How to sew a one-piece swimsuit for a plus size woman yourself

There are a lot of swimsuits available in stores now. But some girls with curvy figures find it quite difficult to find a suitable model. That's where handicrafts come into play. This article tells you how to sew a swimsuit with your own hands for plus size women and what you need for this.

Choice of fabric

One of the main steps is the right choice of material. It is necessary to remember about the division of fabric by two criteria - stretchable and non-stretchable. For swimsuits, it is recommended to take elastic material:

• It hardly absorbs water and therefore dries quickly;
• It holds its shape well (for example, lycra), which is necessary for one-piece suits;
• Does not fade in the sun;
• Suitable for different types of swimwear.

The main types of materials used for sewing:

• Lycra. It is used to create almost all types of swimsuits, as it is very elastic and flexible. Usually, swimsuit material is 35% lycra;
• Polyester. It has been used in factories for quite a long time, since suits made with it almost never fade. Its disadvantages include the fact that such a suit takes a very long time to dry and quickly changes shape;

• Polyamide. This type of material is used to make body-shaping swimsuits, as polyamide stretches well. It dries quickly and does not fade, but is a shiny fabric, so it is often used not separately, but in combination with lycra and elastane - this provides it with wear resistance;
• Tactel. Very pleasant fabric to the touch. The material dries immediately and does not wrinkle;
• Biflex. Air circulates well and stretches. It can change shape over time, so it is not very suitable for full figures.

Necessary measurements

Below is a table of the correct measurements that are needed to sew a swimsuit.

Necessary tools for work

A set of materials for work:

• Fabric of your choice;
• Sewing machine;
• Needles and thick threads;
• Pattern;
• Decorations optional.

To sew a swimsuit with your own hands, a pattern for plus size women is available in the master classes on the Burda website. The sizes of the finished drawings need to be changed depending on the measurements.

Construction of a pattern for a one-piece swimsuit

Next, you need to determine the seat length point. To do this, you need to put the value of this length down from the waist line in the center of the back, measure the resulting segment and release a vertical line from it to the center of the front part of the future suit - a line of the length of the buttock fold has formed.

Now you need to find the gusset line (this is another layer of soft material in swimming trunks, providing comfort when using them). On the pattern, you need to mark two values:

• the first one is located at the bottom through the middle of the back of the swimsuit;
• the second is located at the bottom through the center of the suit shelf (from the point of the length of the gluteal fold, set aside ¼ of the seat length value).

From the resulting lines, mark off small horizontal segments inside the drawing, the length of which should be 3 cm each; if the figure is larger, the length increases.

Make cutouts for the legs. The classic depth of this cutout is about 4 cm above the hip line. To find the width of both parts of the suit, you need to use the parameters of the seat. From the center of the back, it will be ¼ of the hip circumference.

Draw the lining for the gusset. Measure 1 cm vertically on the outside of the swimsuit pattern, then, using the first pattern as a reference, mark even lines for the lining. To sew the lining without using an additional bottom seam, transfer the finished lining parts from the first drawing and sew them along the bottom line.

Construct the straps. The length from the middle of the back of the suit will be 2/3 of the back width, and the width of the strap will be approximately 1/3 of the back width. Put aside the necessary points and mark the neck and armhole.

Modeling a separate swimsuit

Separate bathing suits have gained their popularity since the 20th century. They are suitable for a beautiful tan, and girls with an athletic body can show themselves. Below is a detailed pattern for a plus size swimsuit.

Bra cutting

Here is a pattern for a separate swimsuit size 48. The top of the swimsuit is similar to a regular strip, which consists of a front and back piece. The back part narrows towards the center, starting at a length of 4 cm from the center line. The front strip becomes wider at the same distance.

Each part is divided into two identical rectangles with the following parameters: length - half-girth of the chest, multiplied by 1.5 minus 3 cm. Height - 11 cm. Make allowances of 1 cm and sew on elastic bands. For full figures, it is advisable not to use bones in the bodice, they can greatly squeeze the body.

Cutting out swimming trunks

It is much more difficult to make swimming trunks than a bra. To make them better, you can use an old swimsuit for the pattern. It is important to try on the old item before cutting it out; it should fit your figure perfectly. If you don’t have an old swimsuit, you need to take and design the measurements yourself. The material from which the swimming trunks will be sewn plays an important role here – if it is knitwear, then 10-15% of the length should be subtracted from all the measurements obtained so that the item does not stretch quickly. The finished pattern of a separate swimsuit can be taken from an old item. If desired, the swimming trunks can be raised to the waistline.

Pattern and sewing of a tankini swimsuit

Tankini is one of the fashionable swimsuit styles. It appeared relatively recently. It allows you to adjust your figure, pregnant girls can wear this model, it will perfectly cover a small belly. Below is shown how to sew a tankini swimsuit with your own hands using a pattern.

How to sew a plus size tankini yourself

Step-by-step work:

• First, you need to transfer the drawing to the material. Fold the material with the front side inward and attach the elements of the front and back side of the top sketch to the fold;
• Make allowances of approximately 1 cm;
• After cutting the top according to the drawing, fold the elements of the product inward with the right sides facing each other and baste;
• Next, the edges of the swimsuit need to be folded and finished; for beauty, you can use lace or braid;

• The top can be gathered a little under the bust. Therefore, when cutting, you need to increase the length of the top several times;
• All edges of the top must be sewn with elastic bands so that it fits better to the body;
• If the fabric is very frayed, then at the end of the work you need to process the edges of the product.

Creating a model for overweight women

The most important thing is to choose the right material. It should stretch well, but not too much, otherwise after the first swim the product will change shape very much. The fabric must contain microfiber, tactel, lycra. Styles that contain polyamide are perfect - it is a fabric that visually removes figure flaws. Below is shown how to sew women's bathing shorts.

It is also necessary to choose the right rubber bands. It is advisable to use latex options, as they do not deteriorate under the influence of UV rays or chlorine, which is present in swimming pools.

In conclusion, it should be noted that sewing a swimsuit is quite a difficult process. It will be difficult for a beginner needlewoman to cope with the work. The main problem is taking measurements and constructing a pattern. Before starting sewing, you should definitely watch several video tutorials and study various swimsuit patterns. Since the styles can be varied, from classic to decorated with frills, the products can be sewn for girls or teenagers.