How to Make a Custom Bikini Bottom

There are many perks to making your own custom bikini bottom. It's less expensive and fits the shape of your body more precisely than the general sizes available through retailers. Plus, fabric stores offer a wide variety of patterns and materials to suit your personal style.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring tape
• Pattern
• Fabric
• Scissors
• Pins
• Marking tool
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Elastic

1. Measure your bust, hips and waist. Go to a fabric store in your area to buy a bikini pattern, fabric and the necessary notions listed on the back of the pattern.

2. Cut out the pattern pieces on the line corresponding with your size. Fold the fabric in half and pin on these pieces as indicated in the manual. Mark any notches and darts, and cut out the front and back pieces of your custom bikini bottom.

3. Pin the wrong sides of these two pieces together, matching the notches. Thread your sewing machine, and sew these two pieces at the sides.

4. Use the guide to cut a piece of elastic and mark it as directed. Sew the ends of the elastic piece together to form a loop. Match the markings from the waist of the wrong side of the bikini bottom with those on the elastic and pin them together.

5. Sew the elastic to the fabric using a zigzag stitch. Fold over the waistband to hide the elastic and sew this flap down using top stitching.

6. Match the notches on the front and back of the crotch and sew these pieces together. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for each leg opening to finish your custom bikini bottom.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're unsure how to perform a step, use a basting stitch first as a trial run. This way, if you make a mistake, you can easily remove these stitches to try again.
• When sewing two pieces of fabric together, make sure the stitch is at least 1/4 inch from the raw edge.
• Make sure that the fabric stays taut while you sew.

[indexercarol]

on 5/19/2009 Uh, this appears to be simply a summary of the instructions one will find in the sewing pattern. It doesn't even include instructions for modifying the pattern pieces if your measurements aren't exactly the same as the pattern. Nor does it include information about what kind of machine stitch to use for bathing suit fabrics, which are very stretchy.