June 11, 2015

PAPERCUT SOMA ONE PIECE

Oh boy - am I really posting pictures of myself in a bathing suit on the interwebs?! It only took 7 short months of blogging to get me to this point - please bear (or bare - for the pun) with me!

Pattern: Papercut Patterns Soma
Size: Medium
Alterations: Changed the back straps (more information below), and shortened the bodice
Fabric: Polkadot spandex for the shell and black spandex for lining

The bathing suit featured here is, of course, the Papercut Patterns Soma one piece. I've had this pattern for awhile now - and I bought it last summer with the intention of making a bathing suit for my honeymoon. Long story short - that didn't work out, and I went the Victoria's Secret website sale route instead. In preparation for my first run at this pattern, I bought some fabric from Girl Charlee - it was cute but thin, shifty and I think I somehow cut my bikini top pieces the wrong way (I put the top on and it didn't stretch at all!). I also made a one piece, but the torso was too long (I've recently discovered my shortwaisted-ness) and I never finished it (and cannibalized the hardware for this suit!).

Fast forward to a few months ago when I was gifted some Funkifabrics spandex (and btw this post is not affiliated with them, I just used my Monettie scraps to make this suit). The Funkifabrics spandex is, however, wonderful for a bathing suit and I would totally buy more for this purpose. The fabric is thick and stable when cutting and sewing. Plus, you only need a yard or so - so you can save on cost and maybe shipping. Yay!

I made this up basically as instructed, but I shortened the wrap bodice pattern piece by an inch. I also used the hell out of my cover stitch machine, which I think really made this bathing suit look more professional.

I also added swim cups, and sewed them into the lining. It was a really similar process to my Moneta/Nettie Maxi dress - I just sort of guessed the location based on where the bodice pieces sat on my dress form and my body, pinned them in and zig zagged. I got the cups from Porcelynne.

I did change the construction a bit on this suit - I used swim elastic for the bottoms and waist, but I used bra strapping for all of the straps and bodice, which was a giant mistake. This is partly a fault of the pattern instructions, and partly my fault. The instructions call for FOE to be used on the bodice - but I didn't really like that on my first version last year - so I ended up using bra strapping for all the bodice elastic (the pattern calls for it to be used on the shoulder and back straps but not on the bodice itself). The bra strapping ended up stretching out so much while swimming, that I can't really wear this suit again :(

In the future, I would probably use only swimwear elastic for the entire suit and I'll probably use Sophie's tutorial to create actual swim straps using swim elastic. I think I might even have enough fabric still leftover (the yardage was very wide) to create another one piece to replace this one - I love the polka dots so much!

I also changed the arrangement of the straps on the back - creating the crossover across the upper back, rather than the lower back as called for in the instructions. Placing the straps across the lower back resulted in some, um, bits getting squeezed in an unflattering way, so I switched them up. I would actually like to find a better way to do the straps in general in the future, as I don't really like the over arm shoulder straps - but they're necessary to the construction as it is now.

Overall, despite the future unwearability of this specific bathing suit - it was a really fun exercise. I've never made a bra or a successful swimsuit before this one, and I will definitely make more in the future (plus I can practice more with elastic when I finally make up my Watson bra kit - she's sold out now, but that's where I got mine).
Bonus action shot!!

Have you made a bathing suit before? Any tips (besides using real swim elastic)? Any plans to make one this summer? :D

19 comments:

  1. I would really like to try making a bathing suit this year -- not sure if I'll be too distracted by dresses... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Super adorable suit! And I love your beachy hair style and tropical locale! Too bad about the elastic - I suppose it would be too much to rip that part out and put in swim elastic? This suit looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your suit looks so good! What a shame it's not wearable again. I hope you can get another one out of your leftover fabric.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ha! I'm usually too distracted too! This is my third year of sewing seriously and I only just now made one! I will say that it goes by pretty quickly when you get around to it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks, Meg!! I have to french braid my hair on vacation (well beach vacay) so my hair doesn't get tangled in my snorkel mask! And it probably would be too irritating to unpick everything, so I'm hoping I have enough scraps to start over again some day!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks, Teri!! I know - so much work for a one-time only bathing suit! Haha I think I should be able to squeeze out another from my scraps - and if not a one piece, maybe a 2 piece (if the bikini body guide workout does anything)!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is really cute! Such a bummer that its now unwearable. I hope you are able to fix it, but if not at least you'll know what to change for next time! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks smashing, and because it came from scraps it's technically free! (Even though it was a freebie anyway. But you know what I mean!). So sad about the straps though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, Heather!! I know - what a drag! After our second swim of the day - I was like... uhhhh this might fall right off!! But I've learned some valuable lessons! :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks, Sarah! And I know - free suits are the best suits! Pretty much any time I can eke something else out of scraps I feel victorious!

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's so gorgeous! What a shame about the fabric. I've made one wearable suit that's my favourite, but several non-wearable ones too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you, Katie!! I remember seeing one of your suits last year (and referenced it when picking fabric for this one!)! It's definitely a challenge, but I'm really proud that I was able to get one day of swimming in (I did take a back up suit just in case that day haha)!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This looks so great on you! Is there any way you could replace the elastic? I've had good luck with the swim elastic from Sew Sassy (I like the cotton-y ones best... and so does my sewing machine!). But I'm not sure how else to do the straps! :(

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks, Sonja! I used some Sew Sassy elastic for the legs and waist, but bra strapping (like a dumb dumb) for the bodice and straps. I have enough scrap to make another, I think, and I got more bathing suit fabric for next summer this past weekend ($5/yd sale!). I think I'll give a suit that has enclosed straps a go next time... I've got my eye on the Maison Fleur Halter Neck Swimsuit!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This turned out so cute! I love the polka dots.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for posting this! You look fantastic and I love seeing Papercut's patterns on slightly curvier people than their models - I'm now more inspired to finally try making this pattern (once it gets a bit warmer here).

    Butts about the strapping though! Can you take that stuff off and re-do it?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you!!! I agree with you about seeing some shape inside Papercut patterns. :D I think the wrap bodice is really flattering on a curvier body.


    I don't think I can really remove the strapping though - well unless I want to be unpicking for a long time! It's sewn down and coverstitched, so it's a lot of work. I have enough fabric to cut another one (I think), so maybe I'll find the motivation for that some day. I actually just bought some pink with white polkadot swimsuit fabric that I might try out next!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you!!! I just bought more polkadot swimsuit fabric, so I see more dots in my future!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I totally understand - I hate unpicking, and have one or two homemade bras that could be made wearable if I just got around to unpicking them.... but it's probably not going to happen :D

    ReplyDelete