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Whether you’re all about the bikini, tankini or one piece, there’s one thing that’s true : This summer, it’s all about the me-made swimsuit. With options to customize your suit through style, surface pattern (Have you seen the 500,000+ options in the Marketplace?) and fabric type (Did you know our Sport Lycra is swimsuit approved?), how could you not give these 10 DIY swimsuit projects a try?
The summer weather is heating up here in North Carolina and the first day of summer is right around the corner (oh wait – it’s here)! The weekends will soon be filled with adventures to the beach and pool which means we’ll also be needing the perfect swimsuit! Luckily, there are so many great swimsuit patterns available to pair with our favorite swimsuit material, Sport Lycra. Today, we’re excited to share one of the newest patterns helping us beat the heat : the RiRi swimsuit by Mimi Goodwin featured in May’s issue of Sew Sew Def Magazine. Keep reading to see how Alexia Sotelo, a self-taught sewist and DIY swimsuit extraordinaire, shows how easy it is to make your own swimsuit. Beat the heat bonus : she’s sharing her own variation of the swimsuit and the secret to a custom swimsuit for just $32.00!
Get ready for the beach with the RiRi swimsuit
Alexia : I am a self taught seamstress and have been sewing for about 4 ½ years. Since teaching myself to sew, I have learned that sewing swimsuits is probably my most favorite thing to make! People often tell me they would love to sew themselves a swimsuit but are so intimidated and have no idea where to start. While I haven’t been sewing as long as some, I am here to tell you, sewing a bathing suit is really not as hard as it may seem! I think the most difficult part for me is finding quality swim fabric in a print that I like. The Spoonflower sport lycra is nice and thick and has a matte finish to it : just what I like! The only problem I have now is there are SO many amazing designs to choose from it’s nearly impossible to choose just one or two! I absolutely love the RiRi swimsuit and it’s the perfect pattern to use if this is your first attempt at a bathing suit! It has a flattering fit, an on trend vintage style, and it’s construction gives you the freedom to play around with a couple of prints to give it a fun look!
Let’s get started!
Store-bought swimsuit woes — we’ve all had them. You’re inside a horribly lit fitting room with 10 different suits, all of them gaping in the wrong areas, barely covering you in others. Is it just me or is your normal dress size nearly doubled when it comes to bathing suits? I’m convinced it’s a cruel joke on the part of these swimwear designers who are just out to get us frustrated and confused about what’s going to actually fit. In the journey to total body confidence, swimwear can be a dreaded thing for many women. Enter the me-made suit. When you sew your own, you have complete control over fit. You can show off the areas you feel comfortable with, and cover the parts you want to be more modest about. No weird size tags, just pure and honest measurements. No itchy labels. No weird pulling or gaping. Just your perfect dream suit, in your perfect print or even one you designed yourself.
I recently came across the Bombshell Sew Along and pattern from Closet Case Patterns. Let me tell you — this sew-along / pattern combo was sent from above! I was once super intimidated by the idea of sewing my own swimsuit, but knowing that Heather’s sew along would guide me through each and every step with extremely thorough instructions, photos and diagrams along the way made me feel brave enough to take the plunge — and I’m so glad I did.
Here we are at part three of our Alison Swimsuit sew along! This is the third and final part, so when you are finished with these steps you are done and can start wearing your own. This last part is all about sewing the bands and fitting the suit to your body.
First, we need to sew together and stretch in the back band that transforms into the straps.
We cut two of the strap pieces, so we must first sew them together. Place the edges right sides together and sew/serge.
Welcome back to part two of our Alison swimsuit sew along with Sport Lycra! This type of fabric is just perfect to use for sewing up your own swimwear, and the Alison swimsuit sewing pattern is a great option since it is a one piece and can really show off the awesome print you chose for your fabric!
We left off last time in part 1 of the Alison Swimsuit Sew Along sewing the crotch seams together, and now it’s time to finish off the rest of the bodice. Grab your bust piece since we will be starting there.
