I Made This Swimsuit

You may remember this photo from my post ... yesterday :).

I also noted that I made this swimsuit! Honestly, I didn't know that it was going to be possible to make a swimsuit that I would feel secure enough in to wear in public. But, I can assure you, I received no strange looks and nothing came peeping out while in the water or on the beach. And I mostly winged it! Crazy, right?

I found this mustard striped swimsuit fabric on clearance at JoAnn's for $3.50 a yard. I had no idea how to make a swimsuit and had no pattern to go off of, but I love a challenge (especially one that only costs $3.50 .. and works out well in the end!). So I bought a yard of it.

I saw a cute swimsuit at the store that seemed easy to make, so I somewhat shamelessly took it into the dressing room and took these measurement photos.

Body parts are the best for measurements! I also picked up this pattern to get the front piece right. I used the top front piece from the center top image.

And then .. I winged it. I cut out two of the top front pieces from the pattern. I used my measurements and trial and error to make the tapered back pieces, using a swimsuit clasp from JoAnn's (super cheap) for closure. Since I didn't want to be all hanging out there .. you know what I mean .. I used some lining cups from an old swimsuit and made the ends of the swimsuit so I could insert them and take them out.

I made a long tube and tapered it to make the front tie. I put the strapless suit on to measure to add the halter string. Top stitched everything along the way. And .. boom. Top done. The bottoms were much more straight-forward. I used a bottom that I liked to trace a pattern and cut out an outside and lining piece. Sewed it all together .. done. If I hadn't been super lazy, I could have serged the seams to make it look better. But I only see that so it's okay.

Here's how much it was to make a swimsuit that was around $40 in the store:
Fabric - $3.50 + $3.50 lining fabric for bottom = $7.00
Swimsuit clasp - about $2.00
Pattern - $1.00 on sale
Total - $10.00

Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to make swimwear, if you know how to sew. A pattern more than likely would be easier to use than what I did, and although these patterns are in short supply (I only found one in the McCall's book at JoAnn's), they can at least get you started.

I'll end with this photo .. the photo I was considering not posting because I have horrible burn lines, the one I adjusted the color to so those burns wouldn't look so bad, and the one I decided not to photoshop to cover up my burns :). This photo is also (ironically) the best one from vacation of me having the swimsuit on!