How to make a monster tail - Delaney Designs

Here’s a step by step guide on how to turn an old pair of jeans into a dinosaur tail for your little one. I keep seeing these tails at UK festivals and I thought I would share how you can make one yourself. Not just for kids, just increase the sizing for an adult version. This guide shows how to upcycle your jeans and yellow spikes have been added, but you could use any fabric you like and decorate with spots and for extra glamour, add sequins to your tail.

You will need:

A pair of jeans or fabric of your choice
A contrasting fabric to make the spikes
Some stuffing – you could use an old pillow
Some ribbon – enough to tie around the waist in a bow
Tape measure, pins, needle and thread and a pair of scissors

Step 1 – Cutting out the main tail

Take a trouser leg and cut the hem off. From that raw edge, I measured 18 inches along and cut straight across the leg. Then cut diagonally to make a triangular shape (keep the bottom right triangle shown in picture below)

Step 2 – making the spikes

Firstly, cut out the triangles for your spikes. I used five in my version and the biggest one was 4 inches tall. You’ll need two sides for each spike. Pin wrong sides together, sew along two sides and turn right side out.

Step 3 – add the spikes to the tail body

Turn the body of the tail right sides together. Insert the spikes as shown. Sew along the length of the tail to sew the spikes in place. Leave the short edge of the tail open.

Next, turn the tail out and stuff the tail.

Step 4 – adding the ribbon fastenings

Pin the tail closing together and catch the ribbon into the closing. I used two lengths so it could be tied round the waist. Hand sew along this last bit to close up the tail.