Bebe: Swimsuit Edition

Sometimes I amaze myself with my thrifty-ness. Let's just say, I HATE spending money on things I can make out of other things I don't like. So I don't. Exhibit A: Today I was thinking that summer swimmin' weather is nearly upon us and Camster doesn't have a little swimsuit! My 4 nieces come up for a week every summer to visit. My mom and I take them to the local lake to do some swimmin', inter-tubin', and ice cream eatin'. All of which require a nifty thrifty swimsuit.

Now, being my cheap self, I decided to make one. Instantly I thought of a maternity swimsuit I wore once while I was 7 months pregnant. You know the "tankini" type with the stomach panel in front... anywho- I whipped that thing out and started snipping!

Here's how you can do it too:

1. I basically just took one of her onesies that is a tad too big (that way the swimsuit fits next month when she'll use it) and traced around it to get the right shape and size.

2. Cut 2 (a front and a back) from the shape you traced. Don't forget to cut 1/4 inch out from your line for seam allowance! I also cut out a scoop neck on the back for style *wink wink*. Sporty right?!

3. Use a zig-zag stitch to sew the front and back pieces together at the sides and straps. Then fold over 1/4 inch and hem the arm holes, neck holes, and around the bottom. The zig-zag stitch helps the fabric maintain the 2-way stretch.  You could make a baby swimsuit out of any 2-way stretch fabric such as "jersey".

4. Add a closure to the bottom. I cut the snap bottom off of a onesie that Camster didn't fit in anymore (and was stained from accidentally going through a load of parental clothing) and sewed it onto the open bottom in order to make diapers easily accessible.

Here's the finished product. I will upload some pictures of her wearing it once we make it to the lake in a few weeks. It's not quite warm enough for a photo shoot yet...