DIY Swimwear - My Guide to Sewing Bikinis
If you haven't made a bikini yet and been thinking about it, this is your sign to do it! Head over to Edgewater Avenue's site and pick out one of her many adorable bathing suit patterns! The best part about the Edgewater patterns is that they have a YouTube video tutorial for each so they are super easy to follow.
Total time to complete this project: only about 1 hour! The best part about bikinis is they are small garments so they don't take a long time to sew.
SEWING PATTERN USED:
Bikini Top Sewing Pattern: The Edgewater Ave's "Natalie" Top. This top is actually able to be worn 10 different ways which makes this an amazing swimsuit to bring on vacation and save some luggage space!
Bikini Bottom Sewing Pattern: The Edgewater Ave's "Freddy" Bottoms. These are pretty revealing and I ended up cutting the back to have a little more coverage but the pattern is easily adjustable to fit your preference!
MATERIALS:
- Fabric: Performance Nylon & Spandex Fabric in black from Joann
- Elastic: Rubber Swimwear Elastic (click image below)
- Thread: It's recommended to use a wooly nylon thread for swimwear, however I just used normal thread on my serger and felt that is okay. It just may be less durable over time.
- Machine: I only used my serger for this project.
- Loop Turner: For easily turning the straps.
- Seam Ripper: For opening a section to flip the bottoms right side out.
SIZING:
I used the measurement and sizing chart provided with the patterns and was able to easily pick the perfect size!
My measurements for sizing reference:
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 130lb
Waist: 26"
Hips: 39"
Bust: 37"
Size I chose: Medium in both the top and bottoms
ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO THE PATTERN:
I decided I wanted a still cheeky but slightly more covered version of the Freddy bottoms so I just created the paper pattern shown above on the left (compared to the Freddy pattern on the right). I made the bottoms lower waisted as well.
I did not make any adjustments to the top.
TIPS:
- Follow along with the video tutorials provided with each patter, it helps so much!
- Take your time, the elastic and fabric can be slippery so go slowly.
Comment if you have any questions! I hope you found this blog post helpful!
