Floral Bikini

While I was in Edmonton last month I stopped in at my favourite discount fabric store there and picked up a metre of this pretty printed spandex.

I can feel fall creeping up on this week here in northern Saskatchewan so I figured I better get to work and sew up a bathing suit with it before it's too late!

I used my own Endless Options Bikini Top pattern that I shared with you last year and my favourite Kwik Sew undies pattern for the bottoms.  I love the Endless Options top because it's just like it says, there are endless options for wearing it!

The bottoms were a little tricky because I lined them and had to make little tiny casings for all of the elastic instead of just securing it to the inside with a big zigzag stitch like I normally would.

I also wanted to use these cute plastic rings from my mom's stash for embellishments at the hip seam.

I refuse to show up on the internet in nothing but a bikini but here's a snapshot of how they sit so you can see that it doesn't just look like a pretty diaper.  The elastic really does stretch out and lay perfectly.

Only a few more weeks of beach weather around here but I think this little set will come in handy on my next warm weather vacation, hopefully this winter.

I'm obsessed with collecting vintage swimsuit patterns but I have to admit, until I came up with this great combo, I've always found sewing swimsuits a major challenge.  How about you?  Do you make your own swimwear?  If you have any tips or tricks make sure to leave a comment below~

Show and Tell: Floral Tunic

I was in the mood for a long sleeve top recently so I whipped this up.

I used this Simplicity pattern.

I really love the fit of this pattern.  I always like tunics but half the time don't end up wearing them because they end up feeling a little dowdy on me, but this one works.

I used a polyester fabric that is quite light and drapes really nicely.

It's a fairly simple silhouette but there are some lovely details like the pintucking and the modified bishops sleeves.

I'm also showing off some pieces from my new jewellery collection that I'm working on~

I like it so much I just might make it again!