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How to Make a Dinosaur Tail

Looking for a cute addition to your child’s dinosaur Halloween costume (or just something fun for playtime)? Make your own at home using fabric and polyfil batting for a 3-D, fun effect.

StepsEdit

1
Pre-cut your tail. By pre-cutting the fabric, it will allow you to assemble the tail a little quicker than measuring, cutting and sewing all at once.
- Cut the main fabric area: tail--cut 2 sections that are 22″ x 11″. Waist strap: Four pieces of 12″ x 3″. Circle cut 7” in diameter. Spikes cut two 22 x 3.5”.
2
Create tail. Measure 4.5” from the left top corner and bottom left corner of the fabric and 4” from the top of the right top corner of the fabric.
- Mark and cut.
- Mark and cut the same measurements on the other piece of tail fabric.
3
Design dino spikes. Draw spikes using your fabric pencil, on the inside of the fabric. Leave approximately ½” between each spike and use the entire fabric size to create the spikes.
- Sew spikes, inside out.
- Cut along spike seam line, leaving approximately ¼” allowance for the entire strip.
- Snip the top of each spike and the corners of the spike triangles. Be careful not to snip through the sewn areas to avoid creating a hole.
- Turn spikes right-side out and poke spike tips outward using the end of the pen.
4
Attach spikes. First pin the spikes to one piece of the tail with the biggest spike on the wider end of the tail.
- Sew the spikes to the first piece of the tail with 1/4" seam allowance.
5
Sew tail. Put the two identical pieces of tail fabric together, but inside out.
- Sew tail leaving 1/2” seam allowance. Leave a space (about 4 to 5 inches) below the spike for the stuffing that will be added inside the tail later.
6
Create and attach waist straps. Put two straps together (inside out) and sew 3 sides (leaving the bottom side unsewn).
- Trim corners.
- Turn strips right side out and then add top stitching along the edges.
- Sew Velcro pieces on the ends of the waist straps.
- Pin waist straps inside the tail. Make sure Velcro pieces match up so they will attach when worn. Sew straps to tail.
7
Sew the circle around the tail.
8
Stuff and close tail. Add polyfil stuffing and then replace with circle to close tail. Stitch around the sides to secure in place.
9
Done!

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Community Q&A

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Which fabric looks the best when sewn?

Answered by wikiHow Contributor
- Satin.
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Why mark down 4" from the top? You measure from the 4: mark?

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Things You’ll NeedEdit

¹⁄₂ to ³⁄₄ yard (0.5 to 0.7 m) fabric (nothing too stretchy)
¹⁄₄ yard (0.2 m) spike fabric
5″ Velcro
Polyfil batting
Fabric pencil

TipsEdit

Use this method to make other tails such as a mermaid tail.

2 Helpful? 0
Consider adjusting the tail length based on your child’s size (smaller children require a smaller tail).

2 Helpful? 0