This Is the Easiest DIY Swimsuit ever! Find out how to make it here.
Hey guys! Today I’m back with yet another DIY swimsuit tutorial (big surprise, I know 😉). And this honestly might just be the easiest one yet.
It only took me about 3 hours to make, and that’s including the time it took to set up and film everything.
So, if you’re new to sewing – or even just new to sewing swimwear – this is a great place to start.
Plus, it’s super cute and functional! In these photos, you can see me wearing it on my trip to Panama earlier this year and it was perfect for time spent relaxing in the sun.
While in Panama, I also got to try on traditional Panamanian clothing like the pollera. If you’re headed to Panama anytime soon and want to try it on yourself or just want to see what traditional clothing from Panama looks like, you can read all about it here!
But for now, let’s get back to this super easy diy swimsuit. We’ll start with everything you’ll need to make it.
Materials:
Just so you know, I’ve added a link to most of the materials below so you know where to find them. I’m not an affiliate for any stores mentioned; these are just the products I use.
- Fabric – You’ll need about one yard of swimsuit fabric and lining fabric for this bikini (half a yard might be enough, but I’d get a yard just in case).
Since the fabric I used for this was so soft, I actually used it for the lining as well. But generally, I’d still recommend getting a separate lining fabric.
Here’s where I got this fabric:
- Fabric.com: This is one of my favorite places to get fabrics for all sorts of projects, including for swimwear. Though it’s a bit pricier than regular fabric, they also have a nice selection of eco-friendly options.
The fabric I used for this swimsuit is a Repreve fabric, which is made super sustainably and actually does good for the planet! You can read all about it here.
- When I do get lining fabric, I almost always just buy it in bulk from Joann Fabrics. They often have coupons online or in their app, so it’s a great place to stock up on lining fabric.
- The Fabric Fairy: I didn’t get my fabric here for this suit, but I thought I’d list it anyway since it’s one of my favorite stores for swimwear fabric.
They have tons of different prints and colors to choose from! And, even better, every fabric I’ve gotten from them has been super silky, soft, and high-quality. Plus, it’s never see-through.
When I made this swimsuit, they did not yet offer eco-friendly options, but now they have plenty to choose from .
- Fabric.com: This is one of my favorite places to get fabrics for all sorts of projects, including for swimwear. Though it’s a bit pricier than regular fabric, they also have a nice selection of eco-friendly options.
- Matching thread – I like to use 100% polyester thread for swimwear, since it’s nice and durable. You can find this at pretty much every fabric and craft store.
- Super supportive padding – Normally, padding is optional for all of my swimsuits (though I personally always like to add it). But for this one, that’s all you have to give your top some shape and hold it up.
And we’ve gotta keep the girls covered 😂!
So be sure to get some nice, supportive padding for this one that’s in a sort of oval shape like this one.
- Sewing machine, of course! If you’re new to sewing and need a machine or just want to know what my favorite machines are, check out this list of my favorite affordable options.
Total Cost of This DIY Swimsuit:
In order to be as transparent with you as possible, I like to share the total cost of each of my creations. Here’s what the cost of this one was.
Repreve fabric: $18.72 (I bought 1.5 yards)
100% polyester thread: $2.99
Super supportive padding: $0 (since I stole it from an old swimsuit lol)
Total cost: $21.71
So, had I bought new padding like the one linked above, it would’ve cost me $29.70.Â
This is something I always like to mention not only in the name of transparency, but also for you to compare to fast fashion brands.
I realize big brands like that can afford to buy materials in bulk so it wouldn’t cost the same for them to buy materials for one swimsuit. However, it’s important to point out that, if they’re using quality materials, it still won’t exactly be cheap. And that’s just for the price of the materials, NOT the craftsmanship behind the final product!
Now, imagine you’ve just bought a swimsuit for $20 from Forever 21. Do you think the person who made that swimsuit was paid fairly for their time?
I’ll let you decide for yourself. But if you’ve made a swimsuit before, you know how much work goes into it!
Just some food for thought next time you’re considering buying from a fast fashion brand. (Not trying to make you feel guilty if you do, but just know that there are some other easy alternatives like these.)
Now, here's how you make this DIY swimsuit step by step:
I used to take pictures and write all of this out step-by-step, but personally, I find video much more useful. So check out the video below to see how to make this bikini.
And (gah I hate to be this person!), don’t forget to subscribe if you like it!
Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below or on YouTube if anything was unclear. I’d be more than happy to help!Â
Plus, I’m always looking to improve my videos and would be happy to hear your suggestions. 🙂
And that's all there is to it!
See, that wasn’t so bad, right?!
Like I said before, this really is a super easy swimsuit to make, so I hope you give it a go. If you do, please please let me know how it goes!
Also, don’t forget to take a photo of it during the process or when you’re done and tag me on Instagram (@emilystuebing). I’d love to share the final product on my page or stories, if you want me to, of course.
And again, if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask! You can even send me a DM on Instagram or email me at emily@travelherstyle.com and I’ll get back to you there.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
Love,
Emily Stübing
Similar Tutorials:
If you’re looking for similar projects to tackle, here are a couple other swimsuit tutorials you might like.