Tankini

July BMS Challenge – Totally Twisted

~ Michelle

July – Totally Twisted – You’d expect our summer challenge to include swimwear, but this challenge is Swimwear with a Twist. That means your swimwear has to have a touch of a fabric twist, gathers, or ruching. Let’s get creative and manipulate fabric into swimwear, bikinis or other beachwear.

I had been thinking of making a tankini for the May BMS Challenge – Spots and Stripes. That is until I looked ahead a couple of months and saw the July Challenge was swimwear. I don’t wear enough swimwear that I needed 3 new swimsuits – one I made in my class, one I planned to make in May, and another one now.

So I changed my May entry and saved my tankini until July. But what I planned to make in May no longer would fit with the challenge, as well, I wondered if I really wanted a second swimsuit now even.

These designs were all spots and stripes (the May challenge).For my July entry, it was back to the drawing board in terms of design, and pattern. I just didn’t feel like I wanted a second swimsuit right now, so I asked Em if she wanted one. YES! Yes.

So, Em’s getting a new swimsuit for my July Challenge entry.

I showed her the pattern I have and she loved the Marsha pattern from Pin-Up Girls’ Three Sisters Bikini pattern.But she also loved the Rebecca. She’s getting a mash-up of the two patterns.

Em’s Teeny Weeny Polka Dot Bikini

Here’s Em’s new bikini:

It’s pretty adorable. But it’s also too small. I’ve never made this pattern before, and I’d need to size up the bottoms for sure. Sadly, they won’t fit Em, and they won’t even fit on my display.

The front of the Rebecca pattern has ruching, which is great if you have a bit of a tummy.  The front of the Marsha pattern has some adorable features too. A fabric twist at the center front.I’m sad this is too small, but am glad I tried this challenge and learned a few new things.

Happy creating!

May BMS Challenge – Spots and Stripes

~ Michelle ~ 4 Comments

The May Bra-Makers Supply Challenge is Spots and Stripes.

Here’s a challenge that will have you seeing spots before your eyes. Actually, you’ll be seeing spots, dots, lines and stripes. Let’s challenge our thinking about these pattern basics and create garments with dots and stripes. That’s any kind of dot or any kind of stripes, in any kind of intimate apparel. The trick is to use them together in the same garment.

My Entry

For my entry this month, I had a hard time deciding between the two possible projects – panties or tankini.

However, looking ahead just a little in the BMS Challenges for the year helped me make my decision. The July Challenge is Swimwear. Hmm. I just made a swimsuit. If I make a swimsuit now, and again in July for the Challenge, well, I don’t need that many swimsuits. I decided to save my tankini make for July.

Panties it is.

Front Feature Panties

Here is my entry using my own drafted panty pattern.I think these are adorable! In fact, I like them so much, I went on to cut out five more variations! I’ll show you those after I show you the side and back view of this first pair.

Here’s the side view. Oh, I love polka dots. Polka dots and lace take the love to a whole new level.And the back view.

Variations on a Theme

I really did think these were adorable, so made a second pair but reversed the prints. I changed the lace trim I used too. This is my favorite lace trim, and sadly, I can’t find it anymore. The vendor I purchased this from is no longer selling it.I used up the last of the stripes, and that inspired me to make a pair in the last of the black with white polka dots. These are so cute.I have two more pair of white with black polka dot panties all cut out, but somehow with a whole rack of thread, I didn’t have any white thread.

Those last two will have to wait.

Happy creating!

A Little Designing

~ Michelle

I was planning my entry for the May Bra-Makers Supply Challenge and thought I’d share my process with you.

 I do have to say, I love polka dots, but stripes haven’t always thrilled me. Remember the apron pattern I was looking at recently? Stripes don’t always play nicely with my hips. However, I set a goal to do all the Challenges this year. So, I sat down and thought of a few ideas.

Panty Idea

For the panty, I knew the perfect pattern right away. The Rad Patterns’ Panel Undies. These are so cute. I have this pattern, but I also made my own self-drafted panty with similar styling. For my submission, I used my pattern.

So I took my inspiration from the Rad Panel Undies and had some fun drawing and coloring a couple of options for what I could sew for the challenge.

I have some adorable black with white polka dot cotton Lycra, and white with black polka dot too. I have some black/gray stripped cotton Lycra I could pair with both of these CLs.

This is one option I’m thinking about, but I did have those polka dot materials planned for a color block halla Agnes top for summer. Hmm, I might have to see if I’ll have enough left over before I go with this idea.

I put these designs aside and thought of another idea.

Tankini Idea

 I had planned to make a Tankini from my swimsuit pattern, and I had already purchased some great swim material from Libelle Sewing last year.Aren’t these great? I hadn’t decided if I wanted the black on the bottom, on the top, or color blocked, but I knew they’d be adorable together.

Then I was thinking about the challenge, and wondering how I could incorporate these polka dots into my Challenge entry.

 I took a look at Libelle Sewing again to see if they had any striped material, and they had this Ombre swim print.Here they are side by side.

Well, I didn’t love the stripes and polka dots together, so I tried coloring a few ideas.

Here’s was my first try.

That was okay, but I wanted the stripes and dots on the same part of the pattern. I kept coloring. I like this one a lot better.

I had one more variation to try.As I was drawing this, I realized exactly what it was I didn’t love about the first two combinations – I wanted more continuity between the top and bottom pieces. So Rad Patterns’ Panel Undies inspiration struck again. I could do an ombre panel on the tankini bottoms as well.

Next week I’ll show you my make for May.

Happy creating!