Replies

1. 
   carolfresia | Jul 07, 2005 08:25pm | #1

   Thanks for the suggestion! It has been a long time since we covered that topic. I've noticed that more people are sewing bathing suits, and for exactly the reason you mention: it's one of the few areas of sewing where you can save significant $$ over buying RTW. And time and the overall annoyance of shopping for a bathing suit. I'll bring this up at the next editorial meeting.

   Carol

1. 
   Lizothelake | Jul 08, 2005 01:31am | #2

   How about an article detailing how to make a swimsuit with 'more than' and 'less than' the usual "B Cup" styles. My daughter would love a suit which actually worked for her 38 DD top, and the cost of such tops in the stores, if you can find them is astronomical, or else you buy on the net and get a pig-in-a-poke; the only ones I have seen tend to be for "Body Builders" or are traditional Bikinis, while she'd prefer something between those and a "Aquafit for Older Ladies Swim Dress".

   Liz

1. 
   carolfresia | Jul 08, 2005 04:41pm | #3

   Liz, thanks for your input. Meanwhile, if you haven't taken a look at http://www.patternreview.com, I'd encourage you to do so. There are many reviews there, including some of swimsuits in a variety of sizes. These can be very helpful in guiding you toward a suitable pattern for your daughter.

   Carol

1. 
   KarenW | Jul 14, 2005 07:34pm | #4

   Liz makes some excellent points, I have no problem making swimwear for myself, and did so for my daughter for years, but she's also a 38DD (and a teenager so the balance between style, support and modesty is a precarious one...).  She recently found a great fitting suit that I'm going to try and draft a pattern from, and Sandra Betzina had a great method for stitching a bra into the swimsuit you're making that could well be incorporated in an article of this kind - it's what I plan to try for my daughter this year.    In my area I hear of a lot of people making dance costumes, leotard, skating outfits and if the swimwear article was titled or written so as to include those areas where these types of garments overlap, i.e. fitting w/negative ease, support, elastic fitting and insertion, it may garner even more interest.

    

   Karen

1. 
   woggy | Apr 10, 2006 04:35pm | #10

   Could you please direct me to where I would find Sandra's instructions on how to put a bra in a bathing suit.

   Thanks

2. 
   dotty | Apr 01, 2006 07:04pm | #5

   Yes fiting a swim suit would be agreat article. In addition to being a DD (for which I've never found suitable cups),I also have a very flat rear. The suits I've bought always end up drooping as I get out of the pool. I think its fortunate I never actually see myself then!

1. 
   rsolish | Apr 01, 2006 08:00pm | #6

   That would be wonderful and it already sparked my imagination, if only you could please add a column about the right kind of fabrics and where you can order them on-line. who knows I might even be able to find the fabric here in Israel.
   Raya
   From Netanya

2. 
   mem | Apr 06, 2006 06:41am | #7

   yes please  !I would also like an article on construction deatils for swimsuits.

1. 
   dotty | Apr 06, 2006 08:30pm | #8

   Yes that would be good too. I would really like to know various ways of putting in elastic. Thats what finally made me give up on swimsuits.Also something about tankinis would help.

   Edited 4/6/2006 1:40 pm by dotty

1. 
   smr | Apr 07, 2006 05:00pm | #9

   I would also like to know how to put an underwire bra into a swimsuit.  My sisters and I would truly appreciate any help on that.  The shelf bras in rtw suits just don't work...

3. 
   woggy | Apr 10, 2006 04:45pm | #11

   Carol,

   I have come to the conclusion that the menopausal woman who has a moderate bust size A going into a B with curvey hips and low swung fanny is a forgotten figure. 

   I have an hour glass figure - wide shoulders and wide hips but not the bust to balance it.  My fanny is slung low and I have a pot belly - I am considered short waisted even though from the top of my shoulders to my waist is long.

   Lee pants with the elastic sides at one time fit me beautifully.  But as everything else in the moderate price world, these pants have become "cheap" and no longer fit the same.

   The same holds true for bathing suits.  Lands' End had great suits 10 years ago but now its bathing suit line is no longer the same.

   I would love an article on bathing suits, but I hope it is written with enough detail to understand and use.  So many of the articles now published in Threads lack enough directions and can be confusing.

1. 
   Brenn | Apr 22, 2006 04:17am | #12

   I'll vote for a swim suit article too.  I make my own but they are quite simple, suitable for swimming in (i.e. exercising) rather than looking good on holiday around the pool.  Hints on complicated stuff like supporting D cups, interesting designs and adding fancy bits would be nice.

   My particular fitting problem was a largish bust, long body and relatively modest behind which makes it difficult to buy rtw.  I measured a simple ready made costume that fitted round the hips and guessed how much extra I needed in the bust and the length.  Then I altered a vogue pattern accordingly.

   I found some cheap fabric and within a few iterations had a decently fitting costume.  It's great, now I have the perfect pattern for the backside and I have created a few different designs for the top that look good too (e.g. halter, racing back and v thin halter strap).

   My problem at the moment is that I use swimwear teansioning tape (rubber strips) instead of elastic and my machine won't take this any more without skipping stitches.  I have a post somplace else on this site about how to over come that problem (with little success so far).  The question I have here is: What does everyone else use for swimwear elastic?  And does it work?

1. 
   tcsewhat | Apr 23, 2006 01:29am | #13

   I would also like an updated swim suit article.  I have both the Kwik Sew and Stretch and Sew books on making swim suits.  They are very helpful.  But they were written before tankinis became popular.  Fitting the top on a tankini can be tricky.  You have to get it right or the cups won't be in the correct spot and won't work. 

1. 
   K1W1 | Sep 25, 2006 05:50am | #14

   I'd love a 'fitting a swimsuit' article too.  I'm past a E cup so seriously need a structured bra built in as a shelf bra does nothing flattering.  I'm working myself on making a pattern from a bra and morphing it with a tankini pattern.  I have to confess that I started this in January (middle of our summer) and have stalled as I'm working in the dark with my project. It could all go horribly wrong and my courage is low.

2. 
   MaryinColorado | Sep 26, 2006 05:57pm | #16

   I would also love an in depth bathing suit article.  what I have done is use a tank top pattern, inserted cups, and made a tankini top.  Have not started a bottom yet.....

3. 
   K1W1 | Sep 27, 2006 02:17am | #17

   I've planned to make the briefs from a knickers pattern.  I can't simply insert cups into the tankini top so I've morphed the bra pattern with the tankini pattern. That's cos I need a robust band across the back & the only way I could figure how to do that is to use a clippy fastener with some sort of vertical opening below the fastener.

   It's my perfectionist streak that's holding me back, when the reality is that I have plenty of fabric to make a 2nd version if the first is 'iffy'. I've even got the pattern pieces drafted.

4. 
   educo | Sep 30, 2006 03:15am | #18

   I'd like a swimsuit article on plain old support in a bathing suit. I'm not into the underwire bra cup bathing suit, but I would love to have that kind of support in my tankini!

2. 
   MaryinColorado | Sep 26, 2006 05:55pm | #15

   I have used the clear elastic.