Splash!

Coles Creation bathers, pair number two.

This pattern is a definite winner.

                   

These were made to compensate for the fact that the last pair didn't fit her and so went to her sister...

She's very happy with my colour combo of dots and bright pink, and I have to say I am too! 

               

These are the size 14 to 16 and I added an extra 1.5 inches to the upper green spotted band as I know this kid is long in the body. 

I was amazed recently to find they despite having the same leg length as her twin sister, she is 2.5cm longer through the back. 

The fit is perfect. She doesn't pull at them at all and there is great coverage across her bottom. 

The best thing is that when getting dressed for the pool the girls are choosing their Mama made bathers over the purchased ones every time, so I think I am on a winner.

If you haven't tried making swimwear, why not? 

Next up I am thinking I might tackle some for me...

They will be a little more complicated I know with the need for soft Bra cups and the like, but what have I got to lose? 

All fabric again from Rathdowne fabric and remnants, perhaps a trip to look for some fabric for me might be in order, yes??!

A Cole's creation

Swimsuit number two.

This pattern is the 'Cole's Corner and Creations Patterns' One 4 All Stylish Swimsuit, and there are several different variation for this one piece swimsuit.  

The combinations that you can make are many and there's something to suit all tastes.

This was meant to be for Miss A - and despite measuring her and then also adding 1.5 inches to the middle band (the floral section over the pink band) to make them longer, they were still quite snug on her, so Miss L happily inherited them.

For the record I made the 10/12 and will now cut out the 14/16. My girls are very long in the torso and so this often affects the measurements.

This is the Retro view with the flat bodice and finished with a halter neck.
You can add ruffles to the bodice or you can add a skirt with or without a ruffle on the bottom.
The straps can be left loose as a halter neck or crossed at the back or left straight.

The binding has elastic through the middle of it so the fit around the back and the bodice is lovely.

As these were on a white background I again chose to layer a white lycra underneath, baste and treat the pieces like one.

Again all the lycra was from Rathdowne Fabric and Remnants, probably from their remnant bins, and quite possibly on special.

I should also say that a remnant from this store is not a small piece, they are all over 1 metre, which for bathing suits, particularly for children, is plenty.

Here are a couple of modelled pics of the first pair I made, as soon as I got the camera out for her sister she put them on and came out so I am taking that as a success!

The fit on these is great too - she says they are a little too big in the bottoms but I think they are just right.

One more pair to come and I am thinking I might combine the green dots with the bright pink for something fun.

What do you think??

PS - In putting the link to Rathdowne I noticed they have some new fabric in from Seafolly!  Now I am tempted to pop in and see what else they have in stock...

Calling Summer!

It's been a long cold winter here in Melbourne and as we are very close to the end of the school term I just can't wait for the warmer weather and the school holidays, HOORAY!!!

My children are part fish (or mermaid they would say!) and with school swimming lessons coming up in term four and school holiday intensives as well, there will be lots of swimming in our future.

As always, the bathers from last year either no longer fit or have faded/fallen apart due to repeated exposure to chlorine. So last night I realised I had better make a start, on six new sets of bathers.

I've used this pattern a number of times before - I think I first saw it on Beccasauras's blog and since then I know Lara has made a number of pair.

I measured the girls and actually CUT THE PATTERN (yes you read right Lara!) in the Large and made up these green ones but after a fitting this morning I decided the older two girls would be better going up a size, so I popped into Spotlight and grabbed another copy of the pattern to cut at the XL size.

In the past I only used this pattern for the bottoms but this time I made the top and the boy-leg shorts. The top has a little gathering in the bust and so I didn't think it would look great on a 3 or 4 year old, but it is perfect now and all the girls want one.

Because of the white dots being a little see-through I decided to line the shorts and I also lined the bust section of the top.

To do the shorts I just baste the pieces together on the edges and treated it all like one piece when constructing.

I got all the fabric from Rathdowne Fabrics and Remnants who really have the most amazing array of swimwear lycra and when they have a weekly special you can pick it up at 30 - 40% off. This piece was quite large and was labelled at $8 (so I probably paid about $5) and there is enough for one more pair.

Excellent value.

I used my overlocker for the seams and my machine on a long zig zag for the hems and elastic.
The other thing I used, and would highly recommend, is this little gadget.

It's called the 'Turn It All' and it is brilliant for turning out little thin straps and ties such as the neck ties for these bathers.

I got mine online from The Haby Goddess and can't recommend it highly enough - I use it all the time.

One pair down five to go... wish me luck!

KCWC - Day 3

Let's call this one, the day when things didn't quite go to plan...

The plan was to trace and cut the beautiful Croquet dress by Oliver + S. 

The reality was, after school the girls mentioned something about the Sea/Hawaiian themed school disco being on tomorrow night, not next Thursday as I had firmly fixed in my head....

Strips of silver lycra on elastic and a Brooklyn tank ready for the disco

The girls had previously asked if they could wear the mermaid costumes I made for their fifth birthday, which was fine by me.
They have grown taller but not wider, so the issue was the tops were not really appropriate to wear out in public and also they needed bather bottoms to go under the scant skirts.

I had already calculated that Miss L's new two piece bathers were ready to go - but Miss A needed a new top (she's going to wear L's blue bather bottoms under her pink skirt - shock horror!).

And so the reality tonight became cutting and sewing up another little lycra singlet top and also creating the six silver sparkly arm bands they requested to go around their wrists "for when we are dancing".

And yes I said six - because of course the smallest kid (who's not going to the disco) had to have a pair too.

The catalyst for such armwear?? The 'big' grade six girls wore them in black recently for the school concert when they were dancing.
Obviously they made an impression, I hope these ones do too!

How was your day today - did everything go to plan or not so much??

No new patterns in this lot (no I am not going to count the armbands!) so I still have to bust out at least one new pattern for the month.

Making a splash

Warning - VERY pic heavy post ahead!!!

So here's the rundown on the bathers (swimmers, togs, swimsuits, whatever you like to call them!)...

I managed to finish two fluorescent pink with white dots racer backs, one red with gold dots tank-style one piece, two pair of bikini bottoms in blue stripes and blue with dots, one dotty skirt and a matching tank top.

Phew!

Tank top is the Brooklyn from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love

The patterns I used were both Kwik Sew - numbers 3605 and 3785

Don't be put off the envelope images - they look pretty dated, but imagine them made up in something you like!

I'm thinking I'll stitch an updated version of this embroidery...

Kwik Sew give you great instructions for adding length through the body so there are no more wedgies  or small girls pulling at bathers to be seen!!

There are two points at which to add body length - the chest and the crotch.

For Miss L - I made the medium and then added 3cm in the length at the chest and 2cm at the crotch.

These suits got plenty of action during the last week!

These fit her beautifully, they have enough length that she is able to move comfortably and not worry about her bathers pulling.

Miss A's medium sized bathers have 4cm at the chest and 3cm through the crotch. As I've mentioned before the girls are long and very lean.

(No wonder I can never get store-bought swimwear that fits properly!)

Does anyone look good in goggles???

All suits had lining in the front and for some I used it in the back too.  The lining fabric is slightly thinner than the main fabric and 'skin-coloured' so not very attractive to look at, but functional!

This is the Kwik Sew 3785 view A. 

These bathers have a seam down the back and that probably would have put me off this pattern but I had read about it on Cindy's blog and so knew that her kids found them to be comfortable, and there was no comment at all from my girls about it.

In fact it made me more aware of the construction of other suits and I saw a number with this back seam during the week.

The skirt stayed on for most of the week!

The two-piece pattern has a number of top options, but I prefer a tank-style top so went with the Brooklyn from the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love.

But the biggest hit was the swimming skirt - I have orders for two more of these!! (and it was super-easy to make).

Ready to hit the water!

If making this again I will lengthen the top first as it could be a little longer.

I did a simple rolled hem on the bottom of the skirt and top so they were quick and easy to make.

These Kwik Sew patterns were a breeze to sew, I really enjoyed making them.

They were straight forward and simple to use with great instructions and easy clear pattern pieces.

Apart from the body length adjustments for fit all I changed was the elastic measurements.

I found the elastic in the legs to be a little loose when they were made so I took out 1-2cm and re-stitched them.

Someone is pleased with their new bathers...

I will say I prefer the rubber elastic to sew into bathers rather than the plastic elastic, which I find slippery and not as firm.

This is not sitting properly!! But it was great in action.

These were a huge hit with all the girls - and I am delighted they now have bathers that fit them well that have been really inexpensive to make.

As mentioned previously, all the fabric was remnants and so each pair cost only about $5 to make including the elastic.

I'm looking forward to making more up and having time to experiment with a few details and finishes such as a few ruffles here and there and also putting a 'hole' in the back as per Katy of No Big Dill's tutorial.

Do you sew swimwear?

If you have any hints or tips to share then let me know - or if you have any questions feel free to fire away.

Stretchy sewing

There has been lots of lycra on the machine lately, as all the girls seem to have grown out of their bathers and are in need of new ones.

We are spending a week of the school holidays somewhere warmer than home and that of course means swimming for my little fish!

This bunch of lycra is from Rathdowne Fabric and Remnants (the blue solid, dot, stripe and red with gold dot) and The Remnant Warehouse in Sydney (pink with white dot).

Each piece of lycra from Rathdowne cost me less than $9 and from each piece I will get 4-5 swimsuits.

Good value I think, don't you!

These are a mix of two Kwik Sew patterns and a singlet pattern from Sewing Clothes Kids Love.

I'll be back with some shots of them 'in action' at a later date.

I hope you are finding time to put your feet up these school holidays, and perhaps getting some sewing in.

Unseasonal swimwear

If you live in Melbourne or anywhere nearby you will know that it has been a very wet, bleak and grey winter here, so swimwear might seem like an unusual thing to be sewing....

Dull photos due to dull days! (not the subject matter, the lighting!!)

All our girls are part-fish I think as they are all very capable swimmers and so regardless of the season Miss G has weekly swimming lessons.

She and Miss L were in need of bathers so I took some of Miss L's old ones and traced and cut around them.

I worried they were too short in the body, and they were so I added the band to the top before adding the straps.

Even after this - they were still a little too short and so got handed down to a very pleased Miss G!

I also did the elastic when the girls were in bed and so it's a little too tight around the legs, these really are not the greatest bathers!!

What ratio do you use for elastic in opening such as the legs here?? 3/4 or 2/3?? I need a formula to record and refer to instead of just having a guess.

I used the leftover piece of strap to make the bow on the front - which usually sits quite nicely but of course I forgot to 'style' it before trying to grab these shots in fading light.

I have some lovely lycra I picked up at Rathdowne Remnants a while back that I can't wait to turn into more bathers.

Maybe I should get some tips from the swimwear queen, Cindy.

Check out all the amazing swimmers she made her kids over summer.

I am going to tackle some more in the coming weeks in preparation for school swimming lessons. 

Some Kwik Sew ones and also some from various Ottobre editions.

So stay tuned for more...

Winter sewing???

I know that a few posts ago I was showing you a winter coat - made in wool - and now this??

Confused??

I've mentioned before that my kids are part fish so regardless of the season we swim a lot, either indoors or out depending on the season.

The result is the bathers I made earlier in the year are completely worn out.

Repeated exposure to chlorine or even salt-water pools will do that.

So with a pool party looming last Sunday, I made these up on Saturday night.

The fabric is some of the lovely lycra I picked up on the Sew It Together shopping trip In March.
While there I also got some swimwear elastic - so that's what I used in the knicker legs and waist this time.

The top is the Brooklyn Tank from the book Sewing clothes Kids love - fabulous book!
I'll definitely make more of these tanks for summer - cute and easy.

And the pants are again the bottom half of the leotard pattern from Ottobre 1/2007 pattern 29 or 30.

This time around I cut each pattern piece twice from the fabric, then I placed the matching pieces wrong sides together and basted them around the outside before then following the pattern instructions and sewing the two pieces as though they were one, effectively lining the suit in the same material as the outside.

I would have used a coordinating lining or nude if I had it on hand - but I didn't.

The result - a much more stable and strong bathing suit. It won't go see through easily - it holds its shape well and it hangs nicely due to the extra weight of the fabric.
All round a far nicer result.http://and-so-i-sew.blogspot.com/2011/04/weekend-that-was.html

Frilled with the results

OK, it's been a long time coming - but I am at last back with the last of the bathers/swimwear.

Here is the littlest madam in her new swimming gear, which she adores. 

I think she loves putting them on because it means she gets to swim and this kid is seriously part-fish.



Pants are the 'Dumbo' underwear from Ottobre 6/2010, all I did was do a rolled hem on some white lycra strips and ruffle them (just by hand) across the bottom.
Because I love frilly bums, because I couldn't resist the urge to do it and because soon she (or her Dad) won't let me!

The top is a singlet top from Ottobre 3/2007 (design 9) with a couple of modifications. Instead of tying the straps on the shoulder I measured them and cut so they joined under the arm then looped straight around. And I omitted the ruffles on the front - wouldn't want to over do it...

After doing that I browsed my 'Sewing Clothes Kids Love' book and of course found that the Brooklyn tank top is the same as this pattern, but with no modifications required.
I'll be using that in future, especially as it goes to larger sizes too.

So this less than wonderful pic was hurriedly taken just before they jumped into the local pool. The bathers passed with flying colours for comfort, lack of gape and general performance - but I should have thought to line the white top - not that the toddler cared.

I have since had to remake the top (after unpicking the bindings as I had no more dotty fabric) after the smallest, on this very first outing, spilled an 'all natural' raspberry/pine Calippo down the front - and nothing I tried would shift it.
Special treat - great idea!

Seems I am not the only one who likes a ruffley bottom!

Oh and I forgot to mention last post that I would, in future, put elastic into the armholes as well as necklines of the one piece bathers and unbound tank tops so they sit better.

Also if you haven't tried Wondertape and sew, or want to sew stretch - then seriously do yourself  a favour.
It is fabulous, and made sewing some of those fiddly little hems way easier.

Also, thanks for the swimwear love, glad to hear I am not the only one with 'issues' about commercialisation and inappropriateness of kids clothing.