After my fun with the Bravo Bella Swim 2 pattern, I just needed a good fitting suit. Could I adjust that one and try again? No. Why would I? That would be boring. That would be repeating myself. Oh wait, I do that with good patterns. Huh. Well, let's just say I got so tired of the color I couldn't stand to make another of the same pattern. And I needed to NOT feel like my girls were being smashed and sliding down my front. So, I opted for the Tankini. I also figured, I'd learn something new by using a different pattern from a different designer. Even if I'm doing the same thing, I might learn or finally "get" something because a different person / designer has a different perspective.
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Everything was going along swimmingly, until I sewed the lining and the main body of the bottoms right sides together at the waist and legs. Are you seeing the problem? No? Ah, neither did I until I triple stitch zig zagged that darn thing all the way with elastic on both legs. And then - it hit me. OH SHOOT! I CANNOT TURN THIS THING INSIDE OUT. And so, my new seam ripper (handmade locally in Grey's County I might add) became dear friends. You know what? This damn thing is so good and so easy to rip out seams that I might get rid of every other seam ripper I own. I've never had such an easy time ripping seams. And it didn't even tear my good fabric!
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For the first time, EVER, I am adding bra cups to the sports bra lining. I've been so hesitant to make the cups because oh God... 9 underwire bras (of the same pattern) before this I still hadn't found a good bra fit. UGH. So, I didn't want one more pattern to "not work out". Fear of failure, I fully admit to it and I'm ok with that. I just let it dwindle and hang out until I finally let it dissipate enough that I wanted to proceed with the pattern and wear the suit more than I wanted to let my fears hold me back.
I used Jan Bones, Lingerie Secrets, "Sewing & Information Package Book: by Jan Bones" which contains a pattern for bra cups and tons of FABULOUS info on bras, liners, and even prosthesis pockets. Jan is one of my favorite designers. She's so thoughtful and practical in every design. I took the bra cup pattern, graded it up to a G cup and made the cups using a bra foam from Sew Sassy.
Then, I used the instructions in the Princess Tankini pattern from the Fairy Bra Mother for adding swim cups to your bra liner. Frankly, I don't know why I was afraid. It was so much easier and more fun than I could have imagined. And, grading up meant the cups actually fit my body rather than showing up as cups in the lining and the round spots being WAY too small. When they're too small it's like, "Hi - yes, I am wearing foam - do you like my circles?" Jeez.
When we got all said and done, the length of the straps on this pattern is WAY too long for me. I may have been able to fix it using a lot less elastic rather than a 1:1 ratio with the fabric. I'll need to take out like 4-6" of strap length and then it might work.
In addition, I need to grade out at the hips because there are lots of weird wrinkles around the middle.
Lastly, I don't like sewing my bra band elastic to the pattern because it produces weird puckers and pulling. So, I will probably revise how it's done to avoid the divot which occurs right at the side seam where the bra meets.
The bottoms fit beautifully. Even better than I could have imagined.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this pattern. Extremely happy with the bra cups. I think I'll try my favorite mashup dance top with these bra cups.
Now on to the next swim suit!
I used Jan Bones, Lingerie Secrets, "Sewing & Information Package Book: by Jan Bones" which contains a pattern for bra cups and tons of FABULOUS info on bras, liners, and even prosthesis pockets. Jan is one of my favorite designers. She's so thoughtful and practical in every design. I took the bra cup pattern, graded it up to a G cup and made the cups using a bra foam from Sew Sassy.
Then, I used the instructions in the Princess Tankini pattern from the Fairy Bra Mother for adding swim cups to your bra liner. Frankly, I don't know why I was afraid. It was so much easier and more fun than I could have imagined. And, grading up meant the cups actually fit my body rather than showing up as cups in the lining and the round spots being WAY too small. When they're too small it's like, "Hi - yes, I am wearing foam - do you like my circles?" Jeez.
When we got all said and done, the length of the straps on this pattern is WAY too long for me. I may have been able to fix it using a lot less elastic rather than a 1:1 ratio with the fabric. I'll need to take out like 4-6" of strap length and then it might work.
In addition, I need to grade out at the hips because there are lots of weird wrinkles around the middle.
Lastly, I don't like sewing my bra band elastic to the pattern because it produces weird puckers and pulling. So, I will probably revise how it's done to avoid the divot which occurs right at the side seam where the bra meets.
The bottoms fit beautifully. Even better than I could have imagined.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this pattern. Extremely happy with the bra cups. I think I'll try my favorite mashup dance top with these bra cups.
Now on to the next swim suit!
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