How to Make a Mermaid Tail
Purchase or make swim fins., Make your pattern., Cut the fabric., Sew the tail.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase or make swim fins.
Swim fins are similar to diving fins but are designed to enforce and enable the dolphin-kick style of swimming.
They provide greater resistance and thus a greater workout, making them an excellent exercise method.
Monofins are swim fins with a single blade, which hold the feet together to encourage proper swimming form.
It will be easiest to purchase a monofin style swim fin but a monofin can also be created by duct-taping together single swim fins or making a monofin completely from scratch.
The latter two methods are not recommended but are certainly possible if a monofin is not available.
Monofins and other swim fins can be purchased at swimming and sports stores, as well as online. make sure to buy from a brand that can insure that they can are good to not break when you swim in them as cheap fins can fall apart or be uncomfortable or simply not work for swimming.
Try it on.
The foot pockets come in two styles: one with a single pocket and built-in heel and one with no heel and a strap to secure the fin to the foot.
Either style should feel secure when you kick but it should not pinch or chafe.
Your feet should feel comfortable and flexible. -
Step 2: Make your pattern.
With the monofin on, you can simply trace the shape of your legs and the fin onto cardstock or cardboard or you can measure yourself and create the pattern from the measurements.
If tracing, get help from a friend.
Making a pattern from measurements will require more math but will also be more accurate.
In order to make a pattern from measurements, measure the circumference (in other words, all the way around) your waist, hips mid-thigh, knees, upper calves, and ankles, as well as take the dimensions of the monofin.
Then measure the length between each section (knee to upper calf, upper calf to ankle, etc.).
Divide the circumference numbers in half and then draw your pattern, ensuring the width of each section is the same as the halved width measurements as well as ensuring that the distance between each section is the same as the length measurements you took.
The monofin can probably be traced directly onto the pattern separately from your legs, once you know where the feet will be.
You may wish to take measurements at more points along your body to ensure a more accurate shape, however, the swim fabric used to create the tail is usually stretchy and will generally conform to your shape so it does not need to be perfect.
For the pattern, you can draw it with a seam allowance or without.
If you do not draw it with the seam allowance, make sure that when you cut the fabric you do leave room for the seam.
Normally, it is better to not make a pattern with the seam allowance, as you can use the lines as a guide when sewing.
There are multiple ways to do the fin.
The easiest method is probably to leave a few inches of fabric at the bottom, along the bottom edge of the fin, and to leave the bottom open.
This will allow you to put the material on like a skirt and then the fins, stretching the fabric over the fins once they are on.
The excess fabric at the bottom can be cut to look like the uneven edges of a fish fin.
Another method would be to have a zipper along the bottom fin edge, and a clean line.
The last method would be to have a single seam all the way around, but this will make it more difficult to get in and out of the tail, as well as creating the difficulty of getting the monofin inside the fabric.
This will only work if you have a fin that is in two sections and is fairly flexible.
Decide which method is best for your needs and skills and make sure your pattern accounts for the method you have chosen. , First, you must buy fabric.
Try local sewing and craft stores or look online to find fabrics.
Use stretchy material suitable for going in water, namely nylon spandex.
Look for fabrics labeled as swimsuit material.
Thicker material is better than thinner material, as it will give a more flesh-like appearance.
Fold the fabric in two, so that the sides you want visible are touching, then trace the pattern onto the fabric using sewer’s chalk.
A marker or pen can also be used if you do not have chalk, but be aware that the lines may be visible once the fabric is flipped right-side-out.
Pin all along the traced line using straight pins so that the two fabrics are solidly joined.
Now, cut the fabric.
As stated above, make sure that there is a seam allowance when you cut the fabric.
A generous 1” allowance is best with this type of fabric.
Cut the fabric using very sharp scissors, preferably sewing shears, or any tool designed for cutting fabric.
Make sure to leave an extra inch or two at the top, where the waist is located, in order to make a hem for the waist.
You should also be sure that you cut your fabric appropriately for the method you chose for enclosing the fin. , Leaving the fabric open at the waist, sew down one side and then the other, following the drawn line of the pattern.
Be careful of the straight pins and remove them when they are no longer needed.
If you are going to completely enclose the monofin, simply start at the waist and go all the way around until you reach the other side.
If you are leaving it open or are using a zipper, do not sew along the bottom edge.
Since the fabric is stretchy, you will need to account for this in how you sew it.
Use a ball-point needle on your machine and set the machine for a stretch stitch, if possible.
If your machine does not have a stretch stitch, use a zigzag stitch.
You do not want to use a straight stitch, since this stitch will break when the fabric is stretched.
Make sure you also have the tension on the foot set a little bit looser than normal.When you are done with the sides, put in the zipper if you are using one.
Sew the hem of the waist and the flip the fabric right-side-out.
Now you are done! -
Step 3: Cut the fabric.
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Step 4: Sew the tail.
Detailed Guide
Swim fins are similar to diving fins but are designed to enforce and enable the dolphin-kick style of swimming.
They provide greater resistance and thus a greater workout, making them an excellent exercise method.
Monofins are swim fins with a single blade, which hold the feet together to encourage proper swimming form.
It will be easiest to purchase a monofin style swim fin but a monofin can also be created by duct-taping together single swim fins or making a monofin completely from scratch.
The latter two methods are not recommended but are certainly possible if a monofin is not available.
Monofins and other swim fins can be purchased at swimming and sports stores, as well as online. make sure to buy from a brand that can insure that they can are good to not break when you swim in them as cheap fins can fall apart or be uncomfortable or simply not work for swimming.
Try it on.
The foot pockets come in two styles: one with a single pocket and built-in heel and one with no heel and a strap to secure the fin to the foot.
Either style should feel secure when you kick but it should not pinch or chafe.
Your feet should feel comfortable and flexible.
With the monofin on, you can simply trace the shape of your legs and the fin onto cardstock or cardboard or you can measure yourself and create the pattern from the measurements.
If tracing, get help from a friend.
Making a pattern from measurements will require more math but will also be more accurate.
In order to make a pattern from measurements, measure the circumference (in other words, all the way around) your waist, hips mid-thigh, knees, upper calves, and ankles, as well as take the dimensions of the monofin.
Then measure the length between each section (knee to upper calf, upper calf to ankle, etc.).
Divide the circumference numbers in half and then draw your pattern, ensuring the width of each section is the same as the halved width measurements as well as ensuring that the distance between each section is the same as the length measurements you took.
The monofin can probably be traced directly onto the pattern separately from your legs, once you know where the feet will be.
You may wish to take measurements at more points along your body to ensure a more accurate shape, however, the swim fabric used to create the tail is usually stretchy and will generally conform to your shape so it does not need to be perfect.
For the pattern, you can draw it with a seam allowance or without.
If you do not draw it with the seam allowance, make sure that when you cut the fabric you do leave room for the seam.
Normally, it is better to not make a pattern with the seam allowance, as you can use the lines as a guide when sewing.
There are multiple ways to do the fin.
The easiest method is probably to leave a few inches of fabric at the bottom, along the bottom edge of the fin, and to leave the bottom open.
This will allow you to put the material on like a skirt and then the fins, stretching the fabric over the fins once they are on.
The excess fabric at the bottom can be cut to look like the uneven edges of a fish fin.
Another method would be to have a zipper along the bottom fin edge, and a clean line.
The last method would be to have a single seam all the way around, but this will make it more difficult to get in and out of the tail, as well as creating the difficulty of getting the monofin inside the fabric.
This will only work if you have a fin that is in two sections and is fairly flexible.
Decide which method is best for your needs and skills and make sure your pattern accounts for the method you have chosen. , First, you must buy fabric.
Try local sewing and craft stores or look online to find fabrics.
Use stretchy material suitable for going in water, namely nylon spandex.
Look for fabrics labeled as swimsuit material.
Thicker material is better than thinner material, as it will give a more flesh-like appearance.
Fold the fabric in two, so that the sides you want visible are touching, then trace the pattern onto the fabric using sewer’s chalk.
A marker or pen can also be used if you do not have chalk, but be aware that the lines may be visible once the fabric is flipped right-side-out.
Pin all along the traced line using straight pins so that the two fabrics are solidly joined.
Now, cut the fabric.
As stated above, make sure that there is a seam allowance when you cut the fabric.
A generous 1” allowance is best with this type of fabric.
Cut the fabric using very sharp scissors, preferably sewing shears, or any tool designed for cutting fabric.
Make sure to leave an extra inch or two at the top, where the waist is located, in order to make a hem for the waist.
You should also be sure that you cut your fabric appropriately for the method you chose for enclosing the fin. , Leaving the fabric open at the waist, sew down one side and then the other, following the drawn line of the pattern.
Be careful of the straight pins and remove them when they are no longer needed.
If you are going to completely enclose the monofin, simply start at the waist and go all the way around until you reach the other side.
If you are leaving it open or are using a zipper, do not sew along the bottom edge.
Since the fabric is stretchy, you will need to account for this in how you sew it.
Use a ball-point needle on your machine and set the machine for a stretch stitch, if possible.
If your machine does not have a stretch stitch, use a zigzag stitch.
You do not want to use a straight stitch, since this stitch will break when the fabric is stretched.
Make sure you also have the tension on the foot set a little bit looser than normal.When you are done with the sides, put in the zipper if you are using one.
Sew the hem of the waist and the flip the fabric right-side-out.
Now you are done!
About the Author
Robert Rogers
Experienced content creator specializing in DIY projects guides and tutorials.
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