Tail Makeover!

[CowgirlMermaid]

It's an awesome themepark!!! When you're ever visiting the Netherlands, go there!
This is my second time going there, last time I was 15, now I'm 18 so it is quite some time ago.

I love the rolloarcoaster wherethe to trains race against eachother! That one has a drop at the beginning which gives you a tickly feeling in your stomach.

I think the scales look amazing too, I wonder if I will get a lot of drag with those on when swimming?
and if it does, well, then I know why no one (or a very few) has done this before

[Ashton]

I love the idea of individual fabric scales!

[Mermaid Sabie]

Fabric scales is such a good idea!! I've been trying to think about how to make a fabric tail look more realistic (I don't trust my painting skills lol) I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[CowgirlMermaid]

Thank you!

I hope everthing will go smoothly, as I said before, the combination of me, (a first timer at using a sewing machine), tricky, stretchy lycra fabric and the sewing machine, is something that scares me a bit

[Mermaid Wesley]

Just use a sharp needle and a zig-zag stitch

[Echidna]

Looks great!

I wanted to do cut-out scales on my first tail, but ditched it after sewing a test patch on. It took ages (think sequin tail) and made the fabric too unstretchable.
But I cut out tiny scales and I always sew by hand.

Good luck!

[CowgirlMermaid]

When my mom was trying to sew a little piece, she/we actually found that a straight double stitch worked best.
We found that the fabric slowly slipped away from the needle and with zig-zag that only became worse

Maybe we just have a weird sewingmachine...

[Echidna]

I was so disenchanted with our ancient sewing machine I sew everything by hand now.

It doesn't take that much longer and is far more accurate, also one can use double thread or materials which never tear apart.

[CowgirlMermaid]

We began with poor quality thread on the machine which broke every 30 seconds, then I went out and bought high quality thread since we use that it hasn't broken once. I think I'm gonna try sewing them on with the macine and if it doesn;t work out how I want or it goes wrong, I can always switch to hand sewing.

[Mermaid Aika]

I've been watching the progress on this thread. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[PearlieMae]

When sewing stretchy fabric, a zigzag stitch gives with the stretch of the fabric. Straight stitches will break and cause your fabric to pucker where it won't allow it to stretch.

And a sharp needle sounds like a good idea, but a ball-point needle is best for stretch knits. It doesn't tear the knit and cause runs.

[CowgirlMermaid]

Thanks for all the advice!
I keep them in mind for the next time i'm working on my tail.

[OceanWhisper]

This will be very handy for me too :P

[CowgirlMermaid]

Making the scales is taking longer than expected, but there is some slow progress
From the 400 I need to have, I only have to cut 114 scales, and since I cut them in an oval shape, with one oval I make 2 scales at the time.
So I only need to draw 57 oval and then I'm done!
When I say it like taht it feels like I'm so close to finishing, but it will probably take a day or 3 to finish it...
I'm already terrified for the part where I have to start sewing them on the tail

Here you see how I make the scales, and how small a pile of 286 fabric scales is.
It seems even more less when I dump them in the box I keep them...

[Mermaid Momo]

Your attachments don't work

[CowgirlMermaid]

Are they fixed now?
I can see them (but when I posted them the first time I could see them too)

[Feilian]

Nice to see the progress you've made on your tail Good luck with the last scales!

[CowgirlMermaid]

Thank you!
I hope it won't be taking too long making the last scales. Tough is it fun, i really want to finish my tail and be able to swim in it, scaled and all.

[Mermaid Momo]

Yep, they're fixed now

[JamesGunnels]

I really love this! I've never seen a neoprene tail like this!