Today, Shelley, everyone’s favorite pattern wizard, is back with a delightful tutorial for creating beachwear. When Shelley sent me the photos for this post, I was absolutely thrilled! Her knack for creatively repurposing our patterns is unmatched, and I hope this inspires you to give it a try as the weather warms up and thoughts turn to beach days. Don't miss her clever tips on sourcing (recycled!) swim fabric, which will also come in handy if you're planning to sew the two new Lisette swimsuits. Over to you, Shelley!
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Hello again! For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope spring is finally here and summer is just around the corner. Down under in Australia, we're starting to feel the chill, but I thought I'd bring a little summer spirit your way with some of my recent sewing projects.
Back in March, we went on a beach getaway, and I knew the kids would need fresh swimwear. Specifically, my son needed some swim trunks, and he also required a "rashie"—that's an Australian term for a long-sleeved swim shirt designed to shield him from the sun and reduce chafing while he rides his boogie board. (Sorry for the Aussie slang, but it just fits!)
I scoured shops for the perfect boys' swim trunk pattern until I realized I already owned the ideal one—the ever-versatile Nature Walk Pants.
To transform the Nature Walk Yoga Pants into swim trunks, all you need to do is size down and shorten them slightly. For these shorts, I sized down two sizes from my son’s measurements and trimmed them to achieve an inseam length of about 1 inch. The only piece you'll need to adjust is the pants piece (number 12).
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Trace the pattern piece and cut straight across the leg perpendicular to the grain line. For a 1-inch finished inseam, you'll need to add ¼ inch for the seam allowance, plus another ¾ inch for the hem. Therefore, cut your traced pattern piece 2 inches below the point where the leg meets the crotch.
I also decided to split the pattern piece to allow for color blocking. On the front half of the pants piece, I drew two vertical lines 2 inches apart and divided the pattern into three sections. I shifted the blocked panel slightly toward the front, but you could place it on the side or wherever you prefer.
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Once you've split the pattern, it’s a good idea to mark the pieces to ensure you remember how they fit together and which side is up. You’ll also need to add a ¼-inch seam allowance to each side of the vertical sections.
Sew the two pants panels together and follow the pattern instructions to complete the swim shorts. They’re surprisingly easy to sew!
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For the "rashie," I used the Field Trip Raglan T-shirt pattern and simply sized it down by two sizes. I think I added a ½-inch to the neckband to make it sit a bit higher and snugger. Remember, when you size down, you’ll need to add a bit of length to the sleeves and hem to ensure adequate coverage and sun protection.
Then I started thinking—wouldn’t a girls’ version be adorable too?
The Field Trip rashie follows the same basic design as the boys' version, but I decided to add some girlish flair with ruching. After shortening the Nature Walk Pants pattern piece as described earlier, I extended the length slightly, focusing most of the extra length on the side seam.
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Next, I cut two 2-inch-wide strips of fabric to match the length of the shorts at the side seam. I attached these strips to the wrong side of the shorts by sewing two vertical channels—similar to the casing in this Onstage Tutu tutorial. There’s no need to finish the edges since Lycra doesn’t fray. After sewing the casing, you can trim the edges close to the stitching. Be sure to stop the casing just above where the leg hem will be to avoid accidentally sealing it shut during hemming.
The drawstrings were created by sewing strips of fabric into ¼-inch tubes and turning them right side out. Since Lycra doesn’t fray, you could opt for raw-edge strips if you don’t mind the inside showing a bit.
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Just a week after finishing these swim shorts, the new Lisette for Butterick swimsuit patterns were released. It was such a treat to see a ruched swimsuit option for us!
I’ve been making my kids’ beachwear using Lycra spandex purchased from my local fabric stores. These fabrics are often labeled as dancewear, Lycra, Spandex, or simply marked as having four-way stretch. Most of the pieces I’ve used came from remnant bins, which are perfect for small projects like children’s swimwear. Over time, the prints on previous swimsuits have faded due to washing, sunlight, and chlorine, but the kids usually outgrow their swimwear before it wears out completely. Some Lycra fabrics offer UV protection and chlorine resistance, but they’re typically sold wholesale in large rolls. With the amount of fabric I use for each project, buying rolls isn’t practical!
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I hope this shows you that if you can sew a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, you can definitely sew beachwear for your kids—and you might even find the perfect patterns already in your collection.
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P.S. Since writing this post, I’ve been exploring the Fashion Revolution movement and asking, “Who made my fabric?†(I already know who made my clothes—I did!) One textile manufacturer stood out as a fantastic source of sustainable swimsuit fabric. Aquafil produces Econyl, a 100% recycled nylon made from discarded fishing nets and other ocean plastics.
Fabric manufacturers like Carvico use Econyl to create eco-friendly activewear fabrics, including swimsuit materials that are chlorine-resistant and offer high UV protection. It turns out one of my favorite fabric stores carries Carvico’s Vita Lycra.
Next time I shop for swimwear fabric, I’ll ask which options are made from recycled materials. Wouldn’t it be amazing to know your swimsuit helps reduce ocean pollution?
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