We’re a beachy/boaty/swim family around here and it’s no secret that I like swim here at SewParadise. So I sewed a new tankini/skirtini for my 1o yo DD. She picked out this pattern online and I finished it just a day before a beach / island / “up north” weekend in Michigan (yes, all those things!) This pattern is from Jalie sewing patterns, 3023, and is a really nice design. The sizing is from girls’ toddler 2 to women’s 22, so there pretty much is everyone you might want to sew for in this pattern (and it’s a sewing 22, so check your measurements if you are plus size, as you might well fit into this one.)
I used fabric from stash that people have given me, so it was a $0 cost project. I have more to make myself the tankini version with ruched side panels.
It wasn’t the easiest to follow – Jalie prints in both French and English and so the pictures are separate from the written instructions. I had the picture page printed out and the instruction page on my laptop in front of that so I could scroll around on the instructions.
And there were a few things I think Kwik Sew does better – for instance on Kwik Sew bottoms, you are to stretch lightly in the front of the briefs when attaching the elastic, and stretch the elastic like mad on the back – just think of how you are flat on your inner leg seam but you’re round on your backside – I think Jalie should include instructions on that (it’s not divide in fourths and treat the whole opening evenly as the instructions say). I had to remember the Kwik Sew version of this and I got the second leg opening done better than the first. This is not a huge issue but does affect the fit of the suit a bit.
All in all, I’m very pleased with this suit and this pattern and I intend to sew more of them.
