Annual Swimwear Sewathon - Part 3

It's feeling like winter is just around the corner, and I really need to catch up on documenting makes, so let's wrap up the summer swimwear sewing....

It started way back in September when it became clear P needed more swim trunks for our spring holiday (the legendary Mummy Mystery Tour). He assured me his boardshorts were fine.

I knocked out a quick two pairs of the Seamus swim trunks, from Ottobre 03-2209. This time in the largest 170cm size. Of course, when we got to the beach, it was clear his boardshorts didn't fit anymore and he's not the kind to wear trunks without baggies over the top. We had pretty poor weather (the only thing I couldn't organised to perfection!) and so there was only one beach swim at Uncle Franco's house where there were wetsuits for anyone who wanted one.

Exactly as I remembered it.

I'd made Flipper some Jalie boardshorts that have never been photographed. They're a bit too big but he still seems to pack them first. He also declared they should have a proper pocket - i argued that the coin/key pocket is all you want lest you put your phone in a bigger pocket and then forget and go in the water. But I was voted down on that. 

When I went to make P's boardshorts for the annual January river holiday I added a cargo pocket

Not that you can see it in that photo as I cut the pocket and the flap so that the surfboard pattern lined up. The patterned polyester microfibre was from spotlight and the plain blue a remnant from somewhere that was stashed.

The new rashie top is the Jalie Valerie that I'd made for myself. I was lazy and even made the same size as mine with no alterations other than extra sleeve length (maybe about 9cm?). This blue rashie was the first thing I made with my new coverstitch machine and I struggled.

I was convinced I should be able to do it all in one pass with the coverstitch, but to flat fell a seam with the coverstitch without having first basted it is nigh on impossible. My seam allowances were wildly off and it was all looking quite messy. The practised accuracy I have with my twin needle sewing machine was also lost, so even the "easy bits" like stitching down the neckband looked shite.

For the second rashie (which hasn't  been photographed, but is the same camo grey and black as my swimmers) I decided the best thing was to admit defeat, stitch the seam with the correct seam allowance and a narrow zigzag on the sewing machine and then use the coverstitch to secure the seam allowances and give the decorative topstitching effect. All of which is just to say that I still see a place for an industrial flatlocker in my sewing machine arsenal. The only problem being I just don't see an actual space for it :)

The pocket is from the Thread Theory Jutland trouser pattern, which I has out just the other day as I put a new bottom section on his favourite camouflage cargoes, adding an extra 10cm leg length. Of course the added fabric hasn't been washed and worn so it's a bit darker and he looks like he's been dip dyed! :)

In total, between the two fellas, I sewed three pair of Jalie 2678 Boardshorts, two Jalie 3668 Valerie rashies and two pair of Seamus swim trunks (Ottobre 3/2009)

There's lots of other summer sewing to catch up on here while I start on some winter weather making....