Sewing My Own Bathing Suit: Worth the Effort or Better to Buy? 

Congrats! Your "me-made" swimsuit looks great on you.

It looks amazing on you, Izzy! Fab job! If you have enough fabric left, adding a band at the bottom of the swim top would be an easy fix to add some length. 💗

OMG You look fantastic in that suit, what a great job! So impressive !

your suit turned out really cute! i'm happy for you that you conquered your fears.

I too am busty Izzy and I have found it impossible to find a swimsuit/swimdress that fits me well. Last summer I ordered a swimsuit online in the hope that it ‘would do’ and I have to say the fabric is good, but there was not enough support at the bust. I would love a swim dress, so I’ve ordered the pattern and am off to source some fabric. 🙈🙄😱 Yours is fabulous and looks so good on you, so big pat on the back for facing your fear and doing it anyway 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Izzy, your swimsuit turned out beautifully! Love the fit and fabric on you. Anything that fits well and you’ll wear over and over is well worth the cost. I think the Clearwater is a very flattering style and provides nice coverage, especially if you don’t want to show it all!😮

Love your suit! It turned out beautifully. So glad you put on a brave face and gave it a go. I made one last summer because I wanted long sleeves for sun coverage. I couldn't find a pattern so used separate top and built-in bra patterns to hack one. Really happy with mine too. The swimsuit fabric from Blackbird was really thick and supportive and I just used power mesh for the bra. It's so satisfying when it comes together and fits as you envision! You will enjoy this make for years to come.

Mind over Matter! Just the right time to make this suit. It came out beautifully, fits so good and looks perfect on you! I am a lover of water, just to look at not to be in. Have not been in a bathing suit in over 20 years. Would I make one, right now I say no but one can always change their mind. I am sure you will be making another one now that you have had a great experience! You should be a brand ambassador for Love Notions !!!! Congratulations on a great job 🎉

My goodness……I just love your swim suit!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!! Thank you for this comparison!!! Next project for me……Love Notion swimsuit. 💕💕💕💕💕

I made a swimsuit as a teenager, in the 70’s. I knew very little about stretch fabric back then and bought material that grew significantly when I went into the sea. The weight of the water pulled the garment down. Hilarious! No I have never made another swimsuit. But yours looks fantastic and now I’m tempted. ❤

Izzy, I love the air swimming! You did an excellent job on your bathing suit! When I did wear bathing suits. That's exactly what I wore! That style is awesome. You Go Gurl!!!❤❤❤

Hi Izzy! Wonderful job, and the suit is so cool. Custom is always going to be more than ready-made 😉, and who better to custom-make something for you than you. Love the little video, too. 😁

Izzy, this swimsuit is so flattering on you!

It looks fantastic on you and I love the modelling 😂 🏊🏻‍♀️. It sounds like it was quite a journey and not one I would undertake for a few reasons. Getting the right supplies like elastic, mesh etc is the main issue and getting swim fabric that is chlorine resistant. I would hate to get out a swimsuit I made the following year only to find it saggy and eaten by the chlorine. I find on holiday I may wear a couple of swim outfits a day (I hate sitting around in wet clothing 😂) so I would have to make way too many. Having said all that , you are right NO-ONE will have a super costume like yours and you will have the self satisfaction to say you've made it yourself. It's never about the money for us is it, my T shirts I make cost 4 times more than a bought one and I still make those 😂. Top job Izzy and great review for anyone interested in making one ❤ xx

Izzy, I never comment on social media but I had to tell you how great this bathing suit looks on you. Great job!

Thank you for sharing this. I bought this pattern when it first came out. I thought I would use it for sports wear. But, I will keep it in mind if I decide to make a swimsuit. I love your suit.❤

Beautiful swimsuit Izzy. You’ve made a wonderful job of it. The fit and fabric are beautiful. Well done you 👏 You’ll wear it with joy and pride on every occasion. Well worth it 🤗 xx

Wow, your swimsuit looks terrific. Great job.

It looks good on you 👍 If you had a strip of the fabric sew it around bottom as your hem facing. That way you are only losing 1/4" in length. 🩷 I suppose time will tell which suit outlasts because of the quality of fabric. Tyfs

Izzy!!! I love love love it!!! Great job! I don't see any belly "emphasis", I see an awesome swimsuit!! Now you know I've made my own top (I already had new-ish ready to wear shorts), and yes I will agree, I like it better😍It may be expensive, but it's cheaper than if we hired our own personal seamstress🤣🤣🤣 Love the swim dance, Have a great week, thank you for sharing!💖💖🏊‍♀

Great colour choice. Suits you! Looks like a good pattern.

Looks great, Izzy! Your experience is encouraging. Thanks for this vlog. I swim year-round, so am looking for materials on sale now. So far, I have 2 yards of a matte solid swimwear knit for $4.50 (sadly, BRIGHT pink) and a whole yard remnant of swimwear lining for about 9 bucks. Just have to find elastic and the right machine needle, but I'll probably wait until I find a contrasting fabric to break up the PINK, and watch Erin's review! - Kelly

Great job accomplishing sewing your own swimsuit Izzy! It fits you beautifully and looks great. Interesting analysis. xx Karen

The bathing suit is very flattering on you. If you feel like the top needs more length you could add a small hem band which will weigh it down while in the water.

Wonderful video. You did such a great job on your swimsuit, it looks beautiful on you. I bought this pattern when it was released as I have not been able to find swimsuits that fit me. When I have bought them in the past the fit was a complete miss as the top part might fit but the bottom would not, vice versa, etc. Also spending more does not insure that you get a good quality garment, fabric or construction. Thanks for the encouragement.

I love your Clearwater suit. I have the pattern, and want to make it. I am just afraid I'll mess it up. Great video today

I think the bathing suit looks great on you Izzy. I don't think you need to worry about the bottoms cupping your belly, especially in that fabric. A print like that is so forgiving. I replayed the video several times to try and see what you were seeing, and I couldn't even see your belly. What I did notice though, is they give your bottom a really nice shape. I find that a lot of swimsuits have the opposite effect. I wasn't really interested in making this one, but now that I've seen yours, I think I might change my mind.

Oh well done Izzy! This looks so great! I just love that shell fabric! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

Last summer I made the Ellie and Mac Gathered Tankini top. I used a Girl Charlee single knit Lycra fabric. I really like how it turned out. You might want to look at this pattern. You could lengthen your top just by adding a band around the bottom. I think you will want to. I find tankini tops float up when I’m in the water. I didn’t make the band tight but just enough so the top doesn’t float up. Your suit looks really nice.

Oh, it's wonderful - the fabric is so pretty and the suit is pretty on you! Getting past our own worries is such a big thing when we sew - and in a lot of other situations, too, come to think of it...🤔. It's kind of neat to think we don't need to hem everything, although the first time I left something unhemmed (a faux suede jacket) it felt strange but it was more than fine and saved a lot of time, too. I have a bathing suit from Lands End and the top below the bust billows out when sitting in a hot tub near the jet, which actually makes me laugh but I'm also constantly trying to smooth the extra fabric down! I think a reason swimsuits seem scary to sew may be that we are thinking of a highly-fitted, Barbie or Miss World kind of swimsuit, whereas the one you made is a tank top and shorts, as you point out, and much more achievable - as you just proved! Maybe you can find some more great fabric on an after-summer sale for next year.

Well done Izzy, your choice of fabric is perfect and you look great in your swimsuit. I have never actually thought of making my own swim wear but might think about giving it a go after watching your vlog,, I love the style of the clearwater and like the idea of the shorts and tankini. Thanks for sharing. ❤

Your suit looks great! It fits you well and the fabric is so pretty. Good to know you prefer the fit of the "me-made" and that you think it is worth it to sew a swimsuit

Beautiful swimsuit! I wonder if you could try a band on your suit. I’ve seen many suits that blouse out. I have always ordered swimsuits from Lands End. They have mix and match tops and shorts. I usually order 22 in the top and a 16 in the bottom. For the shorts I order the shorts that are made of board short fabric . A plus it doesn’t cling and dries very fast.

Yay! Your suit looks great on you! Thanks for the review! I may give it a try next year. I just bought 3 RTW swimsuits. I’m keep my eye out for a good deal on some fabric. I’m so glad you faced your fears and shared your experience with us!

That's it! I'm making a swimsuit!! Thank you so much for the video!!! I already have all the things, I have just had other things going on - and a bit of procrastination mixed in :) I'm away now for a few days then, when I get back, I'm on it! I might even make this exact one 👌

Well done! The bathing suit looks fabulous! You will look great in Greece!

They're fantastic - what a great make. Well done! If I only made clothes that were cheaper than RTW, I'd rarely make anything. Sewing is a creative hobby for me that (hopefully) results in a wardrobe of clothes I feel great wearing. Quality coats and jackets, maybe, are cheaper to make than buy but most other garments I could probably buy cheaper RTW, but the fabric choices and individualty would be missing. And my time is mine to spend however I wish so that’s not an issue. Swimming is no longer part of my lifestyle so making swimwear is unlikely to ever happen.

Well done Izzy! You have overcome your fears. But I think I will stick to the shop bought for now

You are looking great!😊👏👏👏 Congratulations. Yes, I have been thinking of doing this.

Your suit looks perfect. I you are being to critical, the suit looks amazing. Great fabric and pattern choice.

Well done Izzy. That looks so beautiful🤩

Beautiful suit. You did a great job! You look amazing in it.

LOL with your swimming😂😂😂. So brave to model swimwear!! It looks SO good. I would be very chuffed and I am glad you love it. Good Luck water testing it. 😊 Lynne

Your bathing suit looks great on you, Izzy! I love the fabric you chose. I have the pattern, but since I’ve never made a bathing suit before I decided to start with a more basic pattern. I’m cutting a Seamwork swim pattern for my first try, and hope to finish it this week. Did you use a regular stretch needle? Thanks for the detail you gave. 😘

It looks so good on you!

Glad you took the plunge! It looks great on you. I also purchased this pattern but I am new to sewing, so will probably wait until I have some experience. Going over to watch the other video now. Have a great day.

Wow! You look beautiful in your swimsuit! I still haven’t tackled making a swimsuit! 🤗🧵

Hi Izzy. I'm really impressed w your bathing suit. Really nice job. It looks so nice on you. 💕

Your swimsuit is fantastic, makes me want to give it a go😊 thankyou for sharing

Great swimsuit looks really good I do aqua aerobics and the issue i have with separates is that the top float up i do a one piece great video thanks😊😊😊

I watched Karina’s (Lifting Pins and Needles) video about the swimsuit and I bought it! Like you, I am very intimidated of making a swimsuit. I hope to do so though. Getting the fabric is what’s holding me up. I would prefer to see and feel it prior to purchasing and there are not stores close to me with swimsuit fabric. Great review and helpful. I guess I won’t be saving money! 😬

Oh my goodness lady, you look great in your Clearwater swimsuit. I love the color on you. I love the sea shells. I think it looks like it is well worth it. Yes, I will try to make one for myself and probably my daughter and daughter mine law. I will probably send you a million questions.

An awesome sewing project Izzie - the bathing suit looks so good on you. Thank you for posting your thoughts and experiences on this. Happy sewing. 🌸

Hi Izzy, the swimsuit looks great on you.😎

Great review.

Looks great on you, I love it

Very pretty swimsuit,fits u really well

Forgot to add, I do not make swimwear. I am lucky that there is a company in the Uk that accommodates individual bra sizes and their “block” works for me. I.e Bravissimo. I love their swimwear and anything I made would not live up to their standards!!! so, I would rather focus on other garment making. 😊

Your swim suit looks great

Your bathing suit came out so well! I’m sorry it wasn’t a super fun sew. You’re right that the result was worth it though!

You could just serge the bottom of the tankini without taking any fabric if it feels like it will fray.

Your Clearwater will last a lot longer than ready to wear. I have made two drag suits for Charlie to wear to swim practice. Will probably make him another if he asks, but not anxious to make one for me.

I’ve got the same pattern as you. I’ve got swim fabric. Purchased on sale. Like you, I’m afraid to sew it. I think it’s the bust support that’s stopping me. I’m not especially busty, but it is such an important feature. I do have power mesh. Please remind me… Did you use purchased bust cups or just the power mesh? Thank you and congratulations on your really nice suit.

You old put a false hem on the top without losing much length😊 Like you prooject

I love your suit and it looks great on you.. Can you just serge the bottom of your top....