The Sew and Tell Project

Hey all! I’m a little late to the party, but I *did* manage to sew some swimsuits for my girls! I’ve actually had these completed for a few months, but the girls weren’t very excited about having photos taken in their swimsuits. They just wanted to get in the water!

For my middle daughter, I used the Coco Cay Colorblock Tankini with some of Peek a Boo Pattern Shop’s amazing swim fabric. The thought of sewing a swimsuit was completely intimidating, but man…it was So. Easy. I used the Ocean Cuties and Mermaid Scales for this cute colorblocked suit with the bikini cut bottom style.

I did have a little trouble with stretching the elastic around the racerback, but I made another for my niece and it went much better the second time. My advice? Go slowly, and make sure you’re distributing the elastic evenly as you stitch.

My oldest picked these aqua polka dot and rainbow stripe swim fabrics (also from Peek a Boo. After much (so much) deliberation, we (finally) settled on the Bahama Mama Bikini Bottoms and the Bahama Mama Peplum Tankini. The bottoms were kind of a no-brainer.  She wanted a traditional bikini bottom, and I wanted a decent amount of coverage. I like that there is a more modest option on the waistband with this bottom, and also the amount of coverage around my daughter’s bottom.

I did alter the tankini slightly, although not that you’d see from the outside. I wanted a little more support and coverage on the inside, so I cut a double layer of swim fabric for the included shelf bra, and added a layer of swim liner, too. Once you add the elastic to the bottom, it feels very secure and gives good coverage. These cheerful patterns are perfect for a 13 year old!

So, if you’ve been intimidated by swim sewing, fear no more! If all four of us here at the Sew and Tell Project can do, so can you!

#sewalltheswimsuits