Making Your Own Bathing Suit

Making Your Own Bathing Suit

The pleasant, enjoyable months of summer are quickly approaching, so now is the time to make all the necessary preparations. You've got your pool and/or hot tub set up, but have you thought about what swimwear you'll wear to show it off? Purchasing a bikini, as most women are aware, can be one of the most frustrating and heartbreaking experiences ever (or women).Why not construct your own swimsuit this year instead of going through the effort of purchasing one? You may save a lot of money on a new swimsuit by making one yourself, and it won't matter if you're a beginner or an expert seamstress. This quick tutorial will help you choose the correct design, fabric, and other sewing supplies to create your own custom swimsuit. After that, the possibilities for your own, ultra-customized bathing suit are endless.

Patterns

While you can find swimwear patterns from just about any pattern company, not all of them are created equal. There are a few pattern firms that offer the greatest swimsuit patterns, and they are your best bet if you want something that is easy to follow, available in a variety of styles, and tailored to your specific body type. The best variety of styles and the most reliable fit may be found in swimsuit patterns from Kwik Sew and Stretch & Sew. Companies like these also account for torso length when designing their designs and sizing charts. There are several factors to consider while sizing a DIY swimsuit, but torso length is among the most crucial.

Sizing

In order to ensure that you are able to accurately obtain the pattern pieces that correspond to your body measurements, the majority of designs will provide a sizing chart. While this sizing guide is generally accurate, remember that your ideal swimsuit size will be anywhere from one to three sizes larger than the size you normally wear in pants or dresses. Spandex tends to expand somewhat when wet, so be sure your swimwear fits properly the first time around.

Fabric

You may find a wide variety of spandex and Lycra fabrics designed specifically for bathing suits at any fabric store. A spandex-based material is the easiest to work with for your first DIY swimsuit, and it is the most likely to give the stretch and coverage you need, though you could use cotton or velvet if you wanted to. These days, you may find spandex in either a two-way or four-way stretch type. Fabrics that stretch and recover in two directions are said to have two-way stretch, whereas those that stretch in four directions are said to have four-way stretch. Fabric with four-way stretch is more expensive, but it will last longer and have more give. Fabrics with two-way stretch tend to run, although this is not always a dealbreaker for a leisure swimsuit. Keep in mind that their durability is lower.

There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for swimsuit fabric. You should start by selecting a cloth that has been treated to resist the effects of chlorine (especially if you plan to do any swimming in your swimsuit). You should ask the salesman if the fabric is resistant to chlorine before purchasing it, but most swimsuit fabrics are. You should then go out and get fabric in a shade and/or pattern that you love and that looks great on your body. Remember that darker colors and designs tend to slim and conceal, while pastels and sparkly fabrics draw attention to imperfections. Always hold a fabric up to your body before making a purchase to be sure the hue flatters your skin tone and hair. As a final consideration, select a fabric with adequate stretch and bounce. Check the fabric's flexibility and recovery before you buy it.

Lining

You'll need to buy a swimwear liner if you want your swimsuit to be completely covert. Lining can be found in close proximity to the swimwear fabric at most retailers. It's important to line the front and crotch of your swimsuit if you're using a light or medium color or print. The lack of elasticity in the front of the garment can be made up for by leaving the back of the suit unlined. If you're sewing a swimsuit out of a dark fabric, you might not need to line the entire thing. The inside of your swimsuit should be a close match to the color of the outside of your suit.

Notions

You will need thread, needles, elastic for the armholes, legholes, neck hole, and straps, and a pattern for your chosen suit style in order to put it together. If you plan on using the elastic in a chlorine-based environment, look for one that has been treated to resist degradation from chlorine. Cotton-wrapped elastics are the most reliable and comfortable option for swimwear. The pattern suggests using 3/8-inch-wide elastic for the armholes, legholes, and neck hole and 1-inch-wide elastic for the straps. You should use polyester or texturized nylon thread in your sewing machine (both the needle and the bobbin) to make your swimsuit last as long as possible. If you want, you can change the thread color.Use this thread to add some flair to the body of your swimsuit; it doesn't have to match the rest of the suit.

The Process of Tailoring a Suit

Once you have collected the materials for your swimsuit, you may move on to the next stages of the process: cutting, stitching, and fitting. Cut and sew your swimwear according to the pattern's guidelines (which can appear somewhat different from other fabrics). If you want to make a swimsuit you'll be proud to wear all summer, you should get it fitted several times before you start sewing.