Sewing tip | How to sew a swimsuit |

After helping you to choose the supplies for your swimsuit, today we continue our series of tips and tricks on how to sew your own swimsuit.

Our swimwear patterns, Jamanota and Säntis have no underwire or hooks and are therefore easy to make and perfect for a first project of underwear / swimwear.

Here are some recommendations for sewing stretch fabric and elastic.

Sewing a swimsuit

Sewing a swimsuit can be a bit scary when you have never done so. But once started, we realize that it is not so much.

First things first, you have to choose a special needle for jersey or stretch fabric. If not, the needle will damage the threads.

To sew the jersey, we can use an overlock (serger) and even a sewing machine. Just use a wide and short zigzag stitch. Experiment with fabric scraps before sewing to check the elasticity of the stitches.

Sewing an elastic

The most difficult in making a swimsuit is to succeed in laying the elastics. They allow to finish the edges, to maintain the fabric to the body and to give a nice finish to the garment.

• The elastic should be about 15% shorter than the opening it finishes (e.g. for an opening of 65cm: (65 x 0.85) = 55.25cm). Add 1cm for elastics that are sewn in a circle.

• If it is a circle, assemble the two ends of the elastics by overlapping them and hold them with a zigzag stitch

• Pin the elastic against the edge of the fabric on the back of the opening by equitably distributing the surplus

• Slip over or make a short and wide zigzag stitch on the edge, taking the fabric and elastic

• Turn the elastic against the back of the garment, then make a zigzag stitch to hold the elastic