Sew, We Can Swim Now

Before we went camping, I got all inspired to sew some decent swimming suits for my dear girls. I tend to get all crazy for sewing right before we can expect overnight company, and my brother and his wife and his friend were slated to stop here one night before heading up into the hills. This is a problem because the guest room IS the sewing room.

Anyways, I found some actual legitimate swimwear fabric (four-way stretch lycra, actually), but no patterns. Not that that could stop me. Hah. I used a cap sleeve tshirt that currently fits each girl, and just traced that on the fabric. I had to hurry because of the overnight guest thing. I sewed the shirts, put 1/4 inch swimwear elastic in the collar (from my diaper making stash), and used the serger to make lettuce edging on the sleeves and hem.

For the lowers, I traced a pair of stretchy pants (that were also current size), and cut them out of black lycra. I serged these together with the seams outwards, to guard against any chafing. I had to think awhile on the skirty part. I had promised them a suit with a skirt, but I wanted it to be nice and modest. I measured them each appropriately, then cut the skirt in a half-circle (one piece), so it had some twirl-room.


I attached the waist elastic (3/4" cotton braided) to the 'shorts' and skirt in one move, then turned it inside and stitched it down.

I lettuce-edged the skirt hem, and left the leg cuffs raw. These nice knits don't ravel, you know. :) It ended up a bit longer than I had planned, but I think it works wonderfully anyway. What do you think?

Also, in the photos, they mixed up their shirts... Big Sister is wearing Little Artist's, and vice versa.