Sewing a Dragon's Tail

Look like a ferocious dragon with a homemade spiky tail.

Create a dragon's tail to complete a child's Halloween costume or for him to use during pretend play. Make the tail from your choice of fabric, whether it's cotton or faux fur; use scrap pieces of fabric from previous projects for a recycling-conscious sewing craft. Use two different colors or fabrics to make the tail more colorful, or embellish the finished tail with faux studs or scales for a fierce costume accessory.

Things You'll Need

• 1 yard fabric of your choice
• Measuring tape
• Tailor's chalk
• 1/2 yard fabric of your choice
• Sewing machine or sewing needle
• Thread
• Straight pins
• Cotton batting or polyester filling

Instructions

1. Cut two pieces of fabric for the main length of the tail. Each piece should be 22 inches long by 11 inches wide. Cut one more piece for the main length as a circle with a 7-inch diameter.

2. Place one of the 22-inch-by-11-inch rectangles on your work surface with one long side directly in front of you. Measure 4 1/2 inches upward from the bottom left edge. Make a small mark with the tailor's chalk. Measure 4 1/2 inches downward from the top left edge and make another mark.

3. Measure 4 inches inward from the right side at the top and bottom and make two marks with tailor's chalk. Draw a line from the bottom 4 1/2-inch mark to the bottom 4-inch mark. Draw a line from the top 4 1/2-inch mark to the top 4-inch mark. Cut along the lines. This makes the angled shape of the tail.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to angle the other 22-inch-by-11-inch rectangle for the tail.

5. Cut two pieces for the spikes of the tail from the 1/2 yard of fabric. Make each of these pieces 22 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide.

6. Place these two strips together with the correct sides — sides with any pattern, texture or image — facing inward. This side of the fabric appears on the outside of the dragon's tail. Use the chalk to draw spiky triangle shapes all the way along the length. Make the spikes as small or as large as you like.

7. Sew a running stitch along the spiky line and then cut off the fabric beyond the line, leaving about a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the spiky strip right-side out. Push the spikes out with a thin, blunt-end object, such as a pencil.

8. Place one of the angled tail pieces on your work surface with the correct side up. Position the spikes on top of the long, straight edge. Place the spikes so that the flat edge is aligned with the fabric beneath and the spikes are lying on the fabric.

9. Position the other angled tail piece on top of the other angled piece with the correct side downward. Pin through the layers to keep them together. Sew a running stitch down the pinned edge, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

10. Sew along the bottom, long edge to close the bottom of the tail.

11. Pin your fabric circle to the short end of the tail, opposite the angled end of the tail. Place the circle against the tail with the correct side —the side that will appear on the outside of the tail — facing inward. Sew around the circle to attach it to the tail, leaving a gap about 4 to 5 inches wide.

12. Flip the tail right-side out through the gap in the shorter end, opposite the angled end of the tail. The spikes should now be on the outside of the fabric.

13. Fill the tail with cotton batting or polyester filling. Turn the edges of the gap inward and sew along the folded edges to complete the tail.

Tips & Warnings

• Attach ribbon to the tail to attach it to your child's waist or sew it onto a dragon costume.

References

• "Creative Costumes & Halloween Decor: 50 Projects to Craft & Sew"; Editors of Creative Publishing