Two-tailed project! One fabric, one silicone

[Dancing Fish]

Thanks!

So we've hit another snag in the girl's tail...
(1) I didn't leave enough room to attach the fluke properly! Total fail. If the spandex could still stretch it wouldn't be an issue. For future tail makers, you'll probably want to make sure the fluke is attached *before* covering everything with silicone...
(2) If I do attach the fluke to the body, there's no way we'll be able to get this thing on. It has lost 90% of its stretch, and the water shoes in the fin have velcro straps. *headdesk*

Solution: it's going to have to stay in two pieces.

So I need a way to cover the join between body and fluke. Solution: ruffles! I was inspired by Mermaid Aine's beautiful purple tail. I ran the idea past Rowan and she loves it. She's currently coloring in the latest design drawing, and has also designed a top. I'm starting to hate this tail, but I don't want to let it show, because she's so excited about it! Here she is in the latest version, with a strip of green fabric where a ruffle is going to be. It will work. It *has* to work!

[MermaidAine]

It will look great! Sometimes mistakes turn into cuteness. The side stripes on my tail happened because we didn't leave enough seam allowance. I really love how the silicone looks on this!


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[Dancing Fish]

Here's her latest design (drawn by me, colored by her):

[MermaidAine]

Very cute!


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[Dancing Fish]

It will look great! Sometimes mistakes turn into cuteness. The side stripes on my tail happened because we didn't leave enough seam allowance. I really love how the silicone looks on this!

Oops! Yeah, I've done that... I'm a totally self-taught seamstress and have made every ridiculous mistake one can make. But those shiny side-stripes are beautiful, too. So yup! The whole point of this is to create a fun design for the kid, and she's been excited about every step, mistakes and all. (Let's not talk about how awful a job I did putting silicone on the fluke...or the paint splotches she told me not to worry about...)

In other news, replacement fluke is painted and looks even better than the original, so go me! Cutting out the Lexan for the fluke tomorrow, then figuring out how I'm gonna secure my feet. I got some great advice about straps, but I might also just go the cheesy (cheating?) route and glue cheap water shoes to the Lexan with poly zap instead. I did this for Rowan's fluke and those babies are STUCK on there.

[MermaidAine]

What a sweetie. My daughter was that way when I used to make her bellydance costumes. Then she became a teenager. LOL.


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[Dancing Fish]

What a sweetie. My daughter was that way when I used to make her bellydance costumes. Then she became a teenager. LOL.

Awesome! I used to make my own bellydance costumes, too. And yeah, they never turned out quite the way I'd envisioned them, but they ended up looking gorgeous anyway. I want totally nuts with the sequins and beading. To be honest, with that experience I should have made a sequin tail...but the silicone and the sculpting totally called to me!

Do you dance too? I keep meaning to get back into it, but we moved and I just don't feel like I fit into the local dance community. (Sucks being super shy)

[MermaidAine]

Yes I do. Well I did. I have fibromyalgia and arthritis so after 12 years I finally had to give it up.


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[Dancing Fish]

Yay! Fluke is done! We're finally hitting the home stretch on her tail. Only two more ruffles and an elastic band!! Then that top. Ok maybe a few more days. Gah, I'm praying this thing lasts more than 2 swims...

[Dancing Fish]

Aaaaand we have ruffles! Just have to add some elastic to the top and she can take it out for a swim.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Cute!


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[Dancing Fish]

We have a mermaid!!! We're off to the pool to try it out. WHEW! That was a stupid amount of work.

[Dancing Fish]

Swim test: B+

So there are a few issues. First, we need an ankle strap to keep the %@& shoes on. But otherwise she was extremely comfortable swimming in it, and got many compliments!

The second issue isn't really a big deal for her tail, but may affect anyone who is considering putting silicone over painted spandex. We really slathered the paint on thick to get good sharp colors, and everywhere there's paint, the silicone doesn't grab the spandex. There are patches where the silicone has clearly separated from the tail underneath, most noticeably in the corners of the fluke where there was nothing for the silicone to grab. But those areas are lighter anyway, so it's not a big deal. The second issue is that the paint in one of these areas is already flaking! It's definitely a stress area that gets repeatedly stretched (over the top of her feet at the ankles, which is actually mostly covered by the ruffles) so I would recommend not putting paint in that area. The flakes are migrating to other areas under the silicone, too, drat it! Oh, well, live and learn.

The body of the tail held up great even when she insisted on repeatedly hauling herself up to sit on the edge. It was easy to slide on and off, and noticeably more buoyant-- she had a harder time diving down until she got used to it. Overall she's a very happy mermaid, and I can't wait to finish my own tail and dive in there too!

[Dancing Fish]

Whipped up a new fabric tail for me, since the old one's falling apart and the new one's nowhere near done. I really like this pattern!

And here's the happy little mermaid!

[Dancing Fish]

Oh for the love of Pete! I thought I'd made enough scales!! Apparently not. Still, colors are flowing together nicely! and I got my mesh onto the dummy, and got the dummy mounted. Assembling the fluke tomorrow too...hopefully. All in all a good bit of progress for the weekend!

I wasn't certain about those blue scales, but now they have grown on me. They remind me of ancient Egyptian art.
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[Dancing Fish]

I don't know how you ladies doing the smaller scales have the patience. . Though perhaps if the scales weren't so big, I wouldn't have to spend so much time aligning them!

[PearlieMae]

I love the blue scales in there! Everything looks awesome!

And yeah, you ALWAYS need more scales.

[MermaidAine]

Oh my gosh I am in love with those big scales! The blue looks beautiful!


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[Dancing Fish]

Thanks!
Fluke sandwiching is going well! Only issue is that my powermesh is a little lumpy. It's making the fluke a bit less smooth, and also I fear there are some air bubbles trapped in there. I placed it back in the mold and then rolled it flat to try to get them out. I suppose one or two bubbles won't be too harmful, and I might be able to get them out by pricking the fluke with a pin here and there. I nearly forgot to add the drainage holes, eeek! Can't wait to try this sucker out tomorrow. I'm also rather astounded that my fluke turned out as symmetric as it did-- I only need a tiny bit of trimming here and there, and I might just not bother.

I also wanted to say that scrapbooking shears are awesome at cutting silicone if you don't want a smooth edge. I cut all my scale-ends with one of these instead of regular scissors for a more organic look, and it works wonderfully:

[Dancing Fish]

Aaaand I have a fluke! Woohoo!! (And two very confused cats...)