
Jenni Beth
Last Swimsuit of the Year - 5oo4 Alpha
Updated: Sep 15, 2021

So I thought I was done sewing swimsuits for 2021. I went to scout camp for a week (brought both of my one-piece suits that I posted about here). We went camping as a family three times. And I am ready to settle down into our school schedule (I cannot tell you how much I appreciate routine and a weekend that we will be home at this point). But then a friend asked if I would sign up for a session of adult swimming lessons with her, and I decided I needed a matching top to go with my Bethany bottoms for the swimming lessons. Enter the Alpha Top, Tank, and Dress pattern.
For this one, I used some Yoga Swim Spandex by Zenith and Quasar. I really love this fabric! It is a heavier-weight swim, which means it is perfect for making other things out of, in addition to working well in the water. It also has UPF50 sun protection.
This was a pretty quick sew, and as I haven't sewn for a couple weeks, that was a great thing! The pattern has you construct the bra/bodice part first, sewing them RSF with elastic in the seam and then turning them. I used clear elastic for this one, because I have a big bag of it, and it feeds through the little hole in the food of my serger, making it super-easy to insert. Then you make the three straps (there is a sewing school video on 5oo4's website linked in the pattern tutorial that shows exactly how to do this). And then you attach the bra band elastic (I used 3/4 inch regular elastic) and the skirt.
The only potentially difficult part is getting the straps the right length. I sewed most of it together and pinned the straps on the bottom. Then I had to wait for my husband to come home to help me check the length (turns out I'm not flexible enough to pin something on my back myself).
I wore this all day on Wednesday of this week, first as a "lounge-around-the-house" summer outfit, and then when I took my kiddos to the pool. It was really amazing to not have to be pulling at my swimsuit when I was swimming. It stayed where it was supposed to be the whole time. I was sad to take it off when I got home, but it was wet, and wet swimsuit mixed with an air-conditioned house is not so comfortable!

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