We interrupt our intense formal sewing activity for other social requirements.
A certain daughter was invited to a pool party, to take place on Friday night, and somehow had failed to consider that her swimming costume had reached a state of disreputableness involving actual holes in the fabric.
There were plans in the pipeline to replace this swim wear, with nylon lycra fabric earmarked for this project purchased in April (Remnant Warehouse), but due to unusual sewing demands in the past few months, the annual September Swimwear project had only got as far as my own togs and a rashie for my son. (I do get to the top of my own list sometimes)
On Thursday, my daughter said she would wear her old swimming costume to the party. This was a threat.
On Friday, after work, I made this swimming costume. My daughter was a bit late getting to the party.
She did mention that the lateness was not ideal, but I mentioned that she was welcome to buy herself a swimming costume at 5pm on a Friday (after which all shops in our town are shut), or indeed at any time before the party, and she became rather quiet on the subject. She also agreed to model the costume, (the next day) which was rather kind of her.
I am not 100% happy with the swimming costume, as my coverstitch stopped working when I introduced it to wooly nylon, and the application of the binding is not stellar.
However, if you don't look closely at the binding, I think this is a terrific looking bikini, and pretty easy to sew, even in a rush. My original, and natural trepedation at making a bikini that was pictured as so awful that the model had to wear a waste paper basket on her head was unfounded.
The bikini is lined with nylon lycra swim wear lining from Strechtex and bound with white cholorban, also from Stretchtex. I used the binding instead of the elastic finish used in the pattern, and the bikini bottom is actually a cut down (lower waist) version of our old favourite Ottobre 02-2011-20, which I used because we know it fits. The Kwik Sew pants do not look great to me, having no gusset and being very straight over the hips, but as I haven't tried them they could be as nicely fitting as the top (adjustments, slight SBA and squaring of shoulders - if I made them again I would shorten the front straps slightly.
There is still some of this fabric left. It is a great pity I still have a second strip of horsehair braid to hand sew to a formal skirt.
19 comments:
Cute suit!
Looks like Mom's "sweat-shop" is in full swing, lol!
Once again I am very impressed. I chuckled at the pre-party conversation with your daughter!
This is awesome! Love, love, love the bikini top pattern-and great combo of fabric + elastic it looks very retro =)
They always say give your children a choice of two options - good options! They look fantastic. I love the fabric and was a great pattern. I like you get to the top of your list too!
Very cute bikini.
So cute, as usual. I didn't find my coverstitch loved wooly elastic, even turning the looper tension off, basically, and cranking the needle tensions. What happened with yours?
Your children are very spoiled, and you may tell them I said so :-) . I'll have to be very careful that Charlotte doesn't go the same way. She's demanded her own quilted black jacket from the fabric I bought for ME recently.
Great togs! Cute but look easy to wear.
That sure is a retro bathing suit, and very cute!
Oh, it is gorgeous!! I love the fabric choice, plaids; so fab. You are a terrific mum!
Great job Mum! Teenagers lack the ability to plan more than a few hours ahead, or so says the resident psychologist at my daughter's school.
What's there not to like about these togs? She looks retro and it fits perfectly. I love the plaid fabric.
Cute bikini! Way to whip this up in the nick of time!
That is a lovely bikini that is not to revealing which can be a problem with rtw at the moment!
I can just imagine how that conversation went. I know there have been plenty of similar conversations in my own house.
My coverstitch machine also objects to woolly nylon thread which is frustating but I have just discovered twin needle finishes on my swim wear phew!
Great bikini! Your daughter is one lucky girl.
I love the look of that pattern, and was very amused by the wastepaper basket comment :-D
Do you have a separate coverstitch machine or an overlocker with that option? I've recently acquired an overlocker with coverstitch option but haven't put the time and effort into learning how to do it yet. I must get into it one day.
Karen, thank you so much for your kind comment, and for the link to the SG forum. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and learnt lots. "A technical analysis of Troll Behaviour"; such a new-age topic! Someone could base their psychology thesis on the subject :)
This is absolutely stunning! I am completely in love with this project, love the vintage look that has that swimsuit and I think you did a beautiful job with it. Wow!
That is so adorable! Love the plaid and the contrast binding.
Oh, that is so cute! One question, did you widen the shoulder straps, they look very different to the pattern illustration?
Isaspacey, thanks!
The pattern calls for turning in all the edges,over elastic. Instead of doing this, I bound all the edges, without trimming, so there are a few mm extra all around, as the turnover is 6mm, and the binding is also 6mm both sides, but none of the garment fabric is taken up by folding.
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