Hello! Welcome to day five of the Cole's Corner and Creations #diveintoswimsuits Blog Tour! I'm so excited to be one of your hosts for the day. (After you are done reading my blog post, go ahead and show my co-host for the day, Adventures with Bubba and Bug, some love. :-)
If you are just joining us for the #diveintoswimsuits Blog Tour, be sure to catch up (and continue) reading all of Nicole's wonderful tips, hints and bathing suit how-tos at Cole's Corner and Creations. If you'd like to sew along with us (and, I hope that you will!!), this week, be sure to share your pictures with the hashtag, "#diveintoswimsuits" on the Cole's Corner and Creations Facebook page. Also, be sure to check out how you, too, can win some patterns/prizes of your own (at the end of this post)!
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Lil' Miss is a fish and she LOVES to swim (and, this is totally biased, but she is an AWESOME swimmer)!! With weekly swim lessons and afternoons at the pool, Katy is hard on her suits. It's always helpful to have an extra, dry suit available.
One of my goals this spring (leading into summer), was to learn how to sew a bathing suit. It was a self-imposed challenge- conquer sewing slippery swim knits and create a durable suit that can withstand the rigors of an active five year-old swimmer. With the help Cole's Corner and Creations, three swimsuit patterns (The Lakehouse Swimsuit, the Bow-a-Licious Swimsuit and the All 4 One Swimsuit), I was able to meet and accomplish (and surpass!) my goal!
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Cole's Corner and Creations- The Lakehouse Swimsuit- Front
Cole's Corner and Creations newest swimsuit PDF sewing pattern is The Lakehouse Swimsuit. Let's discuss The Lakehouse Swimsuit pattern basics, first;
-The Lakehouse Swimsuit is written for sizes 1/2-16.
-The Lakehouse Swimsuit features an empire waist and sweet bow detail.
Cole's Corner and Creations- The Lakehouse Swimsuit- Bow Detail
-The Lakehouse Swimsuit can be used for a bathing suit and/or leotard for gymnastics and/or ballet class.
-The Lakehouse Swimsuit PDF sewing pattern includes a sizing chart and fabric requirements chart.
For my daughter, I sewed up a size six swimsuit with bow. I fully lined the front of my daughter's suit for a little more modesty. I wasn't sure how see-through the white waistband would be, once wet (turns out that that it was fine).
I love coverage on The Lakehouse Swimsuit. With it's high neckline and adequate bum coverage, The Lakehouse Swimsuit definitely fulfills mom's desire to keep her little girl, a little girl. The empire waist is flattering and the sweet front bow is girly and fun. The shoulder straps stayed up and in place the whole time Lil' Miss swam and played and splashed around. This is a HUGE plus when it comes to swimwear for active children!!
Cole's Corner and Creations- The Lakehouse Swimsuit- Back
Cole's Corner and Creations loves their American Girl dolls! Lil' Miss LOVES that Cole's Corner and Creations does a matching dolly pattern for every one (EVERY one!) of their girl patterns. She loves to match her doll, Samantha! So cute!
***Disclosure: "I received The Lakehouse Swimsuit in order to pattern test for Cole's Corner and Creations. The opinions expressed here are my own."***
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Another Cole's Corner and Creations swimsuit PDF sewing pattern is the Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit. This was the very first swimsuit that I sewed up (ever!) and it was a great introduction to sewing swim knits. I won't lie- the inside of this bathing suit is pretty rough, but once I was finished, I was so proud of myself! If you're like me, and would like to figure out how to sew a bathing suit, I would HIGHLY recommend starting out with Cole's Corner and Creations-Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit! It's a GREAT starting point with a really satisfying end product.
Cole's Corner and Creations-Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit PDF sewing pattern includes/features the following;
-The Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit is written for sizes 1/2-16.
-The Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit is a one piece bathing suit featuring a big bow that can be worn on the front, or the back (such a fun feature!).
-The Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit includes a sizing chart and fabric requirements chart.
I sewed up a size six Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit with reversible, solid-colored bow. As with The Lakehouse Swimsuit, the Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit has great coverage. The neckline is nice and high and the leg holes are modest and stay in place.
Lil' Miss LOVES the big bow feature on the Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit! She likes to decide to wear the bow in the front, or the back. (Note, if you want the bow to be reversible, be sure to make the bow in a solid color). Since sewing up this pattern, she has worn this suit to swimming lessons every week and it has held up very nicely. Stroke after stroke, this suit has stayed in place- on the shoulders and no riding up on the bottom.
Of course, Samantha needed a matching Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit! So, I sewed up a matching suit for Lil' Miss' favorite AG doll. Adorbs!
Cole's Corner and Creations-Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit for Dolly
Last, but no least, I sewed up Cole's Corner and Creations very first PDF sewing pattern, the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit. While this pattern is a little older (and definitely not as refined, digitally, as the Lakehouse Bathing Suit, or the Bow-A-Licious Bathing Suit), the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit is another great pattern to "get your feet wet" and start sewing with swim knits! Plus, the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit is currently on sale for $3! Can't beat that- a great, inexpensive way to start sewing bathing suits (and, hopefully join us in the #diveintoswimsuits sew along!).
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Cole's Corner and Creations All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit has the following features;
-The All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit is broken into two different patterns (purchased separately); Sizes 1-5 and 6-16.
-The All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit features four different views- Pin up, Modern, Frilly or Retro.
-The All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit features three different strap placements- Traditional, Razorback or Halter.
I sewed up a size 6/7 view Frilly, Halter strap placement, All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit. I do want to note that in the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit, the size "6" is actually a size 6/7. (Lil' Miss is really more of a 5/6 in fit and sizing).
Lil' Miss was most excited about this swimsuit pattern for two reasons; First, it had a skirt! She LOVES dresses and skirts and anything girly, so a skirted bathing suit is just about heaven for her! Second, I could make it so that it had halter ties- just like "Mommy's bathing suits." For some reason, she had it in her head that halter ties are more "sophisticated" and "grown up" when it comes to bathing suit attire... hahahahaha!
I'm happy to report that the All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit delivered in it's promise to be both girly and "grown up" (at least in my five year old's eyes ;). She loved it! She had to put it on RIGHT AWAY and she was dancing and prancing around the house in the suit all evening.
The All 4 One Stylish Swimsuit is a great compromise, when it comes to the world of little girls' bathing suits- it is girly and sweet, without being too revealing, or too high/low cut to be age-appropriate. Also, with the added circle skirt, there is no risk of "peek-a-boo" cheeky buns while at the pool. ;-) The top was a touch big on my daughter, but that is no surprise due to the difference in sizing. However, since I chose to sew the halter-style straps, I was able to pull the straps tight enough to make sure the top was snug and secure.
Once again, I couldn't make Lil' Miss a new suit and NOT make Samantha a matching one... so, Samantha is now the proud owner of not just one, not two, but THREE new bathing suits!! That's a lot of suits for a non-swimming doll!! Ha! I was able to construct the dolly suit from just scraps and cuttings from Lil' Miss' suit. So, it didn't actually take any additional fabric.
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Okay, as promised, if you would like to win some awesome patterns and prizes from the designers listed in the graphic above, please go here;
******All swimsuit fabric was purchased from Chez Ami, before they went out of business. The pink polka-dots is SPF 50. 3/8" Swimwear elastic was purchased by the yard at my local Hancock Fabrics.
3 comments:
I love this blog post SO much! You give so much useful information and Katy is just a doll! You know I adore those pictures of her with Samantha! eeeek! So cute!
Loving your suits! And the dolly ones too!
I love all of them... awesome job!!! I love the modesty and coverage, that's why I started sewing bathing suits in the first place :) That fabric is so pretty too!
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