned out well! I totally want to get some scale-printed spandex and try again.

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**Mermaid_Sarina** · 10-06-2016, 05:16 PM

OH my goodness! I just stalked through your entire thread and shop and I love your work! I also have a question regarding sending my own tail to you for a fluke and fin upgrade! On your etsy it just said fabric tails but I was wondering wether i'd be able to send a neoprene tail to you and have a silicone fluke and fins put onto it! I'm looking to upgrade from fabric to using neoprene and your flukes are so pretty!!!!

**Dancing Fish** · 10-06-2016, 06:04 PM

Thanks!

I'm sure that would work. As long as the fluke portion of the neoprene isn't painted, I'm sure the silicone will stick just fine. If it is painted, you'll have to handle it carefully-- I can't guarantee how well it will stick over the long run. I haven't tried gluing silicone to neoprene myself, but I know other tailmakers do it all the time! I also recommend a little ruffle to hide the join; I don't have anything fancy to hide that transition yet.