Swimsuit: Julia Bottoms and Jalie 2446 Top

I recently made a Gigi swimsuit which I have, unfortunately, misplaced. How does one misplace a swimsuit, you ask? I have no earthly idea. I traveled to California recently to help out a friend and went to the World's Coldest Pool, so I know I had it there. Since I've been home, I cannot find it. I cannot verify that it ever made it home OR that it ever made it out of the dressing room of the room.  This is a long explanation for why I am making another swimsuit. Sigh. This time I wanted to use the new Jalie Julia pattern to make the bottoms because they are so cute and also so comfortable. I used Jalie 2446 for the top. I have used this pattern many times before but I've never made this view. I usually make the top from View A. This time, I used View B because I wanted to use some contrast FOE to match the bottoms.

For this suit, I used a swimwear Lycra/Nylon fabric and a nude swimsuit lining. The only modification I did was to not quite follow the Jalie directions using fabric binding and instead used FOE for the black border and the straps that ties in the back. 

Because FOE is a little wimpy, in my opinion, I sandwiched clear elastic in the straps while I was sewing them. This makes the FOE perfect for stand-alone straps. I will probably do this when I make my next Julia camisole too. It just gives it a little more structure. 

I really love it!!! Let's see, other details . . . I made a smaller size for the top because I knew I would not be using the seam allowances so if I made my regular size, it would be too large because of those unused seam allowances. I could have just cut off the seam allowances, but meh, this works too. 

I bought the fabric in Yardage Town last summer. I really love the colors and the print. And look! No rain!!!

Gigi Bikini: Jalie 3671

Here’s my new Gigi bikini. I’m IN LOVE with this water/fishy fabric and this pattern. I bought it in Yardage Town in National City. The top has princess seaming so it would be easy to modify to larger or smaller cup sizes. This has wider straps and it’s really comfortable on. The front is lined and all the seams are sandwiched between the fashion fabric and the lining. The bottom is a very standard bikini bottom. But, a bottom THAT FITS and doesn’t go up my crack (sorry if that’s TMI). I hate that and it happens on almost all my swimsuits. This one is really comfortable and stays in place! Oh, and the side ties are optional but very cute.

The top is very supportive and I could totally run, play volleyball, or swim with no worries about things moving around too much.

Whoa, baby got back. “36-24-36? Only if she 5’3”.” Those are kind of my measurements in a nutshell except I’m 25 instead of 24. And I have the booty to go with the words from that song.

I’ll be making more of these in the future. They are super cute and very comfortable. And I love the fabric. I may make another top to go with it too. Or a rash guard. I think I could get the front and back of the new cropped Jalie Valerie out of the fishy fabric. The sleeves would have to be something different because I definitely don’t have that much fabric left over.

On the Jalie FB page, someone had the problem with the facing peeking out at the CF. Mine does that when it is laying on the floor like this, but not when it is on. I think the CF ruching helps with that. 

I will have to modify the back a little next time. I need it to be slightly smaller on the underbust band. I am limited here by the back panels. Next time, on this triangle-looking piece, I’ll make it so the “leg” of the triangle ends closer to the side seams. That way, I can snug it up a little tighter on the underbust band. Other than that, the fit is GREAT!

Another Jalie winner!!