making swimmers – Measure Twice Cut Once

I hope everyone has been having fun with their swimwear sewing? This is the final installment in the sewalong and it’s been pushed back to today as I had so many requests for more time as people wanted to join in.

Don’t forget to share your makes using the hashtag #SewBeverlyBikini so we can see all your beautiful bikinis.

So let’s get started on the top. The outer of mine will be the same beautiful red paisley I’ve been using for the bottoms and the lining will be the solid darker red I used for the front contrast panel on the bottoms.

Stitch your darts into the outer and lining fabrics

Sew the side seam of the outer panels.

Iron interfacing into the seam allowance of the lining.

Sew the side seam of the lining. Note that the side seam is 2 different widths for the lining. The front panel has 2cm and the back panel has 1cm.

Press the seam towards the back, turn the extra seam allowance of the front panel under to create a little channel.

Stitch the channel down.

Placing the lining and the outer right sides together prepare to sew along the top edges of the panels. Go up one side, along the narrow top edge and down the other side.

As you sew the panels together you will also be attaching in the elastic. I’m using my overlocker and the same method I used for inserting the clear elastic into the pants.

Once you’ve done both sides, turn them right side out.

Take your boning and cut it to length, be sure to cut it shorter than the full length of the channel as there is a seam allowance at the bottom.

Before inserting your boning, quickly run it through a lit match so the flame seals the ends. Then insert it into the channel.

Lay the underbust band down, wrong side up. Matching the notches, line up the 2 front panels and pin into place. Once pinned this line is then stitched.

Fold underbust band in half, tuck under the seam allowance and pin into place.

Topstitch underbust band.

Using a safety pin thread your elastic through the underbust band. Make sure it stays flat and doesn’t twist. Once inserted stitch the elastic in place at either end.

Thread the ends of the underbust band (now with inserted elastic) and thread it through your bikini clasp. Pin in place and then securely stitch. My camera has made my clasp look pink! it’s actually not but just looks weird in photos for some reason?

Try your bikini on, check where the knot is. You may need to secure it with a few stitches. Experiment with different twists to see what suits you best.

and you are done!

This has been so much fun, I hope everyone has enjoyed themselves, learnt some new skills and ended up with beautiful bikinis!

As always if you have any questions just let me know and hopefully I’ll be back soon with a round up of all the fantastic swimwear we’ve created!

Huge thank you to Named Clothing for allowing me to do the sewalong and for providing me with the pattern, also to Pitt Trading for providing my amazing fabrics and trims. Finally thanks to Jillian and Kirsty for asking me to do the sewalong in the first place.

Welcome to the Beverly Twisted Bikini sew along! I do hope you are going to enjoy making your own bikini. Don’t forget if you want to join in, you can use the discount code sewbeverlybikini at the named clothing site to purchase the pattern.

Before we get to cutting out the fabric, check your sizing and assemble your pattern.

Some of you may find you will be a different size top to bottom, I’m cutting a 46 bottom* and a 44 top. Part way through the bottoms I’m going to try them on to see if I need to adjust the sizing as I like quite a firm fit on my bikini bottoms so I can swim with no worries. The seam allowance is included in the pattern (I’m using the PDF, if you are using the paper pattern please double check if seam allowance is included before cutting) so you can cut or trace without having to add the seams afterwards.

We are going to start with cutting out the bottoms including the lining. Before cutting your lining, read the post adding the elastic to the bottoms as there are 2 methods of lining used there and it makes a difference to your cutting. I’m using this stunning red paisley from Pitt Trading with a contrast centre front panel in a matte dark red also from Pitt Trading.

Here are all my panels ready to go. When cutting be sure to cut with the greatest stretch going around the body. If you are dealing with a tricky print and want to avoid unfortunate print placements try cutting out your pattern piece in tracing paper. Cut it as a whole piece not place on fold and you will find you can see through the tracing paper to the print and avoid the poor print placement choices.

Starting with the Twist panel we are going to put ride sides together and sew along the top edge. I’m using my overlocker but you can use the stretch stitch on your regular machine if you would prefer.

Turn the tube right side out and give it a press

Using a straight stitch add rows of gathering or basting stitches to either end. Pull the bobbin thread to create the gathers until you’ve gathered it in enough fit into the side of the centre front panel.

Twist the panel once and pin or baste it into place. Make sure you hide the seam of the band so it won’t be visible on your finished bottoms. Pinned in place you can see it buckles the front panel slightly. Once I put them on this buckling was not noticeable at all and the twist sat nice and flat to my body and didn’t sag forwards so don’t worry about the buckling.

Position side panels and sew in place.

Take front lining and crotch lining, sew seam.

Place front panel and back panel of main fabrics right sides together, matching at crotch. Take front and back lining fabrics, right sides together match at crotch and place them on top of the main panels.

Stitch through all layers.

When you open them up the seam you’ve just sewn should be tucked inside the lining so no exposed seams are on the inside of the swimmers.

*If you need to check your sizing, pin or baste your side seams and pop them on. You want them to feel firm but not tight. The stretch of your fabric must be used, if they feel loose when they get wet they may not stay in place. Mine could be a little firmer so I’m going to take an extra seam allowance from the side seams.

Using the same technique you’ve just used to sew the crotch, sew the side seams so all internal seams are encased inside the lining.

In the next installment we will be attaching the elastic and finishing up the bottoms before heading on to do the top. If you’ve got any questions or queries just ask in the comments.

Don’t forget to share your makes on social media using the hashtag #sewbeverlybikini

Tag: making swimmers

Named Clothing – Beverly Twisted Bikini Sewalong – Top

Named Clothing – Beverly Twisted Bikini Sewalong – Part 1