Swimsuit

We do have a bit of summer left, right?

Four weeks until school starts in these parts... but who's counting?

After sewing the Bug a suit last summer I've kind of been hooked. It's such a fun and unique thing to make and it makes me happy that the Bug has a one of a kind suit. 

I actually had a bit of trouble with fit this time so I made three variations of this suit this summer.  We passed the two versions that didn't quite work for the Bug on to two of her friends and they are all just tickled to coordinate on their Boys and Girls Club field trip days to the pool. Seven year olds do not apparently appreciate originality as much as I do.  But that's o.k.  I'm just glad she loves it so much she wanted to share!

I won the fabric in a blog contest. It came from the Fabric Fairy and is super great quality.  I loved it as soon as I saw it.  They still have some here.

The top of this tankini is from the Coney Island tankini pattern from Peek a Boo pattern shop.  The ruching is super cute and I love the band at the bottom that adds just a little bit more coverage.

I made the tankini bottoms from the Coco Cay tankini pattern.  Most of the fit issues were with the bottoms.  They were too tight so I went up a size which kind helped. Even so they seem a little small but I just told The Bug they need to be tight so they don't fall off in the pool. That seemed to work.  They don't look tight at all so I'm wondering if less leg elastic would have been better.

At any rate, the suit is adorable and well loved and that's really all I can ask.

~Lindsay

Swimming Suit

It's not like the Bug needed a swimsuit.

Well, she kind of did. She needed one to take to daycamp with her. One she could easily put on herself--her other suit has a halter top and she can't tie that herself--and one that could stay in her backpack and just go back and forth with her every day. So there's my justification.

In actuality, I was looking for a challenge. I wanted to attempt something I've never sewn before. And guess what? It's no where near as difficult as you might think. I shouldn't have waited so long to try it.

I was just going to wing it and trace an existing suit to make my pattern. But I was a little nervous about that, so I bit the bullet and bought the LaJolla One Piece Swimsuit pattern from Peek a Boo Patterns.  What can I say, I'm a sucker for a coupon code! And I really love Peek a Boo Patterns, they are one of my go to PDF pattern companies.

It was kind of tough to choose, there are a lot of swim suit options at Peek a Boo. Ultimately though, I'm all about the modesty of a one piece. As long as I have that control, I'm going to exercise it. And this one had the sew in straps with no tie which makes putting it on easy peasy for her. Also, it's kind of a blank slate. I can see lots of potential tweaking and making this pattern my own.

Like all Peek a Boo patterns I've tried my hand at, this one was well put together with clear and easy to follow instructions that are well photographed. The pattern instructions make things so easy I really felt foolish for waiting so long to give swimsuit sewing a whirl.

The only thing I would change about the pattern is the top. I'd like it to come up a bit further on the Bug's chest. It wasn't immodest or anything I just felt it was a bit low for my taste and it would be more interesting with a bit more shape there. The leg rouching was a cute touch. I left off the bows at the hip, I just didn't think they added anything to this suit.

The fabric is swimsuit fabric I found on the clearance rack at JoAnn's. Super cute polka dots, you can't go wrong. And since it takes so little fabric to make a swimsuit she just might get another suit in the same fabric next summer!  The whole thing is lined as well, with swim lining also purchased at JoAnn's.  I didn't find the fabric difficult to sew at all. It was most definitely easier to sew than some of the tissue weight knits I've sewn with. It was comparable to any other knit really and having the lining there with it help tone down the slip factor.

The Bug loves it. She loves a halter style more. . . I think it makes her feel more grown up. . . but she really likes that this is easy to slip on and I think she's a little proud that her Momma made it.  This won't be my last swimsuit sewn. I'll be coming back to this pattern again and again I think.

~Lindsay