Swim Suit

Last year when I bought the coverall pattern for my husband, I decided to pick up a swim suit pattern or two (I'm sure I bought three patterns...what was the third one? The only other Kwik sew pattern I seem to have is for a bra. I thought I bought that a long time ago. Maybe I only bought two patterns). One of the first three bathing suits I made for myself is nearly dead (it's just for our hot tub now), and although I made some bikinis and a one piece for our last cruise (Oct 2017), I decided it was time for a new suit. I've seen some awesome fabric online that I wanted to get so I need to muslin a new pattern. Looking at that link, I'd say both these suits are dead. I've been wearing the floral one lately; I think the other one died a while ago. I'm not sure it was actually swim suit material.

This pattern is Kwik Sew 4182. Since buying this pattern, I have really dived (LOL) into independent designers but I went with this one because I had it and our printer is dead. Today, on my Facebook "Memories", I complained 7 years ago that there weren't very many swim suit patterns on etsy for young girls. Well, this has all changed with the explosion of independent designers! As long as you have a printer, you never need to buy a "Big 4" pattern again.

I opted for the tankini, View A, with regular straps. Maybe if I get the fit right, I could wear a halter neck, but it always pulls on my neck. Swim suit fabric is stretchy, so the weight of my bosom pulls the strap down. I felt the legs on View A were lower cut than on View B, but they use the same pieces. I'm pretty sure they are lower than my original suits. I do prefer a higher cut.

I couldn't figure out why the bottoms looked so huge. I know I've put on weight in my bust and belly, but not my butt! Then I realized I cut them on a fold, instead of just doubled. So they are essentially 5/8"+5/8" too big. Phew. 

I shortened the bodice a smidge, but I didn't take too much off because I wanted to make sure it was long enough to cover my belly. I didn't do a proper FBA, but graded out at the top edge to an XL and I think I made a new size, XXL, for the bust. I had originally thought about turning the lining into a shelf bra, with some elastic, but I realized that I had no idea where to do that on the lining piece!! In the end, I think it's fine without it. 

I had such a hard time getting the front piece sewn to the lining at the bust, where the elastic shirring is. I could manage to get it lined up, but the very top end wasn't getting gathered and it was a hot mess. Ripping it out a few times made a little hole in the lining. 

Argh. I sewed this so many times. Finally just left it.

I know that without the top elastic and straps, it's near impossible to get an accurate fit. I could see that the top edge was too long. Elastic will bring it in, but you don't want it gathered. 

It also felt a bit snug across my middle. 

 Adding the elastic and the straps did help a lot. However, I think because the rouching didn't go high enough, the top edge is a bit high and has funny wrinkles instead of gathers. I could probably gather it better with some hand stitching. I did open up the elastic and made it quite a bit tighter across the front top which helped with that floppy dip at the center. I don't think I have a finished picture.

When I tried the bottoms on without the top elastic, I could tell they were too short for me. I like bottoms that go up to my natural waist, which is quite high, at my belly button. Otherwise, they just fall off, no matter what I try. So I cut a wide piece for a band. I wanted elastic in it. But how to add the elastic at the top fold and keep it straight while sewing it all together...I didn't think I could stitch it down straight, didn't know if I wanted the stitching to show, thought I could stitch it on the wrong side.  Lined it up several times, yet somehow when I sewed the band to the bottoms the stitching ended up on the right side...I just picked it out. The elastic doesn't stay quite at the top of the fold. I think next time, if I had to do this, I'd cut an outside and an inside to the band and put the elastic in the seam allowance at the top. But that would mean a bit more bulk. It probably doesn't need the elastic, but it makes me feel better.

I don't have a finished picture. The bottoms are a bit loose, even though I already unpicked the bum elastic once and re-sewed it. I made a XL front and a L back for the bottoms. I first used a piece of elastic halfway between the lengths given for L and XL. I have a tiny tush. The rouching on the top tends to sag.

In the end, I don't think this will work for the fabric I want to buy. The gathers mean much of the pattern is smooshed up. I think for the new fabric I will need a smooth front suit. Yikes. I do have one but I don't wear it much. Patterns For Pirates just came out with Minute Maillot and I love the high legs on that one, so perhaps if I lower the back, raise the leg holes, add the contrast bust band, and with the optical illusion of the print, it should look better than that blue blob :)