swimsuits 2017, plus a look back

I made my first swimsuits in January of 2010

after being emboldened to try 

after reading some of Renae's posts on the subject.

I've been making the girls' suits ever since.

(though I did buy them each 2 suits a few years ago,

because I didn't want them complaining 

"you never let us have a store bought swimming suit"

when they got big.

The store-bought suits

 turned out to be ill-fitting, uncomfortable,

and they didn't hold up nearly as well

as their mommma-mades)

Lex' said she hopes nobody's jealous of her suit 😊

I thought it'd be fun to look back at a few of the suits 

I've made over the years.

(clicking on the picture should take you to a post)

oh my gosh! what a little sweetie!!!

I already had the suit finished, except for sewing the straps in the back when we discovered the neck was a weee bit high.
She said she liked it just fine, so we left this suit as is, but I took 2 inches off of the pattern,
and adjusted the other 2 suits that were already cut out.

In 2011, 

I made the girls each a set of swim shirt & skirt suits

to wear to our homeschool swimming party,

so that they could cutely comply with the dress code.

2012 brought princess suits

Cinderella and Belle ~ those were extra fun. But that yellow fabric was crap!

Oh, 

here's one made from a suit I bought at the Salvation Army for $.50

Lexi's suit made from the same fabric (from the same big swimming suit...)
was the least favorite suit I ever made. The straps were too far apart.
But hey - I made 2 suits for under a dollar ;-)

I've never made a suit for myself 

but I did make one for Kacy 

before she was even my daughter in law 💜

This was Lily's last year's suit. Since we didn't have a pool last year,
it didn't see much wear at all.
Fortunately, it fits Lexi just fine, and has already been commissioned into service.

In 2014, we had more matching suits.

In 2015,

they started offering input

and this years' suits were completely designed by them.

Lily prefers a one piece with a skirt attached,

and Lex' likes a one piece, with a separate skirt 

that can be worn if she feels like it

(or it's required...)

Lily isn't picky about her straps and leg binding,

which means I use Fold Over Elastic when possible,

but Lexi only wants to be touched by swimsuit fabric

since it's softer.

Note to self: the snaps would be more comfortable if they weren't exactly in the center. Ooops.

Lily had picked out the pink that I used for the skirt for Lexi,

but since Lex' really wanted it,

and Lily is so sweet,

she let her have it, and went with the stripes instead

which, I think,

 was a really good call 😊

They day will likely come

when they no longer want me to make their swimsuits,

but until then,

I'll enjoy it.

And I'll probably still squeal when they put their finished suits on

for the first time.

Because, come on!

I made a swimming suit!

And it's so stinking cute!!

linking up with the Friday Finishers :-)