Channel: Mermaid Linden

Category: Howto & Style

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Description: You've always wanted a swimmable mermaid tail, but they’re too expensive or you don’t sew! Save money, time and energy and MAKE one for Birthdays or Holidays with this FUN 5-minute long tutorial! SUBSCRIBE for more awesome MERMAID videos! REMEMBER: Never swim alone. Always swim with a lifeguard or adult watching you. SAFETY FIRST! All you need are six items! MONOFIN: amzn.to/1LOcfZq 4-WAY STRETCH LYCRA: bit.ly/1hWzeoY SCISSORS: amzn.to/1LpwaME WASHABLE MARKER: amzn.to/1GjJgwc YARD STICK: amzn.to/1ZZQ6NQ PAPER FOR TRACING: amzn.to/1GW2Hpv Be sure to pause the video as you go through the steps as you need to. We recommend watching it the whole way through first, and then making your tail once you gather your items to make it! It’s super FAST and EASY to make your own beautiful, SWIMMABLE mermaid tail with this simple technique, which I learned about from two of my amazing little sea fans on Instagram, Annie and Kate! Thanks, girls!! Let’s get started! All you need to make your tail is: 1) A Mermaid Linden by Body Glove Monofin ☺ 2) 2 yards of at least 40” wide 4-way stretch lycra swimming fabric in any color you wish 3) Simple wrapping paper 4) A washable marker (you can borrow one from the kids!) 5) A yard stick or long ruler The monofins can be found on Amazon Prime for as little as $26 dollars with FREE 2-day shipping! They fit from junior sizes all the way up to a women’s size 8!!! believe it or not, with the foam inserts removed and the straps fully extended. FUN! Lycra fabric can also be found online by the yard, very inexpensively! Make sure you order 4- WAY STRETCH lycra which measures at least 40” WIDE by 2 yards long so it’s at least twice the width of your monofin at the widest point, and long enough for your little mermaid or merman’s legs plus the monofin. There are hundreds of colors, patterns and even hologram and metallic lycras to choose from. HAVE FUN and find the one that you LOVE! STEP ONE: Make your pattern. - Roll out your wrapping paper on the floor. - Have your future mermaid or merman lay on the paper with their toes pointed. - Trace your model from their belly button down around their pointed toes all the way around. - Now line up the toes of your monofin footpockets with the traced toes of your model. - Trace around the monofin to complete your outline! - Now cut out the outline to make your pattern ☺ STEP 2: Create your outline - Take your 2 yards of fabric and fold it in half the long way, putting the “pretty” side of the fabric inward, so you are seeing the “back” of the fabric. - Place your pattern on top of the fabric, leaving plenty of extra fabric below the fluke to play and be creative with later - NOW trace your pattern on the fabric with your washable marker, marking 2 inches BEYOND the actual pattern, leaving 2 inches of fabric for you to knot later. STEP 3: Mark your lines and cut your shape - Using your yard stick or a long straight edge, begin marking horizontal lines ONE INCH APART all the way down your tail, making sure the lines are as straight across as possible. - Now cut out your tail carefully following the outside line, making sure the two pieces of fabric stay together. STEP 4: Cut your fringes - Now cut all of the lines, all the way down both sides, leaving the bottom open and flat so you have extra fabric to play with later ☺ - Next, flip your fabric so the “pretty side” is facing out, and line up your fringes STEP 5: Tie your knots! - Here comes the fun part: Line up your fringes, and tie square knots all the way down. A square knot is just like the first step of tying your shoe laces, only twice. Right over left, then left over right. The most basic of knots ☺ STEP 6: Design your fluke - Once you finish knotting, your tail is almost complete! All you have to do now is decide how you’d like to finish your fluke, or the bottom where the monofin slides in. We recommend leaving the bottom open so your mermaid or merman can easily slip the tail off if need be, and to give it a fun, flowy look! You can cut fringes at the bottom, you can add knots if you want it tied off, you can leave your monofin fluke tips hanging out because they look really cool, or you can go crazy and add fun trailing fabric in a different color. Be creative....make it your own unique design! STEP 7: Try on your tail - Have your model be dazed, glazed and amazed as they try on their tail for the first time! We recommend always sitting down when in the tail if you aren’t in the pool so you don’t trip or fall. NEVER SWIM ALONE or without a lifeguard or parent watching your little merperson. HAVE FUN and email pictures or videos of your DIY mermaid tail to info@mermaidsinmotion.com and you could be featured on the Mermaid Linden channel!