The Ginger Swimsuit Sew Along + GIVE AWAY! CLOSED!

Oh my goodness… I sewed like a mad woman over the last few days, testing my new pattern… and, I think it’s ready to go! So, I am happy to announce that I will be also hosting a sew along for the 1 piece swim suit version of the Ginger Pattern.

Here’s a sneak peek:

The instructions in the digital pattern do not go over things like adding elastic under the bust, or how to sew in the padded cups, so I will be going over all of these things here.  I’ll also be showing how to sew on the elastic and how to make adjustable straps.

You are going to need a few things that might be hard to source if you are from a small town like me.  First, you will need swimsuit fabric.  While Spandex is the best, it is expensive and not always easy to find.  I am using a combination of black Spandex with a polyester knit that I will line.  If you cannot find Spandex, 100% polyester knits are good because they dry quickly.

 This swimsuit will be lined, so you also need swimsuit lining.  Swimsuit lining is often made of nylon or polyester, and is very stretchy.  It is important that all of the fabrics that you use are 4-way stretch fabrics, or you will need to make some major fit adjustments.

Spandex World has a great selection of Swimwear fabrics. Spandex House is also great.

The most important things about the fabric that you choose are: 1) they will be chlorine and water friendly.  Synthetics tend to dry quicker, and fabrics like polyester tend to have good chlorine resistance. 2) They are 4-way stretch knits.

You will need to buy enough fabric to do a mock up and your actual garment.  I recommend buying 1 yard of inexpensive stretchy knit fabric to test the pattern, and 1 yard of “good” fabric for your actual swimsuit. Don’t forget to buy a coordinating swimsuit lining in either white, beige or black!  I can’t stress enough how important the muslin is for 1 piece swimsuits.  In my experience, finding the right length for the swimsuit on your first go is very, very tricky!

You will also need 2 yards of chlorine-friendly 1/4″ – 3/8″ wide elastic to match your fabric, 1/2 yard of soft elastic for a band under the bust, and sew in swimsuit cups.  Optional are bra strap sliders and clear elastic.

Of course, you will also need a pattern.

To Kick off the Sew Along, I’ll be giving away a free copy of the PDF pattern to TWO Lucky winners! Here’s now to enter:

I’ll be choosing two winners on August 1st, and will post my first sew along post on Friday August 3rd!