How to Make Your Own Bikini By Copying One You Already Have
Whether summer is starting or just ending for you, knowing you’ve got a bikini ready for you to wear can feel pretty awesome. Knowing how to make your own bikini may not be up there in things you want to learn but I thought it might be fun to learn how to make a bikini.
I used my sewing skills and made a triangle bikini top sewing pattern and learned how to sew bikini bottoms (though that part was challenging!).
If you’re ready to come along with me on this journey of how to make a bikini and even better, how to sew a bikini, come along! The beach is waiting for us!
Tools and materials:
- Swimwear fabric and lining: ¾ yard each
- Swimwear elastic - ¼ to ½ inch
- Own well-fitting bikini
- Paper
- Pen
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Serger
- Safety pin
Please note that this is not professional. Follow along as I make this bikini and use the steps if you dare to make your own!
1. Make the pattern
I used my own well-fitting bikini to make my pattern.
I traced out the original shape onto paper and added a bit more coverage as well as seam allowance.
On the bottom of the bra cups, I added about ¾ inch (1.5 cm) additional to fold over to make the casing for the strap. I also extended the bra cup a bit because my old bikini was barely covering me. You may wish to do the same!
Lay the paper pattern on the fabric and cut out the pieces in the lining and the shell fabric. I had 2 bra shell pieces, 2 bra lining pieces, 2 shell back pieces, 2 lining back pieces, 1 bottom front shell, 1 front bottom shell, and 3 strap pieces.
The longer strap goes across the chest and the two shorter ones are for the neck. I measured the strap length from my old bikini. The width of the straps is 1½ inches (4 cm).
2. Sew the straps
Start with the straps first. The technique will be the same for all of them. Fold the strap fabric in half, right sides together.
Lay the elastic on top close to the fold.
Serge the elastic directly to the folded strap along the entire length of the strap. If you don’t have a serger, use a zigzag stitch. Trim any excess.
Use a safety pin to turn the strap right side out.
This is what it should look like. Repeat for the other two straps.
3. Sew the bikini top
Place the bra cups with the lining right sides together. Pin each cup.
Serge the side seams, leaving the bottom unsewn. Insert the neck straps in between the two layers. Sew across the top using the regular sewing machine, using a straight stitch.
Flip them right side out. Serge the bottoms.
Sew a basting stitch across the serged bottom.
Pull on the basting stitch threads to gather the bottom a bit.
Use one of the straps to measure how much of the fabric to fold over to make the casing for the chest strap. Pin and sew the casing in place.
Repeat for the other bra cup. Insert the long chest strap through both casings on the bra cup bottoms using a safety pin.
You should have something that looks like this.
4. Sew the bikini bottom
Start with the back pieces. Lay the lining and outer shell pieces separately, right sides together. Sew down the center back seam only.
Lay the front and back pieces right sides together, with the lining and outer shell fabric separate.
Serge the gusset (crotch) of the outer shell. Use a straight stitch on the lining gusset.
Lay the front and back pieces right sides together.
Pin and sew a basting stitch on the leg openings. I find it makes sewing the elastic less stressful and more accurate once it’s been basted stitched.
Lay the elastic on the seam allowance and serge the elastic along the leg openings.
Turn the bottom inside out.
To join the side seams, take the front and back with the outer shell layer and lining to each side.
Serge each one.
Fold over the waistband. Open the straight seam on the lining gusset and pull the fabric through.
Serge the elastic across the waistband. It’s slow going to do this, an inch or two at a time, so do this with patience.
Reminder: I made this my own way so you may want to watch a professional bikini maker make a bikini bottom! If you want to see how I did this, watch my struggle on the YouTube video from 9:30 to 10:45.
It took me a while to turn the bikini bottom right side out with the waistband sewn down through the open lining gusset. But I did it!
I sewed up the lining gusset and ran to the beach to show you how it came out!
How to make your own bikini
How beautiful is this bikini?
I hope I showed you how to make your own bikini and it works for you as well.
Please let me know in the comments what you think about this sewing bikini tutorial or if you made one as well!
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Love the bikini and the girl is adorable..She could wear a "gunny sack" and look beautiful!!