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Thread: Do you have experience with layering a tail?

  1. #1

    Do you have experience with layering a tail?

    Hello from the great beyond.

    Been here since the yuku days. Used to be more active. Now prone to lurking, looking mostly at news about tailmaker developments.

    I've finally gotten around to making my first tail. Thanks to some of the great fabric by Yaya at Joann's I'm getting started. I have mapped everything out and I'm finalizing designs at the moment. But...

    I'm curious if anyone has experience using different layers to make a fabric tail. I don't remember seeing some thing like this (although I may have missed a thread at some point). To be more specific, I'll give a general idea for what I'll be making. Just want to bounce some ideas around really.



    For my design, I'm using a finis competitor monofin cut into a crescent shape. I've never liked the idea of sewing a monofin permanently into a tail so I've decided to make it removable.

    The inner most layer will consist of the monofin and myself (obviously).

    The first layer will consist of a neoprene sleeve. It will go up to about the knees and have a zipper opening for the monofin at the bottom of the fluke. I plan on placing extra padding of the fabric around the ankles to help hide the heels and make the tail generally look more even in circumference. I also plan on reinforcing the outer edges of the fluke with neoprene and placing raised strips of neoprene along the fluke to help give it some extra structure and provide some 3-D detailing for the outermost layers to sit on.

    The second layer I was going to make a basic white tail skin to cover everything from the first layer; smoothing everything out and evening out the colors so the top layer doesn't look odd with different colors (skin/neoprene/etc) showing through.

    The final layer is the decorated layer which will consist of the Yaya Cosplay fabric. I have the scales fabric for the body (which I plan on attempting to make seamless) and then the "oil slick" fabric of the same color on the fluke. I plan on adding on fluke details with Lumiere paint.



    So my questions...

    Does this sound viable or does it sound like there will be too many layers? It's all fabric so I know it could still be dried fairly easily after getting wet. But one concern is that with 3 layers there's more potential for water to get stuck and make it balloon in some places. Or it could just provide a lot of drag while swimming. Thoughts?


    My other question is if anyone has worked with neoprene glue while making a tail? I plan on sewing the main structures but was thinking about using a neoprene glue to glue on pieces that won't receive that much stress when wearing (like the veins on the fluke).

    "She felt a sarcastic impulse to point out to him that in some circles "inhuman" would be considered a compliment..."

    - Waking Storms, Sarah Porter

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Aquatarian View Post
    The first layer will consist of a neoprene sleeve. It will go up to about the knees and have a zipper opening for the monofin at the bottom of the fluke.
    Why stop at the knees? Why not all the way to the waist? It could work but...I almost feel like it'll drag down and not stay in place. Plus with a spandex cover you'll see where it ends at your knees.


    I plan on placing extra padding of the fabric around the ankles to help hide the heels and make the tail generally look more even in circumference. I also plan on reinforcing the outer edges of the fluke with neoprene and placing raised strips of neoprene along the fluke to help give it some extra structure and provide some 3-D detailing for the outermost layers to sit on.
    I feel like this could work ok.

    The second layer I was going to make a basic white tail skin to cover everything from the first layer; smoothing everything out and evening out the colors so the top layer doesn't look odd with different colors (skin/neoprene/etc) showing through.

    The final layer is the decorated layer which will consist of the Yaya Cosplay fabric. I have the scales fabric for the body (which I plan on attempting to make seamless) and then the "oil slick" fabric of the same color on the fluke. I plan on adding on fluke details with Lumiere paint.
    I think in general your plan could work but I would bring the neoprene skin up to your waist. I would sew everything personally as well. I don't trust glues.










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