Made by a Fabricista: Tween Swimwear and Tween Sewing

I have begun the adventure that is sewing for a "tween." I knew it would come to this one day, and I knew that I would be just fine if my daughter no longer wanted anything made by Mom, after all that's just more sewing time for ME!! However, my daughter still prefers that I make her a few special items that we are hard-pressed to find in a store. As women we know that finding swimwear we love is a chore but for my tween, it seems as if the options are even more limited.

On a recent shopping excursion we found all sorts of impractical frilly swimwear for her age group but nothing that looked as if it might hold up to a long day of hard play on the beach. In addition my daughter prefers more modest swimwear, none of which we could find. Soooo Mom to the rescue.

I turned to Fabric Mart's great collection of Jalie patterns for this swimsuit and they did not disappoint. The swim shorts pattern is really, really good. I highly recommend it, I do have one important word of caution. The last step in the instructions for these swim shorts is completely wrong and you'll need to go to the Jalie site to copy the correction- otherwise you'll be really lost.

These shorts turned out so perfectly for my daughter, the fit is just right. There's a brief type lining with a great swimshort on top. A side pocket is included which my daughter can't wait to use for collecting shells. The construction hides the secure stitching that holds the elastic in place- clever!

The fabric is some I previously purchased from Fabric Mart, I love their end of summer mark downs on swimwear fabric and try to grab some before its quickly purchased by everyone else! This particular swimwear fabric (stripes) is thicker than the coral (lining) and I love it.

The top is a converted Julia bralette with added straps. It turned out a bit snug on the elastic (which, warning cannot be altered after the fact) however she should be able to get a summers wear from it.

I believe just about any bralette can be converted to a swimsuit. For this top I triple lined the front portion for my daughter's comfort.

Maybe you've never sewn swimwear and are unsure about tackling such a project. I would definitely encourage you to go for it. In my opinion its a really satisfying make since you spend a heck of a lot less than you would if you bought such a suit at a store or online. You can get closer to your ideal swimsuit as well with grading and adjustments.

You really don't need any special equipment, I used a simply zig zag stitch for most construction and you can use it for all construction if you don't have a serger. You will need a stretch needle so as not to snag or puncture the fabric.

I'm wondering if any of you are currently sewing for a tween and are discovering (as I have) that there are limited options for tweens? If so I'd like to make a few recommendations for patterns.

Jalie patterns include all sizes, one word of caution, I do find that they fit a little snug so be sure to check your measurements including finished measurements for a proper fit.
Hey June Handmade has a line of tween patterns that are really cute. The Camden tee is a favorite in my house as well as the Morrison tee.
New Look patterns have a few tween patterns that are even marked "tween."
McCalls and Simplicity have some tween fashions that are pretty cute and I ended up using McCalls 7680 for my daughter's Easter dress. Admittedly some of these patterns are strange or definitely not to a tween's liking but if your tween is anything like mine she'll be quick to inform you which is which!

I am also careful to get my daughter's input on fabric choices. I want her to enjoy whatever I might make for her and since she is at an age where her self awareness is heightening I want to be collaborative in creating something she'll love wearing. The last thing I ever want is for her to feel like that sad kid who's Mom insisted she wear some drab "homemade" concoction that is completely out of touch. Ha ha, why be that person when I could use my valuable time sewing for myself!

I hope this post was helpful in encouraging you to sew swimwear and to have even more courage to dare to sew for a tween!

Thanks for reading!

Elizabeth

I Sew, You Sew

Made by a Fabricista: Structure

Hi everyone! I can’t believe the year is nearly wrapping up already and this is my last post for 2024! You may have noticed but the barrel silhouette has been very much in right now from pants to sleeves. To be honest I was a little bit hesitant about hopping on to the trend. One I was not sure if the proportions would work for my body also I considered would this be a long lasting trend to keep incorporated in my closet? But after a few seasons the barrel seems to stay in many variations, I think exaggerated proportions are such a thing now. I saw this Cult Gaia x Gap denim dress collab with the barrel sleeves and wanted to remake it. When I saw this brown distressed denim twill I knew it was perfect. I had been debating between making cargo pants but I wanted to try to do something different and went for the dress once I saw the inspiration. I used McCall’s pattern 8139 as my base with the following modifications. Instead of...

Made By A Fabricista: A Wool Pinafore for Winter

Hello exciting wintry weather! Brrr, though. For my December post, I wanted to sew something more unusual for me, something outside my wide leg pants and big boxy sweaters, and this pinafore combination is exactly that. I really like the layering aspect and how easily one could switch up the look based on the top worn underneath, and how this pinafore pattern could easily work for all seasons based on fabric choice and possibly adding leggings. The new Love Notions Pianoforte Jumper in this incredibly charming polka dot wool blend suiting is just right. I wanted wool for warmth, and the sweet print just sent me. Of course a pinafore looks SO darling in dots. The Pianoforte is a slightly-cocoon shaped dress with princess seams and some large and handy front inset pockets. There is a zip-front option, but I went with the pullover plain front. I love the vintagey, sort of old-timey vibes of this style, and categorize this one under dopamine dressing. Because the wool is on the heavi...

Made By A Fabricista: Cozy Sewing Season

The cozy sewing season seems like it came early this year! Temperatures in Pennsylvania have been in the freezing range for weeks, so it is time to break out the flannel, sweater knits, sherpa, wool, and other warm fabrics. Fabric Mart's website is stocked with gorgeous cozy fabric perfect for sewists living in cold climates. While searching for fabric for my first cozy sew of the season, a Cranberry Plaid 100% Cotton Flannel fabric caught my eye. I loved the colors and the plaid pattern. I ordered 3.5 yards to make a button-up flannel shirt for myself, and a little extra fabric to make a button-up shirt for my son. I also ordered two packs of 10 Soft Pearl Plastic Shirt Buttons and "My Mama Made It" sewing labels from Kylie and the Machine. I envisioned one of these labels being added to the side seam of my son's shirt for a bespoke detail. Once my order arrived, I washed my fabric and reached for my Grainline Studio Archer Button-Up paper pattern. I used this pat...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog