Ruffled Maillot

Swimsuit: DIY
Earrings: DIY

Hat: Target

I have a few sewing goals this year and I'm checking them off one by one. Sewing a swimsuit - CHECK!!!

I can't tell you how excited I was when I finished this suit. I may have paraded around my home for a good 10 minutes in my suit because it felt good. I also put off sewing this suit for about 2 weeks after I cut out all the pieces because I was scared. Scared of sewing a swimsuit. Scared of putting in foam cups. Scared. I've noticed that fear has been holding me back lately. But I didn't need to fear. I've sewn a lot of knits and so this wasn't as hard as my head made it out to be. The foam cups were a cinch to put in also... so don't be afraid.

I was inspired by this suit and set out to recreate it. 

I used the free Boob Tube Swimsuit Pattern from Ralph Pink as the suit pattern. It is sized as a 10-12 pattern only so I was lucky that fit me. You could grade the pattern to fit you or work with a simple one piece swimsuit pattern and just cut off the top to make it strapless. I then drafted a flounce to attach to the top of the suit.  This pattern doesn't come with any instructions so this is how I put it together.

 

  
Materials:
1.5 yards Swimsuit Fabric
1 yard Swimsuit Lining Fabric 
Matching Thread
Ballpoint Needle

Swimsuit Elastic - I used 3/8" clear elastic that said on the back that it was for swimwear and safe with chlorine bleach

Draft your flounce piece in the beginning. It's basically two half circle skirt pieces. The small curve that attaches to the bodice will need to be the same length as the top of the bodice pieces and then you can make it as long as you want.  Mine is 8" long but if you want your ruffle more like the inspiration suit I would cut it to be about 5-6" long. You will not be hemming or seam finishing the flounce because swimsuit fabric doesn't fray... so make sure you make clean cuts.

1. Cut your front and back panels out of your swim fabric and swim lining. Cut out your flounce pieces after you've cut your main bodice pieces. Make sure you cut two flounce pieces.
2. Sew up the center back seam of the back panel, right sides together. Do this for both your main fabric and your lining fabric separately.
3. Sew the crotch seams together, right sides together/RST. Do this for both your main fabric and your lining fabric separately. 
4. Gather the sides of the front panel and match the gathers to the gather points of the back panel. Do this for both your main fabric and your lining fabric separately.
5. Add your foam cups to your lining fabric at this point. Here is a great tutorial for that. I just marked where mine looked like they should go and zigzag stitched them to the lining on the wrong side so they would be enclosed between the lining and main swimsuit fabric.
6. Sew up your side seams. Make sure your main fabric is RST and the lining fabric should be sandwiching the main fabric. Make sure the wrong sides of the main fabric and lining fabric are facing each other. The foam cups, back panel seams and crotch seams (of both main fabric and lining) should be enclosed between the two fabrics. Seam finish your side seams.
7. Stitch your flounce closed, RST. Make sure the finished opening is the same as the top of the swimsuit bodice. You may need to use a larger seam allowance.
8. Baste flounce to the top of the suit. The right side of the bodice and the wrong side of the flounce should be facing each other on this step.
9. Seam finish the top of the suit and leg openings.
10. Stitch elastic to the top of the suit and the leg openings, on the inside of the suit. I just lined up the elastic to the seam finished edges and zigzag stitched down the middle of the elastic. I cut a piece of elastic 3/4 the length of the leg openings/neckline and stretched it to fit. Here's a good video for that.
11. Turn elastic under and stitch down the elastic on both the top of the suit and leg openings. You can use a zigzag stitch or I used a straight stretch stitch.
12. If adding straps. Cut long strips of main fabric 1.5" wide, or wider if you want wider straps. Sew them into a tube, RST, then turn them right side out. securely sew the straps to the back of the suit and then try it on, mark placement of where you want the straps on the front (make sure you stretch the straps a bit so they hold up the suit) and then sew the straps securely to the front of the suit. Cut off any excess.

You're done. Take a pic and send it to me!  

Pattern Matching

I know there are lots of ways to do things. And maybe you've seen this before... but if you haven't... then here's a post for you.

This is how I match up my patterned fabric when I want the pattern to match at the side seams. I do this for my chevron shirts, my chevron maxi, and my daughter's maxi skirt... I'll also use this trick when I sew up my striped dress... whenever that happens ;)  Too much fabric means too many projects!


1. Start with Steam-A-Seam. There are 2 rolls in the package and that's a ton... I'm not even half way through my first roll.

2. Unroll it and tear off a piece the length of your pattern piece. Press the sticky side onto the fabric where your seam will be and where you want to match the pattern. Make sure to align it on the edge of the fabric so it stays within your seam allowance.

3. Lightly press according to package directions.

4. When cool gently pull off the paper.  Make sure you're not pulling up the webbing. You can see it in this pic as it slightly mutes the colors.

5. Take your other pattern piece and gently press the two pieces together  by hand, matching up the pattern.

6. Gently press with an iron.

7. When cool take the pieces to the machine and sew up your seam. Make sure your seam allowance is at least 3/8" so the Steam-A-Seam stays in the seam allowance.

I know you can do the same thing with pins but things still get a bit shifty and some stabbing may occur... or at least that happens around these parts. I find this step takes less time or just as long as pinning and works better. 

Is this how you match patterns? If not try it and let me know how it works for you.

~ Risa ~