handmade style by a designer
Here we go friends! Let’s get started on our Cottesloe swimsuits! Today is all about View B – the high back one piece. This is a pretty simple construction – just sewing the seams and adding the gusset. So I will also go over the optional step of fully lining your suit, as well!
This is easy peasy, and you’ll get through these steps in no time. So let’s get to it!
There’s a little bit of fear out there when it comes to sewing our own swimsuits…but we’ve heard it said many times lately that it’s so much simpler than you’d think…it could even be said that it’s EASY! Without a doubt though, the most fun part of the whole process is choosing your favourite swim fabric. There are so many gorgeous prints out there and so many amazing vibrant colours, it’s really a chance to go nuts with colour or the perfect opportunity to make that chic black swimsuit you’ve always wanted in your closet.
Throughout the design & sampling process of our Cottesloe Swimsuit, we found so many amazing fabric resources, there are SO many more than you’d ever imagine (*rubs hands together with glee). We also learnt a heap of “do’s & don’ts” when it comes to swim fabrics. It really all comes down to what you’ll be using your swimsuit for. If you love swimming laps at the pool, or have a chlorinated swimming pool at home, make sure to choose the fabric that will withstand the chemical exposure. If you’re happy lazing at the beach and doing the occasional dip in the salt water…you will be able to get away with a few different fabric compositions. This post is all about what the best fabrication is for you…and where you can find it in your area! So let’s get to it…
Swim fabrics can be comprised from different materials the main two being Lycra and Polyamide/Polyester (Poly).
Poly swim fabric //
Swim Lycra //
Now to the elastic! Two kinds of swimsuit elastic are commonly available: swimsuit rubber & woven swim elastic. Both elastics can be used to create successful wearable swimsuits, however they have slightly different properties and as such should be treated slightly differently.
Swimsuit rubber //
Woven swim elastic //
If you are having trouble sourcing swim specific elastic, you can get away with using regular elastic in your swimsuit but keep in mind it may not last as long.
All views of the Cottesloe swimsuit are able to be fully lined and you’ll need the same amount of lining as you do fabric. There are a couple of choices depending on what you’re after. If it’s modesty you’re needing (advised for any fabric that is light in colour or very flat in texture) you’ll find regular swimsuit lining in nude, white or black will work well. *Make sure it’s got 4 way stretch!
If you’re looking for some compression properties in your lining, we’d recommend lining any section from the under bust down in Power mesh. It’s incredibly soft, with great stretch capabilities and will keep you feeling secure in your suit. *Avoid lining the bust with it unless you don’t mind a tight feeling around the chest.
When I was designing the Cottesloe swimsuit pattern, the most important thing to me was to make sure it was a great fitting pattern, but also…that it was a classic swimsuit to give you guys heaps of opportunity to make it your own! That’s what this post is all about; we’ve got all the ideas you’ll ever need to turn your Cottesloe swimsuit into your favourite piece this summer.
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Instead of keeping to one fabric for your swimsuit, why not try mixing it up?
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When choosing swimwear, I know black is always SO tempting. BUT…we’re so excited to show you how gorgeous these suits look in bright and fun colours! Why not stand out and have some fun?!
We are extra excited about this pattern because of it’s basic shape and style…it’s the perfect base for you to add all sorts of little details to make it your own!
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Black and white swimwear will ALWAYS be in fashion…and it’s such a simple go-to suit…we don’t blame you if you head straight for the monochrome swim fabric! If you wanted something ever so slightly different, you could look for a ribbed swim fabric; a black and white stripe or add a simple detail like colourful straps to mix up the look.
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The Cottesloe swimsuit was designed with a more active, sporty wearer in mind. We wanted to make sure you would be just as comfortable lazing on the beach as you would be doing laps at the pool!
Don’t have the Cottesloe sewing pattern yet?! Order Cottesloe today! We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNcottesloe and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
It’s time for our next tester round up and I can’t wait to show you all of the Cottesloe makes! After we finished our tester round there were some important changes we decided to make based on the feedback we received as well as from our own internal testing. The final pattern is bit different compared to the original, but we’re so happy with how it turned out and think there is a lot more versatility in the final options!
You might notice some differences between the tester makes below and the final pattern, but rest assured any changes have made the pattern even better!
Hey everyone! It’s Holly again. You know what that means? It’s time to start up our next sewalong! I’m so excited to help walk you through making your Cottesloe swimsuits.
If you’ve never made swimwear before and are worried about it being hard – Seriously, don’t worry! I had never made swimwear before this, and it turns out it’s actually super easy. Construction is very simple with Cottesloe because it’s such a classic shape. We will be breaking up this sewalong by View/Style, and then go over elastic insertion for all at the end. Easy peasy.
Here’s the full list of Cottesloe posts and tutorials coming up:
If you have any ideas for posts you’d like included, please let us know in the comments!
Don’t have the Cottesloe sewing pattern yet?! Order Cottesloe today! We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNcottesloe and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!
