Made for Mermaids – SewSophieLynn

Teen Style with RCF Back to School Line

As my girls are getting older, their love of clothes is getting RIDICULOUS! They love fashion and work hard and save their money to spend on the latest ready-to-wear trends. I love being able to sew things for them still and it is an even bigger thrill when they reach for their handmade wardrobes over their RTW goods!

This little miss is spending her summer dancing and it was so fun to sew up a new mini capsule for those long dance days.

The Raspberry Creek Fabrics Back to School collection just dropped and is on sale through today. I honestly thought my girls would be over Back to School prints but Kim Henrie’s School is Cool line works way beyond the classroom! I used the Mix Tape print in cozy french terry and the Checkers in rib knit for a cute mix and match look.

I used the Made for Mermaids Nicky Top and Bonny Leggings for the rib knit set. The Nicky top is our go-to boxy crop tee. We both love the fit so much. The Bonny Leggings is a free pattern and sooo easy to sew up that she sewed them up herself! It was a fun sewing day with my girly sewing up these pieces.

For the french terry pieces I used the Ellie and Mac Oversized Tee and Shwin Designs Starr Joggers. For the crop sweatshirt I used scraps of ribbing I had in my stash (from RCF as well). The Starr Joggers are modified slightly by cutting them into shorts. She loves this jogger pattern because it is a little roomier and relaxed than most.

Man, outfitting this cute teen is just too fun!

Art Gallery Periwinkle

Art Gallery Fabrics are always a favorite with my girls so we were thrilled to be able to sew up the knit prints from the new Periwinkle Fabric collection.

The Periwinkle collection is full of bright, happy prints that just feel like summer to me.

I sewed up the two new knit prints from the collection, Sun Filled Shades and Frenchie Noir. We all LOVE AGF knits for their softness and weight.

Sophie got a new True Bias Rio Ringer Dress. I sewed up the smallest women’s size, 0, and the fit is wonderful!

The Rio is such a great casual dress and I think it worked so well with this print. It has that fun, retro vibe and really shows off the fabric.

Payton is all about joggers these days so I knew she’d love this look. I used the Joseph Joggers from Project Run and Play. I love the slim fit and classic style of this pattern. We paired it with the Nicky Top from Made for Mermaids, our go-to for a cute, boxy look.

That Frenchie print is just adorable! The simple black and white graphic means she can wear it with any of her solid tees.

We just had to get our new pup Coco in on the action with this photo shoot.

Check out the full Lookbook here for inspiration from the whole Periwinkle collection.

Tie Dye with Riley Blake Designs

There’s just something about tie dye! It’s having a major moment right now but for us, it’ll always be a staple. My kids LOVE to tie dye every summer (we’ve been doing cousin tie dye days for-ever!) and a good portion of their wardrobe consists of past tie dye projects. When I saw these new Tie Dye quilting cotton prints from Riley Blake I knew we had to give them a try! All the fun without the mess!

There are eight tonal colors to choose from and two fun multi color prints. The quilting cotton base makes them great for clothing, blankets, and decor. My girls had very different ideas on how to use these prints so we went two totally different directions with our projects.

My oldest daughter is my future interior designer. She recently got her own room and has changed up the decor as often as she can. Her newest aesthetic is a playful pastel palette and this tie dye print was just perfect for it.

We debated between so many projects from throw pillows to framed art but finally settled on a fabric covered cork board to display all of her favorite pictures and mementos. I added a LOVE graphic (found in Cricut Design Space) with iron-on vinyl for a little pop and reminder of what’s really important in life.

Little sis is ALL about the clothes. In fact her bedroom is currently decorated with them, lol! She’s our messy one and usually goes through multiple outfits a day and her room is littered with the evidence. It works out great for me though because she is always the happy recipient of mama made clothes!

For this skirt I used the tonal purple tie dye (her current favorite color). She’s been asking for her own version of this skirt and this fabric was too perfect for it! The easy breezy feel of this print just begged to be a tiered skirt.

I used the Made for Mermaids Siena Skirt pattern. It’s such a fun and cute pattern. I love the different options and the results are always so darn cute!

This girl is definitely my free spirit and she channeled those vibes for this quick shoot. Pretty sure she needs to wear this to a summer picnic or concert in the park.

What do you need to make out of these great prints? Are they screaming home decor to you too? Or are you dying to add a little fun to your wardrobe? Whatever you pick, you can’t go wrong!

I’ll leave you with a little glimpse into some of our past tie dye makes! It’s not summer without them!

Siena Skirts from Made for Mermaids in Riley Blake Beautiful Day fabrics

I’m sharing another great fabric collection today from Riley Blake Fabrics. Beautiful Day Fabrics from Echo Park Paper Co. are so pretty and totally on trend. My girls were in love with these prints!

The pretty boho florals won them over but look how darling those ginghams and bees are too! I keep imagining the CUTEST summer picnic quilt in this collection. Isn’t the color pallet so fresh and fun?!

My girls have requested more skirts and when I saw the new Siena Skirt from Made for Mermaids I knew it would be a great addition to their wardrobes. The Siena is a woven, elastic waist skirt with multiple length options. Tiered skirts are so in style this spring and those Made for Mermaids girls do a fantastic job keeping up with RTW trends. They keep these picky girls happy with all of their patterns!

Cute Payton got a mini skirt version. I had one of those amazing mom moments when she slipped this outfit on and it was just so HER! A little sweet but fun and trendy too.

Sophie wanted a midi version. Hers is slightly modified to work with the amount of fabric I had so the last tier is shorter than the pattern calls for. It’s still a great length and nice and comfortable on her. She wore hers to church this week which I always count as a huge win when they can’t wait to wear their new handmades.

Sophie is my crafty queen and is always trying something new. She started embroidering a little and I thought these skirts were perfect for a little embellished tee to match. We grabbed tees from Target and spent an evening working on these tops. She did hers and I did the simple lazy daisies on Payton’s (yes she is WAY better at it than me!). I love catching any moment I can to spend quiet time with my kids and this was such a fun night. Don’t be surprised if we start adding a little embroidering to all the things!

I love discovering new patterns that will get added to our go-to collection. The Siena skirt was just meant for these cute prints!

Art Gallery Knits

I’m thrilled to be here sharing the newest knit solids from Art Gallery Fabrics. This was one of my kids favorite shoots of the year- good friends and comfy clothes, yes please!

It was fun to work with Karly of Paisley Roots again and I’m always happy to be part of an Art Gallery project! You HAVE to head over to her blog to check out her incredible makes!

For this shoot we met up with Anna and her kids of Kainara Stitches and my kids really did have a blast! All of the group shots are courtesy of Anna (she’s an amazing seamstress AND an awe-inspiring photographer too!).

The newest colors added to the knit collection are soooo good! From dusty blue Spruce to the peachy blush Cinnamon, these colors are so on trend and beautiful! Art Gallery knits are the perfect weight for everything from tees to dresses and leggings. I’m always so sad when I don’t use them all for myself! They are incredibly soft and so easy to sew with.

I’ll start with Sophie’s simple tee. I used Cinnamon knit and the Made for Mermaids Pepper tee. This pattern is so full of options! I sewed up the scoop neckline, short puff sleeve with banded bottom. She is a jeans and tee kinda gal and this fits right into her wardrobe.

The cute little puff sleeve is the sweetest touch without being too much.

Charlie got really spoiled with a whole comfy outfit. I had to pry this outfit off of him after a long lazy weekend! I judge how much my kids like their handmades by how much they choose to wear them and this outfit has definitely gotten the gold stamp of approval!

For his outfit, I used Spruce as the main for his pants with accents of Camouflage, Sienna Brick, and White Linen. I sewed up the Retro Joggers from Lowland Kids and the True Bias Rio Ringer. The whole retro feel of this outfit is everything!

This top was a last minute addition and it turned out to be my favorite piece! I just couldn’t let any scrap go to waste.

This is the Logan Colorblocked Crop and Hoodie from Made for Mermaids. We made the short sleeved, cropped hoodie options and it is beyond adorable!

I’d say these are some happy kiddos! Make sure to check out the other seamstresses who are joining us!

Paisley Roots Kainara Stitches Replicate Then Deviate Sincerely Shantelle

Made For Mermaids Pepper Tops in Riley Blake Designer Knits

When I saw that Riley Blake had new Designer Knits hitting the scene, I knew we had to try them! We loved our knit makes from last fall and I’ve been looking forward to knew designs. These prints by Mimi G did not disappoint.

My girls picked the Leopard Print White and Spots White for their prints. I also picked up some black jersey to make some leggings to pair with them. Riley Blake knits are a mid weight jersey with plenty of stretch. They feel great for pajamas, tops, leggings, and dresses.

I sewed up the Made for Mermaids Pepper Top for both of them. The pattern is so full of options and it was so fun for them to really customize their tops. Short sleeves, long sleeves, multiple necklines and bodice fits make this a pattern that I’ll use over and over. Payton has already requested a few more.

For Sophie’s I sewed up a size 12 with added length. I used the short banded bottom and short sleeve with the boat neckline.

Payton wanted all the drama! She picked long sleeves with tall cuffs and a tall bottom band. Throw in the mockneck and this is the perfect winter top!

Sophie got new leggings out of the RB jersey. As you can see from this side by side, little sis is wearing store bought leggings and Sophie’s fit soooo much better! I used the free Love Notions Leggins’ with the yoga waistband but cut at the elastic waist cut line for a nice high waisted fit. The knit is very comparable in feel to the RTW leggings and these will be a staple in her closet for sure.

I love sewing basics for these girls and knit tees are things that will get worn over and over again. These Mimi G prints make these not-so-basic and we love these finished garments!

Suit Up for Summer with Raspberry Creek Fabrics Day Four- Girls Swim Capsules

Day four is here and I’m so excited for today’s post. Swim capsules are so fun to sew and even more fun to wear. Being able to mix and match pieces gives you so many options and stretches your swim wardrobe so far. Plus it’s amazing for kids and tweens who can’t seem to keep their two-piece suits in one place- just grab any piece and go!

I created two different capsules, one for each of my girls. They each picked their fabrics and I had fun picking patterns to pair with these prints. Raspberry Creek Fabrics offers so many prints that coordinate making it so easy to come up with cute combos. I like to do at least one stripe, a fun print (like the leopard prints or a pretty floral), and a solid or something subtle that will match everything.

For this set I used Blossom Pink and Sage Palm Trees, Blossom Pink Polka Dots, Abstract Animal Print, Black White Sage Blossom Pink Multi Stripe, Black and White Leopard, and Solid Blossom Pink. Can you see how many of them had the same colors in the name of the listing? This makes it so easy to know if your prints will match!

The fabrics from this set were all part of the same collection from Kim Henrie which means they were designed to coordinate! I used the Vertical Multi Stripe, Pink Orange and Black Leopard, Tangerine Orange Micro Stripe, and Pink Micro Stripe.

I sewed this set up before our trip to Hawaii in January and it was so perfect for our beach days! These pictures make me so wistful for warmer days, traveling, and times when our biggest worry was what flavor of shave ice to get.

For this set I used the Made for Mermaids Calypso pattern. It’s one of my go-tos (you can see our other versions here and here) and it was easy to customize. These are a size 10 with a 12 length. For the bottoms I cut on the plain high-waisted height but still added the band to give it a little more height. This girl is very conservative and likes to be covered. Her tops are all Calypso tops as well. The pink stripe is the view A double flounce. For the leopard top I simple used only the long flounce pieces and omitted the top layer. The orange stripes is a view B bandeaux top. I highly recommend this pattern if you are new to sewing or just a little timid when sewing swim. The pattern is full of tips and the techniques used are now my default way for doing things. All of the pieces are lined (the tops I just did the front bandeaux piece and the bottoms are fully lined) and the way you put them together all of the side seams are nice and hidden making them even more comfortable.

I can’t get over how much I love this set! It’s so cheery and a little bit unexpected. She loved wearing these pieces on our trip and I know they’ll be worn a ton when we finally get some warm days.

Now, this set I got a little more creative. I used the Calypso, the Megan Nielsen Mini Cottesloe, Made for Mermaids Roxy, and the Modkid Perfect Tee. She requested a rash guard, another Cottesloe, and some more high-waisted bottoms. These patterns were great choices to create the capsule of her dreams.

Both of these bottoms are the Roxy bottoms from Made for Mermaids. They are a size 10 with a band added to the top. She was right in between an 8 and 10 for waist and hips so I sized up since we’re at the start of the season. They are slightly big and the added band brings them in a bit. This time for the band, I trimmed off the top of both the front and back pieces and then added the band by sewing my elastic in the round, folding the band pieces over it and serging it on. For the tie on the pink pair, I added a couple of inches to the wide end that gets sewn into the side seams so that our bow would be a little longer.

This top is the Calypso with the single long flounce. It’s just so cute and quick to sew that I can’t help making a million of them.

For the rash guard I used my slimmest tee pattern which is the Modkid Perfect Tee. I sewed it exactly per the pattern instructions (adding a lining to the front piece) and in her current size (size 10). I personally like mine a bit more fitted but she was really happy with a bit looser fit.

Let’s talk about the Cottesloe. These pieces are the view D high waisted bottoms with the high scoop back top in a size 9 with 11 length. I tested this pattern last year and it was one of her favorite suits. I do have a couple of issues with this pattern. First there are no trunk measurements which makes it really hard to determine the right size for length. I laid one of our one-piece patterns that fits well on top of this one piece and it was at least 3-inches too short (if I used the longest size Cottesloe). For that reason, I’ll be sticking to the two piece for my girls. I also measure my own elastic for the waist and lower bodice. I cut pieces three inches longer than the pattern called for based on her size.

The Cottesloe has much more negative ease than other patterns that I’ve used. These are the slightly too big Roxy bottoms under the Cottesloe’s. There’s quite the difference but both fit just fine. The Cottesloe’s are stretched much more and the Roxy’s are only stretched a bit across her bottom.

These sets just have me wishing and dreaming of another beach vacation and lazy days in the sun!

Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you use code SWIMTOUR to get 15% off you swim fabrics order this week.

Raspberry Creek Fabrics

Hosted by: Sew Sophie Lynn and Paisley Roots

Sincerely, Shantelle Merritts Makes Sew Mary Mac

Phat Quarters Sewing Sew Haute Blog My Sew Bliss Kainara Stitches

Made By Kates Sewing and Things Desert Blooms Sweet Mama

Margarita on the Ross Auschick Sews Hazelnut Handmade Call Ajaire

It’s Liesel House of Curves Stitching and Making Replicate then Deviate

A HUGE thank you to all our pattern sponsors!!!

Simple Life Pattern Company Love Notions Hey June Handmade New Horizons Designs

Sew A Little Seam Jilly Atlanta Ensemble Patterns Petit A Petit & Family

Striped Swallow Designs Jennuine Designs Jalie Ellie & Mac Sew Like My Mom Lowland Kids Phat Quarters

Greenstyle Creations Chalk & Notch Made For Mermaids Lil Luxe Collection Violette Field Threads Patterns For Pirates

Rebecca Page Shwin Designs Sinclair Patterns Call Ajaire Boo Designs Tadah Patterns

Christmas Gifts with Riley Blake Sparkle

It’s that time of year to do ALL the gift sewing. I sat down with my oldest daughter and we had a little sewing afternoon and whipped up some cute, quick presents using FREE patterns from some of our favorite designers. This fabric from Riley Blake Designs was perfect for accessories that will match everything!

We used a Swiss Dot on Black Gold Sparkle from Riley Blake. This fabric would make a darling dress, skirt, pillows, or quilt… there are loads of possibilities! I love the classic dots and the sparkle of the gold. There’s just something about a good black and gold combination!

Our first project was one that has been all over the sewing community since it debuted last year- a hidden pocket infinity scarf. We followed this tutorial from Patterns for Pirates. It was easy to follow and so fun! That hidden pocket is perfect for holding your cell phone, keys, mints, etc. and is such a genius idea.

She plans on gifting this one to her favorite teacher with a gift card snuck inside the pocket. I think we’ll have to make a few more for teachers, neighbors, and friends.

We turned to Made for Mermaids for our other two projects. Both M4M and P4P do a fun 12 Days of Christmas each year and offer free patterns and projects. I don’t know how they continue to come up with them year after year but I always look forward to them.

My girls still love a good simple bow so we just had to make the new Hadley Hand-Tied Bow. We did the largest size and I think it works great for tweens and teens. I’m glad they even included a little tutorial on how to tie it up just right.

We also sewed up the Bow Scrunchie pattern. My daughter has made dozens of scrunchies and I love the bow addition on this one. She was easily able to sew up both of these hair accessories (I manned the iron while she sewed!). I love seeing her sewing confidence grow with each project!

We had to throw in a Flower Market version with the little scraps we had leftover from this jacket. These hair things are perfect for all those precious scraps! She’s planning to gift these to her little sis which is fantastic because that means they’ll stay in the family and I can steal them!

Are you sewing handmade gifts this year? Do you wait until the last minute or are you already done with your crafting? I usually think I’m done and then like to cram in some last-minute gift sewing in the final days before Christmas. Doesn’t that make me a true sewist?!

Personalized Christmas Jammies with Cricut Maker, EasyPress 2, and EasyPress Mini

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

How many of you have the tradition of fresh new pajamas for Christmas morning? It was a tradition in my home growing up and one that I’ve loved carrying on with my own kids. Some years we all sport matching sets, sometimes they’re a mix of store-bought and handmade, and sometimes the littles get cozy footie pajamas while the rest of us are happy with new flannel pj pants. This year I’m excited to be ahead of the game and my kids are thrilled with their new jammies that match their personalities to a tee. This post is sponsored by both Cricut and Raspberry Creek Fabrics to really bring their visions to life.

We broke out all things Cricut for this post and I can’t wait to share all about them. We used the new Infusible Ink products, some fun Iron-On Designs, Everyday Iron-On with my Cricut Maker, EasyPress 2, and EasyPress Mini. Having the right products and materials made it so easy to create looks that this crew really loves.

The first thing we did was head to Raspberry Creek to pick their fabric. My younger three are all about the CLUB fabrics. I try to keep them in CLUB pajamas for every season. The CLUB fabric bases are so soft and comfortable and are their absolute favorites. I loved that they immediately found prints they loved and that they went for three different base fabrics- the famous cotton lycra, double brushed polyester, and the new sweatshirt fleece. My big boys wanted flannel bottoms and you can’t go wrong with any of the Robert Kaufman flannels in the shop. They are so soft and fluffy and wash up better and softer with each wash. I have a pair from many years ago that still look brand new even after constant washing during the colder months.

With their fabrics picked, we found the perfect matches for their personalized tops. My big boys wanted simple designs so we tried out a couple of Infusible Ink papers. My oldest daughter loves buffalo plaid and we just had to do the matching Infusible Ink. My spunky younger daughter fell for the perfect Iron-On Design and my little man went with easy Everyday Iron-On.

My littlest was very insistent he needed this adorable Christmas Cactus print for his pj’s. He sat on my lap and scrolled through DesignSpace with me and just cracked up at this design he picked. Boy, does it suit him! He’s sweet to the bone but his curiosity can get the best of him. We used Kelly Green Everyday Iron-On for a simple tee that we both love! I used the Titchy Threads Rowan tee for his top and Sew A Little Seam (free) Movie Night Pj’s for his bottoms.

This little miss loved this bright and fun Iron-On Design. I let her cut it all out and place it on her tee how she wanted. We used our favorite raglan pattern, Hey June’s Camden, and leggings pattern, Love Notions free Leggins’ to create an easy set. I wouldn’t be surprised if these pieces made their way into her everyday wardrobe too. This striped double brushed polyester is one of my favorites from the fall collection and I can always count on my go-to mustard dots to coordinate with just about everything.

It’s no surprise that this daughter of mine picked something I totally want for myself! I would live in those cozy fleece joggers! We used this buffalo plaid sweatshirt fleece for a pair of Made for Mermaids Lexi and Lou Loungers (with added elastic in the waist) that I’m sure she’ll wear every chance she gets. How fun is it that this Infusible Ink matches so good?!! Perfection! She picked this darling deer head from DesignSpace for a look that is so on trend. We used a Cricut blank tee as the base and we were both in awe as we watched the Infusible Ink melt into it. It was shocking to see how bright and smooth it came out! We were both mesmerized by it and are already planning more projects with it so we can see the magic again.

This kid is the ultimate sports fan. His room is decorated floor to ceiling with all things Broncos, Jazz, Yankees, and soccer. It was no surprise he wanted a simple Utah Jazz note on his tee. We used Infusible Ink and a Cricut blank tee paired with his cozy Patterns for Pirates Walk the Plank pj pants (another free pattern!).

My oldest is a senior this year and spends all his free time playing soccer. We found this cool silhouette in Design Space that looks soooo much like him- it was perfect! I added his school name and graduation year to really personalize it. He also got a pair of Walk the Plank bottoms.

For the front designs, I used my big EasyPress 2. I love the even, smooth results I get every time! I couldn’t live without my EasyPress! I was so excited to get the EasyPress Mini. I used iron-on size tags in almost all our handmades (it makes hand-me-downs easier and also helps my kiddos find the back, lol!). The EasyPress Mini is going to live in my sewing space and makes adding those little tags so.dang.easy. It heats up fast and is the perfect size to get in the neckline. My mind was blown!

A HUGE thank you to Cricut and Raspberry Creek Fabrics for providing all the supplies for this post. I love that we were able to spend time together creating the perfect jammies for each of my kiddos. The memories of that day are just as special as the pj’s! That’s what the holidays are all about!

Suit Up For Summer Day 5

Can you believe we made it to the last day of the Suit Up For Summer Blog Tour?! Not gonna lie, I’m going to sleep well tonight! I’ve so enjoyed sewing swimwear and the sensational seamstresses on the tour have continued to impress me day after day. My jaw hits the floor with each new suit I’ve seen. It’s been a week of incredible ingenuity and I’ve found so many prints and patterns to add to my sewing queue.

Make sure you read to the end of the post to take advantage of the great discounts and to follow the links to all the other stops on the tour. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and settle in for some awesome inspiration.

Today I’m sharing a trio of suits and their matching cover-ups. This fabric combo right here has been taunting me in my dreams ever since I laid eyes on them. I saved them to sew up very last as my incentive to get everything else done! All that blush pink makes my heart burst!

For the swimsuit I used the Blush Floral swim knit paired with Mauve Polka Dot Mesh.

This fabric combo is so sweet and precious. I used the Lainey Swimsuit from Made for Mermaids. I knew I wanted a little ruffle for the mesh and the Lainey includes a ruffle option. I used the double ruffle hack on the M4M blog to really highlight that pretty mesh.

I adore this pattern and I think she’s gotten one every year since it released. I think that’s a tradition I can get behind. I love the bum coverage and that one shoulder look is just so adorbs!

If you are new to sewing swimsuits I highly recommend the Made for Mermaids patterns for great step by step instructions (Boo! Designs is another pattern company that is fantastic for swimwear beginners). The construction of the suits is pretty ingenious to give you hidden seams whether you do a full or partial lining. For this suit I fully lined the bottoms and just lined the front of the top. This fabric is surprisingly thick and opaque for having so much white background. In general, Raspberry Creek Fabrics base is a little thicker than what you might be used to and I never worry about it being sheer.

I used another Made for Mermaids pattern to create this perfect cover-up. The Spencer Robe is a great unisex pattern that can be used for so many things. In this gorgeous french terry it makes the ideal thing to throw on before or after a swim. It’s not too thick but is still nice and cozy.

Made for Mermaids is celebrating a huge milestone in their Facebook Group with a discount code through tonight March 15th at midnight CST. Now’s your chance to grab these patterns for a steal!

This girl has been wanting a real one-piece swimsuit forever! I always have to gear up for lots of size blending and a couple of muslins to get something that will fit her lean long torso. The Mairin Swimsuit from Sew A Little Seam was such a good pattern to work with and we’re loving this classic suit. Paired with some Swim and Surf Shorts from Gracious Threads it’s a look that we both are crazy about.

I think you can never go wrong with gingham and I’m thrilled that Raspberry Creek is offering it in red this year. This navy floral board short fabric was one of our most loved prints this collection. Together they make the most adorable pairing!

I love that she can wear this outfit from the pool to the picnic afterwards. Board shorts are my go-to swim cover-up and I’ll happily ~~brainwash~~ convert this little miss to them too 😉

This little man got one more suit too! The Palm Euros from Sew Like My Mom are just about the cutest thing on little boys. I used this stripe for a preppy look that we both can get behind. I sized up one size for him to give him a bit more wiggle room. These are jammers length shortened a couple of inches.

Lowland Kids released this cute Racerback Hoodie this week and I knew it’d be a great top to throw on with his suits. In a cozy heathered french terry, it will be just warm enough after swimming.

You can also grab a code to get the hoodie for just $4 in the Lowland Kids Facebook Group that is good through midnight tonight as well.

These suits were some of my favorites ever! I love the vibrant cute fabrics and I’m glad I turned to some tried and true patterns for them. As I was sewing swimwear all week I took a few notes on things I couldn’t live without.

You can find my swim fabric tips here but these are all my favorite tools to have handy. When it comes to cutting slinky swim knit pattern weights, a rotary cutter, and a cutting mat are your best friends. When trying to keep your seams lined up, you can never have enough clips. Glue sticks are also super helpful for bindings, hems, or even stripe matching seams. I use sharp pins when attaching elastic though so that I can guarantee the elastic won’t pull the clips off. Swimwear elastic is key! Most patterns will call for it and the stretch and width of the elastic are all vital. When sewing on my regular machine, I like to use Eloflex stretch thread in my bobbin. It gives your seams a little more stretch and stability than a regular thread will.

For hems, I swear by Heat n Bond Soft Stretch. It will hold your hem in place and makes it super easy to fold the slippery fabric up into place. When actually hemming a stretch twin needle has always worked well for me. I will use a zig zag stitch for elastic but love a good double stitch hem on a rashguard or tankini top.

Phew! Did you make it to the end?! Thanks so much for joining us this week. It’s been a privilege to work with so many fantastic designers and so many creative and gifted bloggers.

Make sure to check out the other bloggers on the tour today!