Alter a Swimsuit

Don’t freak out if you purchase designer swimwear only to discover it is too small. Turning that ill-fitting item into a flattering dream shouldn’t be too difficult if you have any skill with a needle and thread and know how to sew. 

You might wish to change your swimwear for a variety of reasons. Maybe you gained weight or couldn’t resist that end-of-summer suit deal in the wrong size. Whatever the cause, it’s crucial that swimwear fits tightly against the body to help prevent awkward or humiliating slip-ups. If you’ve found yourself in this predicament, you probably have some questions about how to modify a swimsuit.

Can you tailor a swimsuit?

The answer is yes. You can easily tailor a swimsuit that does not fit well. Swimsuits can be easily adjusted with a home sewing machine, much like most other types of clothing. The extremely elastic, silky fabric can be a little trickier to deal with than, say, cotton. But with a little skill and/or experience, you should be able to adjust the size of your ill-fitting swimsuit easily.

Resizing is an excellent option for swimsuits that are still in good condition. A separate situation would arise if the material had lost its stretch and the swimsuit was no longer properly fitting. Before considering whether or not it’s worthwhile to make adjustments, you should make sure that the swimsuit fabric still maintains its integrity. A tattered suit from years of use won’t likely keep its shape.

How much does it cost to tailor or alter a swimsuit?

At the outset, you can sew the swimsuit if you are confident about your skills. If the notion of altering your own swimsuit overwhelms you, hiring a professional to handle the difficult labor for you may be a wise decision. Simply be ready to pay. Actual pricing will vary depending on the specific adjustments required, as well as whether or not the swimsuit has a liner; in that case, the liner will need to be altered separately from the swimsuit, which will increase the overall cost by a few dollars.

Minor fixes like changing straps shouldn’t run up a huge bill and shouldn’t cost more than $10 or so. Expect to pay up to $60 for extensive adjustments, which may, in some situations, be significantly more than the cost of the swimsuit alone. Major alterations include rebuilding the bodice and completely changing the style, size, and fit.

Can you alter a swimsuit?

It is easy to make changes on your own, whether you need to add inches to make your suit fit without pulling or take in seams to make it snug again. If you know how to sew, you can take on this project. It’s simple to shrink the sides of the suit slightly, but make sure to use polyester thread and a stretch stitch so the seam won’t break. You may get an entangled stitch using an overlock machine for added stretch. Consider adding “enhancer” cups to the suit if the bodice is too big for your chest.

How to alter a swimsuit?

There might be many ways in which you want to sew your swimsuit to alter it. However, we will discuss only two scenarios here; that of the swimsuit being too big or too small. 

The swimsuit is too big

Step 1: Put the outfit on. Make sure you aren’t wearing any underwear at this point because it can create the idea that you are a different size or fit.

Step 2: Adjust the straps if the swimsuit has them to see how they affect the way it fits overall. Aim to gather the elastic seam at the waist or legs (or both, depending on where the gaps are) and pin it to fit. Make a note of any spots around the bottoms that are gaping or drooping (often, this will be along the leg openings, seat, and waist).

Step 3. Remove the bathing suit and fold the sections you’ve outlined with a pin. Hand-double-stitch the folds into position. How you sew the swimsuit will matter a great deal. 

Step 4. To ensure an improved fit, try the outfit on once more. Repeat the preceding methods until you have the ideal fit.

The swimsuit is too small

It’s nearly hard to make your swimsuit larger unless it’s old enough to have started to sag. Swimsuits feature almost no extra fabric, in contrast to other clothing that has an integrated seam allowance that can be “let out”. You’ll need to use creativity to increase your size of yours, which includes getting comfortable with the idea of panels.

Simply cut a length of fabric to the necessary size to add a panel. After pinning the panel in place, sew along the swimsuit seam. Pay close attention to how you stitch the seam between the panel and the swimsuit to prevent any unattractive puckers. And that’s all there is to it—a few extra inches of comfort with hardly any effort.

DIY swimsuit alterations

There are many DIY swimsuit alterations that you can come up with by exercising some creativity. A common alteration is to turn a bra into a swimsuit top. Another way is to look up the internet and cut out trendy patterns on your one-piece swimsuit. You can even sew some beautiful lace onto your bikini tops, and voila! You have a whole new swimsuit made out of an old one. One may come across many such ideas by doing some easy research. 

What to avoid when altering a swimsuit?

If you decide to sew the swimsuit, it’s critical to choose a fabric with a similar degree of elasticity to your swimwear (2-way or 4-way). You should use additional care when sewing the replacement panel to the original suit. This will ensure that puckers are avoided as you sew. It is also best to seek professional help from a tailor when the alteration is a complicated one. This will avoid unnecessary mishaps. 

Endnote

You have the ability to modify a swimsuit in almost any way. One may quickly and easily alter the size of any type of suit using these simple instructions and helpful recommendations. You might have started looking for a practical fix for an uncomfortable swimsuit, but now that you have so many creative possibilities, who knows what swimwear adventure you’ll go on!

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