First, let's talk about fabric. Swimmer patterns are drafted with negative ease. This means that the finished garment measurements are actually smaller than the body measurements. Choosing a fabric with ample stretch ensures that you'll be able to put the swimsuit on and actually move in it. Two-way stretch fabric will accommodate stretch from selvage to selvage, but it does not offer much stretch in the length of grain. Two-way stretch fabric works for some two-piece suits, but never, ever, ever one piece, since you need one pieces to have some vertical stretch to them. Four-way stretch will stretch from selvage to selvage and then also in the length of grain, making it an ideal choice for maillots, which is a one piece swimsuit, as well as two-piece swimsuits. Four-way stretch fabric, where the stretch is both lengthwise and crosswise, is the best material for full, one-piece swimsuits – though it also suits bikinis. How to Make a Bikini: Free Bikini Pattern Sewing swimwear is one of my sewing superpowers. I think that after years of being so incredibly bummed out by ready-to-wear options when it comes to swimsuits, sewing my own bathing suit just felt super empowering and joyful. And I feel like it's my duty to pass on the swimwear love to you. So I'm going to show you the ropes of sewing your own swimwear. In this video, I'll cover how to select swimwear fabrics and lining, swimwear notions, some basic construction techniques, plus a bunch of tips along the way.

Swimsuits to Make at Home - Sewing From Home 2 DIY Swimsuits to Make at Home - Sewing From Home

Fabrics composed of nylon, about 80% to 90%, while also composed of Lycra and spandex, are good choices. Stretching Before you lay and cut your pieces out from your fabric, you first need to do a stretch test to determine which direction has the greatest stretch. You can use a ruler or a cutting mat as a guide. Place two pins in your fabric about 5” apart and, while stretching the fabric, keep one pin at 0 and see where the second pin can stretch to. Repeat for both grains. Combined with the effects of saltwater or chlorine, your fabric can have unintended side-effects when chosen poorly. Where to Buy Fabric

Cutting Out

Do a seam “pop” test on scrap fabric, if it does adjust stitch tension and length (loosen tension and shorten stitch length) First things first: you don’t even need a serger to sew your own swimwear. Sure, it helps, but it’s not necessary. Lay pattern pieces on the fabric and lining, then cut appropriately. Place the lining, wrong sides together, and retrace the elastic placement marks on lining. Mark the organza placement on the lining. I hope that sewing your own swimsuit feels a little bit less intimidating now! A project sewn in so much stretch fabric is only an obstacle until you get addicted to that custom fit! "Stretch" Your Skills

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Before you can sew up your swimsuit, you'll need to cut it out. Slinky swimwear fabrics can have a mind of its own. Use these tips to make cutting your fabric a breeze. Utilize single layer cutting wherever possible. This will give you more control since it won't be two layers of slinky fabric to deal with. If you're using a printed fabric cut with the right side facing up. This will help you to anticipate print placement as you lay out and will help you to avoid any unfortunately placed flowers.The combination of a rotary cutter and pattern weights can help you to have a little bit more control as you cut. Top right: This Burda Styleswimsuit pattern#115 from the 07/2018 issue is the pattern I used in the gusset images. It’s a great pattern that offers bust support without underwires, padding and a bra shelf.The stretch of your fabric is a crucial element in your project. Two-way stretch fabric will expand either lengthwise or crosswise, making it great for bikinis. Grainline also really matters. Take extra care to make sure you're cutting your pattern pieces on grain. In most cases, elastic is the means by which you will finish the edges of your swimwear project. The most common technique used to apply elastic is the sewn and turned method. To do this, clip the elastic to the wrong side of the raw edge, evenly distributing the fabric to the elastic. Use a serger or a wide and short zigzag stitch to overcast the elastic and fabric together. Then you'll turn the elastic to the wrong side of the garment and use a standard or a three step zigzag to topstitch everything in place. You'll need to gently stretch the fabric as you overcast stitch and topstitch. Try your best to stretch evenly as you go. It can also be really helpful to turn your machine to the needle down position so you don't accidentally pull your fabric out from underneath your presser foot when you stop stitching. Stretching: Does the fabric stretch two-way, or four-way? Four-way stretching is much better for swimwear.