Cottesloe One-Piece Swimsuit

Oh summer vacation, take me back! We recently returned from our annual trip to Maine, and as customary in the last few years, I made a new swimsuit for vacation.

I’m so glad that one-piece swimsuits are considered stylish these days because they’re really what I’m most comfortable in. My pattern stash lacked a basic tank-style swimsuit pattern, so when Megan Nielsen released her Cottesloe swimsuit this year, I snatched it up. I love how this pattern acts as a base pattern to become whatever you want! Sometimes it’s the most simple patterns that are the best.

Not shown here, but I actually made the two piece version of the suit first – I wanted to check the fit before cutting into my lovely Liberty spandex fabric. I’m glad I did, I ended up going up a size in the top for my one piece (total shocker over here, hah!).

I lovvvvvve the low scoop back of this suit. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was going to stay put and in place when I started sewing the suit together and trying it on. One of the perks of being a small-chested gal is not needing much support in my swimsuits (but I did add swim cups for modesty), so luckily once the elastic was in place, I felt pretty secure. It also passed the ocean waves test at the beach, whew!

There are a few changes I made to the construction, one of which I should have thought out in more detail. I stumbled across a tutorial on using binding to finish the edges instead of turning and stitching the elastic edges, really liked the RTW effect of using binding, and thought to give it a try. What I didn’t take into account is that the binding actually created more width – the technique is the same as using fold-over elastic, so instead of turning back the seam allowances 3/8″, I essentially was just encasing the seam allowance with spandex strips. This made the straps wider, the leg holes a bit longer, and the neckline higher. I also pulled the binding a bit too tight around the leg holes, so it’s a really snug fit.

Not the end of the world, but some details I need to take into account if I decide to use this technique again. I really do like how it looks, and it feels smoother on my skin instead of having all of my serger threads rubbing against my skin.

Also, because someone asked me on Instagram – the booty coverage is on-point with this pattern. I like full butt coverage for my swimsuits, and this gets the job done.

I also attempted to make tie straps a la Holly’s tutorial. I think it was a combination of using the binding technique along with the fabric I as using that attributed to the ties not looking, well, cute. And the binding was jutting out from the edges of the ties, looking awful! My solution was to snip off the tie extensions, sew the shoulder seams together, and then cut long spandex strips of fabric to tie at the shoulders and hide my sewing sins. I tacked them in place so they won’t come undone, and frankly, I like them a lot better than what I initially attempted to make. They flutter in the breeze!

Looking forward to trying out some other design ideas with this pattern next summer! For now, it’s on to fall sewing.

Pattern: Cottesloe Swimsuit by Megan Nielsen, view A (without ties)
Fabric: Liberty swim spandex from The Fabric Store