How to sew your own one-piece swimsuit

A one-piece swimsuit is a must-have in every woman's wardrobe: it is needed for visits to the pool, active swimming in the sea, beach photo shoot. Sometimes it’s difficult to choose the right product: the model doesn’t fit or you don’t like the color. In this case, you can sew a one-piece swimsuit yourself.

How to sew a one-piece swimsuit: options

There are many models of one-piece swimsuits, which can be divided into main groups:

• Models of one-piece swimsuits without top ties are called bandeaus. They fit great women with full hips, as they “balance” the lower body.

• Traditional one-piece swimsuit models are called maillot.
• If a swimsuit has straps cut at the same time as the main part, it is a tank. Wide straps will provide reliable support for large breasts.

• In a halterneck, the top ties are secured around the neck, creating the visual effect of a fuller chest and wider shoulder width. This model “balances” large hips.

• The high-neck swimsuit has a sporty focus. A small cutout in the front helps to visually lengthen the body.

• Plange models are suitable for slender, short women with small breasts. They have a large cutout in the front and back of the swimsuit. This allows you to create the effect of increasing height and breast size.

• At the hip level of a one-piece swimsuit, an imitation skirt is sewn on, which helps disguise full hips.

Models with a corsage decorate and correct the figure due to the swimsuit sewn from the inside. Cups are sewn on for breast comfort. The corsage is cut out of light knitwear that stretches in all directions. Or choose non-stretch fabrics to obtain a rigid bodice.

One-piece swimsuit pattern

To sew a swimsuit, you can use ready-made patterns, which can easily be found in specialized sewing publications, on thematic forums and websites. Some of them are shown in the photo below.

Experienced seamstresses can create a pattern themselves, based on the basic dress patterns length below mid-thigh. To do this, copy the back and front of the pattern, adjust them, and design the cutouts for the legs. Additionally, a gusset pattern is created.

How to sew a one-piece swimsuit with cups

In order to sew a model’s swimsuit as in the photo you will need:

• colored fabric;
• elastic band;
• calyxes;
• bones;
• sewing thread and sewing machine.

The finished pattern is transferred to fabric and outlined with chalk. Then they cut it taking into account seam allowances. Next, the parts are sewn together in the following order:

1. The central parts of the cups need to be sewn together with the side parts, then the seams should be delayed. Next, the upper parts of the cups are attached.
2. To obtain the straps, the part is folded along its length and ground down. One small section is also stitched, with the long seam ending in the middle of the strap. Then it is turned inside out and stitched.
3. To obtain voluminous swimsuit cups, use foam lining elements. Foam cups are sewn to the bodice of the swimsuit from the inside out.
4. The neckline of the swimsuit on the back needs to be trimmed with elastic tape.
5. The elastic is sewn to the upper part of the back with a flat seam, slightly stretching it. In this case, the allowance turns inside out.
6. Then the front and back are sewn together along the side seams. The gusset is processed using an overlocker and sewn to the front and back.
7. The cutouts for the legs are processed with an elastic band or trim.
8. Additionally, you can sew tunnels for the bones onto the cups. Cut out a strip 30 mm wide from colored fabric and fold it in half. Then they sew it to the seam of the cups, turning the strip over to the seam allowances. The first line should be located next to the stitching seam of the strip, the second should run along the free edge. Then the bones are inserted into the resulting tunnels.

A beautiful swimsuit is ready!