The kids are coming to town for DH's 76th BD next week and we are spending some time at the lake.I Need a new bathing suit so decided to look when I was out shopping for "ideas".
Thank Goodness I have some very nice swim fabric lycra spandex in the "stash".

The suits were very expensive ( I don't swim all that often and Im "fluffy") and in my size very limited in style and "fit!"


DS Active wear sports my favorite style of all time - the X Back swim suit to which I add molded cups into the lining. The cups are available from some specialty shops and I have some but If I didnt I'd go straight to one of the discount shops and buy an inexpensive bra with molded cups and remove the straps and bra band and insert them into the lining.Even with that expense added the DS custom fit swim suit would be less than 1/3 the cost of something tacky and ill fitting.

I might even have time to make a second suit a tankini with the "panty" portion a bit less bikini and more panty. After all a good swim suit only takes about 2-3 hrs to make and the several day party is a week away.

Did you know that there are 4 articles with graphics on constructing a swim suit in the Help> Help Index files for Active wear!

Bathing suits are fun, easy and inexpensive, lycra spandex is wide enough that it is rare to need a lot of yardage.Use your layout guide to get what you need and create the suit that will make you comfortable for THIS summer.

Kaaren

I love the DS swimwear, partly because I'm cheap and can't stand spending upwards of $40 for something that doesn't quite fit and isn't quite the colors I wanted. At this rate, my bathing suit collection is going to be larger than my dress collection....

I too like the ds bathing suite. I ready to make my second one for a beach party in Aug.

I will be a third one to vote in the affirmative. I've made several for water exercise...the last one was black with machine embroidery on the front that said made in the USA

quote:

I will be a third one to vote in the affirmative. I've made several for water exercise...the last one was black with machine embroidery on the front that said made in the USA

uhhhhhhhhhhh sounds yummy.Now tell us how you dealt with embrodeiry on swim suit stretch fabric!! Did you stretch it when you hooped it or is it small enough not to matter.and what did you use for a stabilizer?

My favorite stabilizer is hydrostick and before I hoop it I wet the back of the inside hoop and lay it on the stabilizer so that is sticks firmly in place after hooping and while stitching. I wet the stabilizer and lay the fabric onto it and smooth it down then stitch out the design...It is a tearaway stabilizer but I treat it as a cutaway...iow I trim around the finished embroidery with scissors. This is the first time I tried it and it worked. As time has gone by I have torn away some more of the stabilizer but the stitching has held up really well. Hydrostick (it may go under a different name now)is my stabilizer of choice because I can get it (usually) to stay firm in the hoop and stick firmly to the fabric...One thing to remember though is to mist lightly...too much water will make it very difficult to pull away from the fabric.

quote:

Originally posted by Ev Williams:
My favorite stabilizer is hydrostick and before I hoop it I wet the back of the inside hoop and lay it on the stabilizer so that is sticks firmly in place after hooping and while stitching. I wet the stabilizer and lay the fabric onto it and smooth it down then stitch out the design...It is a tearaway stabilizer but I treat it as a cutaway...iow I trim around the finished embroidery with scissors. This is the first time I tried it and it worked. As time has gone by I have torn away some more of the stabilizer but the stitching has held up really well. Hydrostick (it may go under a different name now)is my stabilizer of choice because I can get it (usually) to stay firm in the hoop and stick firmly to the fabric...One thing to remember though is to mist lightly...too much water will make it very difficult to pull away from the fabric.

Is this a sort of clear stabilizer/the white tear away kind that looks like J'cloths fabric?

quote:

My favorite stabilizer is hydrostick and before I hoop it I wet the back of the inside hoop and lay it on the stabilizer so that is sticks firmly in place after hooping and while stitching. I wet the stabilizer and lay the fabric onto it and smooth it down then stitch out the design...It is a tearaway stabilizer but I treat it as a cutaway...iow I trim around the finished embroidery with scissors. This is the first time I tried it and it worked. As time has gone by I have torn away some more of the stabilizer but the stitching has held up really well. Hydrostick (it may go under a different name now)is my stabilizer of choice because I can get it (usually) to stay firm in the hoop and stick firmly to the fabric...One thing to remember though is to mist lightly...too much water will make it very difficult to pull away from the fabric.

Great info Ev Williams.Thank you so much.
Kaaren

quote:

My favorite stabilizer is hydrostick and before I hoop it I wet the back of the inside hoop ...

Great info Ev Williams.Thank you so much.
Kaaren

It's sort of like paper with glue on oneside...the glue is activated with either a light spritz of water or a gentle wiping with a moist sponge or cloth...

I have a question? Where to you buy bra cup for your bathing suite? I nees a DD cup.

If you find out let me know! I cheat and wear an old playtex bra under my suit. It works very well for me. However you can buy a 1/4 inch foam sheet which can be cut and stitched to make properly fitting cups using the bra patterb in the lingerie section in DS. I have some which I purchased from SewSassy but I haven't made the cups myself. Since the old bra worked I took the easy way out.

quote:

I get molded cups from Corset Supply on w47th NY City.but you can buy an inexpensive bra and remove the straps and the band.

I bought mine from a wholesaler in NY Corset Supply, West 47th Street, NY city

but you could buy an inexpensive bra and remove the straps and band.
Kaaren

Bra cups -- I couldn't find any that fit so I ordered the foam from SewSassy and made them from the DS bra pattern. Worked for me!
They're www.sewsassy.com

Kathy Warner

Hi Anna R.,

Try looking for swimsuit cups at brazabra.com. They have lots of different things.

Bernie