Ottobre 02-2011-19 and 20 Swimwear

I have just been on a  holiday outback with my family. Here is our first stop, not in the outback yet, at Blackdown Tableland National Park, only a couple of hours west of Rockhampton.



Wait! There is actual sewing content in this post.
I made those togs.



Here they are again so you can actually see most of them, without TMI. (Well, I am a middle aged mother of 3, so you can't expect close up model shots, but can you fault the location? No, I didn't think so)



Here is another shot of the location, where you can see the impressiveness of the waterfall - I made the dress, and the boy's rashie.



Yet another location shot - I made the rashie here too, and the shorts.

Lets have some more sewing.
The pattern, is Ottobre 02-20110-19 and 20.



 The swimming costume does not look terribly like the technical drawing due to some changes during construction.



I actually made 2 x 2 piece costumes, thinking I could mix and match. I was inspired by Rosy's excellent bikini post to add the waist tie, which I rather like.
I modified the first top to a bikini style after my original attempt led to me feeling that the ruched Ottobre tankini top was terribly matronly looking and far too hot to wear under your all purpose cover up dress if you have to hike 2 km to your swimming spot.

I found the top very loose for a swimming costume, and ended up taking it in about 10 cm at the back, hence the very dodgy finish, which was due to post construction fitting.
The under bust band has elastic in the seam line, and feels quite supportive now.  I often find when sewing swimwear that due to fabric stretch variation I really need to make a trial version before the final version, due to fitting, and this set was no exception. I did not need to add the back clasps in retrospect, as I can put this on over my head without undoing it.



Prior to this complete mess, I was rather pleased with the pretty clasps (Remnant Fabrics, as is the outer print nylon lycra swimwear fabric, all solids are Chloroban from Stretchtex, and the lining is also from Stretchtex)

For the second version, I returned to the tankini style, but without the ruching, having only the upper bodice lined, and the lower bodice made from a single layer, cut from the lining pattern piece. I have made this tighter in the upper bodice by overlapping the pieces at the back, and by using 2 sizes smaller than my usual Ottobre size for the lower bodice piece. Ottobre may not have considered negative ease for swimwear necessary in their sizing, although they do mention the need for this in the sewing instructions.

For both the tops, I lined the strap pieces with swimwear outer fabric, for robustness. I did attempt the halter neck ties as in the design,  (although altering the pattern so that the straps angle towards the neck), but in both cases I found the knot uncomfortable and instead attached the straps at the back.



My cunning plan to avoid every having to put on wet, cold,  swim wear is to make a third set, mostly brown, in a more sporty style for lap swimming, and then possibly my swimming costumes will last a little longer than one season with a bit more rotation.