My Swimwear Journey 2014-2018

When googling swimwear I find articles with titles like Coping with Body Image, Swimsuits for Women Over 40, Amazon’s 21 Best Sellers, Why Women Will Not Wear Swimsuits, How Not to Look Old in a Swimsuit (leave it to Oprah) and Best Day to Buy a Swimsuit (It’s June 8th according to that article). With so much negativity it’s no wonder swimwear is such a hard thing to shop for.

A few years ago I found I could make my own suits for $7-$15 in supplies. For that price it was worth the risk of taking the time to learn to make swimwear. Four years later and I’m ready to share all I have learned.

In the early days I only made one or two suits per season. The first one I made had fit issues (meaning it didn’t fit right). That first suit is how I learned swimwear is not supposed to be loose on the body. To do it right you need to keep it tight. This means trying it on before I add elastic now. I did the elastic on the second suit and though it fit better, I pulled the elastic too tight and it puckered around the neck. I still wear it and no one notices. See what I am saying here? Don’t be afraid to take that dive into a new area because you always gain skills through practice and failures.

: First Swim Suit 2014

: Second Swim Suit 2015

Eventually I learned that if my old swimsuit fits I can use it to make a master pattern. This is called a pattern block or a sloper. More tips with pictures!

: Have an old swimsuit that fits and you do not mind cutting it up?

: Mark each piece for what it is. Cut only half of the suit right down the middle for your pattern. After adding for your seam allowances then cut both NEW halves of each piece out of the new fabric.

: Use the correct tools. Stretch needles, thin sharp pins, and I always like serrated scissors.

: Practice your stitches until you find the one that works best. I love a zig zag stitch for this suit.

: Baste stitching each piece .

: Be prepared to use a lot of thread for all the stitching, lining and the elastic!

: Use the uncut half of that original swimsuit for directions to put it all back together.

: Always try it on along the way. When you are done test the two suits against each other to see if you came close to your original.

: Enjoy your finished swim suit!

In 2015 I also learned that professional photos and a beautiful model make an impact. These photos were taken by Sarah Babcock Studios and modeling is Philomina Majesta Afua Darko.

By 2017 I was really making swimwear more. I learned to always keep my scraps because in most cases a single yard of fabric will go a long way for me. All of the two piece swimsuits are made from the scraps of the one piece suits. This is like making free suits and cashing in on more practice.

Also, if you are using white fabric you need to double line each piece in swim lining. Swim lining comes at a 60″ width. If you get 2 yards it will line quite a few suits.

If you plan on getting into the water you must buy swimwear elastic. This elastic handles the chemicals from the pool better than others.

Alterations happen. Never be afraid to take your work apart and fix it. Nothing is ever perfect even with practice and just about everything CAN be fixed.

You really don’t need fancy machines to make your own swimwear. Up until this season I used a regular sewing machine. However, I recently decided to add some hardware to my skill set and so I bought a cover-stitch machine and a quality serger last January from Sew to Speak.

Along the way I also learned how to take a decent picture myself.

Finally, for every suit I make I learn something new. This particular suit I learned to check the scale of the print before I buy the fabric online. Large prints should have a large canvas and so I designed this suit to make the most of the repeating print.

Behind the Scenes~

Want to take a class?

Swim Suit Replica Basics Sew a Long

Here is a small part of my Christopher Club summer swim crew. Every year we add more fun and friends to the list.

SaveSave

Suzy Goose even got a new suit!

Thank you for reading!
Tracy McElfresh
Dream it! Sew it!

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

Author
Recent Posts

Tracy McElfresh

Owner at Tracy's Sewing Studio

Tracy McElfresh is an alterations and fit specialist, Kettering Arts Council member, and Kettering resident. Tracy has a skillset built from multigenerational roots in the sewing and garment industries. Operating out of a studio located inside Rosewood Art Centre she provides alterations, garment design (including a strong passion for swimwear), formal and casual dressmaking, and sewing classes. Tracy founded a meetup group in 2014 called the Dayton Garment Designers Meet Up that is open to all newcomers at any skill level. In her free time, she is an avid writer and blogger and was a recognized award winner in 2018 as having one of the Best Dressmaker Blogs on the Planet from Blogspot. You can follow her work on Facebook and Instagram at TracySews.

Latest posts by Tracy McElfresh (see all)