Sophie Swimsuit Bottoms Pattern Review and Triangle Bikini Top Tutorial

I was lucky enough to test the new Sophie swimsuit from Closet Case Patterns. I only got to complete the bottoms, because I kept doing stupid things like cutting through the bridge of the bikini top and having to start over. The pattern was going together well, and fit awesome! Alas, I’ve put the pieces into a ziplock bag to attempt when I’m less prone to sew elastic onto the wrong side three times in a row or cutting through your main garment while attempting to trim seams. (WHY SEWING GODS, WHY?). Expect a review of the Sophie top later, when I feel less cursed with my sewing.

I did whip together a little DIY triangle bikini top to go with my Sophie bottoms, and I’m sharing a quick tutorial on that below. That’s the great part about bikinis, you can mix and match no problem. In fact, now that I have an amazing fitting bottom, I can buy or make any top I want!  I’m very excited to expand my swimsuit wardrobe this summer.

We’ll start with my review of the bottoms!

Pattern name: Closet Case Patterns Sophie Swim Suit, described as “elegant high waisted bikini bottom” with a low cut leg.

Size range: Up to size 20, under bust 42″, waist 39″, hip 48″, with cup sizes for up to 5″ difference between full and under bust.

What size did you make?: 20

What are your measurements, height, and body type?  Bust 47″, waist 39″, hip 48″, Body Shape: Celloish, Height:  5’7″, Bra size:  38F

What adjustments did you make and how long did they take?: The only adjustment I made, besides things that weren’t covered by changes made to the pattern during testing, were to raise the height of the waistline to better match my long torso measurements. I used the lengthen/shorten line on the pattern to do so.

What was the construction process like? Did the instructions make sense to you?: I really liked sewing the elastic on the edges on the suit- it’s weirdly soothing because it’s easy, and looks really good. I decided to sew everything on my sewing machine so I wouldn’t have to change my thread on my serger and had no problems! The bottoms are completely lined so everything is nice and neat on the inside. The instructions were well written with good illustrations.

How do you like the pattern’s fit? Do you think the design works well for your particular body shape? I love it! I’ve been looking for a suit bottom high enough to work with my body shape, and now I can just make one to fit.

Will you make the pattern again? If so, what fit or design changes will you make? I will! If I made it again I would probably include the power mesh in the tummy section. It’s an option the pattern recommends, but I decided to try it without for the first sew. It’s nothing something I necessarily will die without, but it would probably only make me like the suit better.

Do you have any advice on this pattern for other curvy sewers? Are there any resources (blog posts, fitting books, tutorials) that helped you sew this piece up?: Don’t stress if you need to make a suit more than once to get the fit right! Suits take up so little fabric it’s worth buying a bit more for a test run. Toilet paper makes an amazing seam stabilizer if your machine likes to eat spandex.

Pattern Rating:

Size Range: 3

Instructions: 5

Construction Process: 5

Final Fit: 5

Overall Rating: A solid 4! If the size range was more inclusive, it would be perfect! The seaming, and style works really well for more curvy shapes! Not to mention the included bra-style top would be amazing for busts that need more support!

DIY TRIANGLE BIKINI TOP

If you want to make a triangle bikini top, you’re in luck because it’s SUPER EASY!

You’ll need:

• Fabric with four-way stretch, something that doesn’t get water logged like spandex or lyrca.
• 1/4″ wide swimwear elastic
• Matching thread
• Sewing Machine (with stretch needle – NOT A BALLPOINT, they’re different.)
• Pins

First you’ll need to make your pattern. I did this by making a triangle with a rounded bottom. I took a piece of notebook paper, put it on my boob, and traced the rough size I wanted. Once I had the shape, I added my seam allowances. You’ll be flipping your elastic over twice and the straight sides. So if your elastic is 1/4″ wide, you’ll add 1/2″ to those sides. The bottom doesn’t get elastic sewn on, but rather a channel for your covered elastic cord. I added about 1/2″ to the bottom to allow for the cord casing and for seam allowance. You don’t want a whole lot of wiggle room in elastic channel. I ended up with something that looks like the image above.

I used my pattern piece to trace four copies onto my pattern. I cut my fabric opened flat, not folded, because the lycra is finicky. I then clipped the outside corner of the lining off. I use this to slip cups in and out. You could sew them in, but I just took a cue from my ready to made swimwear. I don’t finish any of the edges; spandex doesn’t fray. To clean up the insides I just trimmed. If you want a more professional finish you can overlock the edges of your pattern pieces.

I then pinned the wrong sides together. I used a lot of pins, my fabric was slippery and it made it easier to handle. Some people don’t think you should use pins in spandex because it can damage the knit. I didn’t run into any problems and don’t think I could have sewn the fabric without over pinning.

Next we’ll baste the lining to the cups! I used the longest straight stitch on my machine. I used a 1/4″ seam allowance.

If your machine is eating your lycra, try using a stabilizer. I use toilet paper in a pinch and tear it away after sewing. Sometimes machines need a bit of help to sew these shifty knits.

Apply your elastic to the fabric on straight sides of the triangle with a bit of tension, stretching the elastic, not the fabric, using a zig zag stitch. You apply the elastic to the inside of the cups.

Flip the elastic in so that raw edge is on the inside of the cup. Stitch again with the zig zag stitch. If you want a cleaner finish, trim the spandex really close to the elastic. It will look awesome from the outside. When you sew up the second side, trim the top edge so it’s nice and clean, and fold the elastic over to square the top corner.

The hardest part of this whole sew is creating the channel for your bikini cord to go through. Use as many pins as you need too, and go slow. The inside will look 100 times worse than the outside. Make the channel just big enough for your cord to go through. Remember that this fabric will stretch and give you a little extra wiggle room. I used a straight stitch since this line of stitching really doesn’t have to stretch, and, if anything, will be gathered under your breast a bit. If you’re concerned about breaking stitches, feel free to use a lighting bolt stitch, or a twin needle. Once you’re satisfied with how the seam looks, trim the excess on the inside.

Now we create your bikini cord! I made two cords that were 60″ long. I didn’t use all of the length but found that to be an easy amount to work with given that my fabric was 60″ wide. I just sewed against the cut edge of my fabric and applied the elastic with a zig zag. I applied no tension to the elastic here.

After I sewed the length of the fabric I folded the elastic over twice so everything was enclosed and sewed again. I then trimmed as close to the stitching as I could using my duck billed scissors.

Repeat again for your second cord.  Use one cord for the channel on the bottom of your cups, and cut the second cord in half to make your halter straps. I stitched my halter straps using a straight stitch. Place the edge of your strap so the edge is just under the top corner, stitch about 1/4″ away from the top, flip the strap up to enclose the raw edge and stitch at the top edge of the cup. Use a safety pin and push the cord through the bottom of the cups. Try it on, and clip your cords according to how long you’d like them once tied! If you’d like to add cups, push them through the opening in the lining.