What Fabric do I use to make a Swimsuit? — Swimsuit Sewbration Sewalong

Yahoooo, I’m so glad you are here and ready to learn how to make a swimsuit. I have broken down the steps into 8 days so that no matter what level of sewing you are at, you will walk away confident in making your own swimsuit! Each day I will post a small and simplified lesson so you won’t have any opportunity to get overwhelmed. I know it can be intimating to think of making a swimsuit but once you learn the basics, you will be busting out a custom handmade swimsuit in no time! Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Picking out the right fabric can seem a little tricky but once you understand what you are looking for you can spot it a mile away. All patterns will tell you the type of fabric that is needed for that pattern. I put a lot of information in here so try and stick with me!

What kind of fabric do I need?
For swimsuits the most common type of fabric will be a nylon with Lycra or spandex. (Lycra and spandex are the same thing, so don’t let that confuse you! They are interchangeable.) 
I have always been told that for swimsuit fabric you should always have at least 8% Lycra/spandex in the fabric, 10% or more is even better! If it gets any less then that the fabric won’t have a great recovery and won’t stretch enough. 
Which brings me to the next point, you should make sure that the fabric will “recover” after it is stretched out. This makes sure that your swimsuit won’t start sagging on you after being worn a few times. Now if you are buying fabric online it is impossible to check this but most shops say in the description if it is swimsuit fabric or not and to me that tells me it will have a good enough recovery to use. You can check out my blog post here to see where I like to get my swimsuit fabric from. 

How much stretch does the fabric need?
You will also hear about the amount the fabric needs to stretch. Swimsuits need to stretch in every direction to fit over your body so this is typically referred to as a four-way stretch. Typically for swimming suits, the fabric needs to stretch at least 50%. This means that when you stretch the fabric it will stretch at least 50% of its original size. Say you have a 4” piece and you stretch it out to 6”, that would have a 50% stretch because it stretched half the size of 4”. 

STAY WITH ME! I know this might seem overwhelming but i just want to make sure you have all the information you need to pick out the perfect fabric. It is easier than it may sound. Now-a-days shops that sell swimwear state in the description that it is swimsuit fabric so there is no mistaking it! They will then share in the description what it is made of, the amount of stretch it has, and any other important details you may need. Hey
Other types of swimsuit fabrics you can find include, Polyester with spandex. This is one of my favorite fabrics I have found. It is from Raspberry Creek Fabrics and it is such good quality and so soft! 

Should I use mesh?
If you are looking for something to help shape you more you can also add a power mesh. Power mesh will add compression to a swimsuit so you only want to add it in certain places, like the bottoms, to give more structure to your booty and lower tummy. However, the more layers you add to the swimsuit the less stretch the fashion(your main fabric) fabric will have. So you may need to go up a size if putting in power mesh. 

What do I use to line the Swimsuit? 
When lining a swimsuit (I always line my suits) most shops that sell swimsuit fabric have the fabric that is specifically lining fabric as well. The lining will be thinner but should be similar in stretch to the fashion fabric you will be using. If you are wanting more coverage you could use your fashion fabric to line the suit as well, just make sure it will be comfortable against your skin! With every suit I have made I always use lining in either white, nude, or black. 

You did it!! 
Ok guys, I know this is a TON of information, honestly this is probably the most I will put in one post in all of the 8 days! I want to make sure you are well informed on all the options you have. And honestly I left a lot out, so if you have any questions please email me! I will be continuing to share information on my blog, YouTube channel, and instagram throughout the three weeks of the Swimsuit Sewbration! 

Tomorrow I will talk to you all about getting your pattern ready!