My swimsuit!

Over the summer me and my sisters decided it was high time we got around to making ourselves some real swimsuits. :) Nothing on the regular market is really modest and most of the modest options that are out there are way over our price range. So for the last few years we've just been wearing our regular clothes in the water. But that's no fun and honestly it doesn't work that great.

 After searching thru our options we decided to use Miss Olivia's e-book pattern as our base. Tonight I only have pictures of mine, we haven't had the chance to do photoshoots of the others yet. :( But with time you'll get to see them. :) I ordered the fabric from Spandex House. They have so many choices...I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to decide. :P Finally I narrowed it down to 2 final choices....and this is what I came up with. :D For the shorts that go under it I just choose a plain 2-way stretch black.

Lots of measuring!

 I was slightly intimidated by thought of sewing with spandex never having done it before. But it really wasn't as bad as one would expect, not even as bad as a china silk or chiffon...
 As with most things I make, I altered the pattern and instructions some. For example I put the waistband (doing away with the elastic) on the skirt then sewed the bodice onto it. Rather then leaving it in 2 pieces. I have to say I don't think that would have worked well, at least on me. I'm sure it would constantly be riding up...And it hasn't showed any signs of sagging or any such thing.

Even more measuring. :P

I was planning on putting puff like sleeves on it, but as I was constructing it I tried it on to see how long I needed to make the straps and I fell in love with the way it looked with out them. I just hemmed the armscye edge where the sleeves would have been put...



Cutting! Would you believe I was brave enough to let my sister cut that close to my hands?!!? :P

  It was pretty easy to construct. We were able to use her sample pattern with several adjustments rather then having to start from scratch. So that was really nice. :)
 I was also going to make a sash for it which I may still do I was drawing up a blank on how to get it to look like I was picturing. Plus I'm happy with it, without it for now. ;)

The hardest part was by far drafting the sloper for the shorts. I have a smallish waist with considerably large hips and that is apparently hard to draft for. lol 

Going over instructions....



Some of my 'weapons'. :P

Yet again measuring...



Its a code I use so only I can understand it. :P

The beginning of a pattern!

Working on the front....

Getting redundant is it? :P That's kinda how I felt doing 3 slopers in one afternoon. Enough measurements, lines, and dots to make my head spin. :S

At last a finished product. :)
*Thanks to Megan for taking all the pictures of the construction process. :)

 And now for the many photos of the finish suit. :)

As you can probably tell by all the pictures I'm kinda obsessed with it. *grin* I've spent countless hours in the pool with it and it works very nicely! I was able to stay with my Aunt and Uncle in Missouri for 10 days this summer. Thanks to my dear little cousin, Lois. I learned how to swim!!!!!!!! I've wanted to master it for so long. So as you can imagine I was completely thrilled to finally be able to do it. :D I had many wonderful 'teachers' there. And when I came home I went to the last 4 days of swim lessons with 3 of my siblings and 6 cousins. We had complete blast and I'm so thankful God has blessed me with such a wonderful family! :)

*Photo credit to my dear sister Michelle. She's such a wonderful photographer. :) Fall has officially kicked in here so we had to fight with extreme winds, as well as my unruly to long bangs and a full circle skirt and I know how hard that can be. So a huge thanks Michelle. :)

Love,

Brooke