Questions on sewing fish plushies

[biofish]

Hello! I don’t sew. At all. But my depression has been tearing it’s ugly little head and my sister recommended I try making plushies of my favorite fishies that have passed away.

So I figured I’d try it. I’ve got the body shape sewn together but I can’t figure out a good way to make the fins. The first one I’m working on was my lil gay guppy so I’m trying to figure out how to capture a nice thin but huge tail like that. I tried to do ruffles by folding lots of long skinny columns and stitching together the bottom like a fan but the fabric didn’t hold the shape very well and it just didn’t look great. I’ve heard about ironing but I don’t actually have an ironing board haha…. I tried seeing together two pieces of fabric but it looked stupid and stiff.

Im doing it all by hand so no sewing machine for lil ol me.

So any tips? Or sewing techniques/other projects I could look at? Or any recommendations for the shape of the cut of fabric for the tail? I was thinking maybe a tear drop shape with little bumps on the curve but I’m not sure how that would look.

I’m not sure what type of fabric it is… it’s just kinda spare I found around the house from old things/my sisters sewing phase forever ago.

 

[Rocky998]

I don't really sew much and can't recommend anything BUT I do wish you the best of luck on it and hope it helps you get out of your depressed state...

 

[JuiceBox52]

Don't have a picture of mine, but I've made bettas. I just do 2 layers of fabric, either straight together or with a very thin layer of stuffing in between, and do the shape, I sew lines straight down for the rays of the fins

 

[JuiceBox52]

I probably explained that badly lol, let me know and I can try explaining better or draw a diagram

 

[Rocky998]

I don't sew much and therefore don't have much of an understanding but I understood it well I think

I probably explained that badly lol, let me know and I can try explaining better or draw a diagram

 

[Rocky998]

I don't sew much and therefore don't have much of an understanding but I understood it well I think

So I think you did well

 

[Colin_T]

Either use 2 pieces of fabric with a bit of stuffing for the fins as described by JuiceBox52, or use a single piece of fabric. Stitching can help it hold the shape or use a fabric glue. Some glues remain stiff so the tail/ fins won't bend or flex, other fabric glues are flexible.

You could use a coloured lace for the tail and use fabric paint to make the different colours found in guppies.

Most plushy fish have 2 layers of material with stuffing, for the fins.

We wanna see pictures too.