Take the Plunge Swimsuit by Patterns for Pirates

Jun 16, 2017

Me: I’m never going to post photos of myself in a swimsuit on the internet again.
Also me: Hey Internet, here are some photos of me in a swimsuit!

This isn’t my fault.  Blame everything on Judy!  She decided that P4P needed another swimsuit pattern and here we are again.  This time, it’s a one-piece with a fun cross-over bodice…which magically looks AMAZING on every tester.  Want to learn more about it?  Let’s do this!

Judy can never settle on just one style when she puts out a pattern.  So we stuff it as full as we can with options…this suit included.  There are three strap options, two bottoms, and an additional skirt (in two lengths!) that you can mix-match all day long.

I chose two different styles for my suits, both of which I adore.  First up is the halter top, peplum skirt version.

I am 5’6″-ish (depending on which doctor’s visit I am on, haha) so I don’t have to grade my patterns for the most part for P4P designs.  However, with swimwear it’s super important that I do.  There are measurements included in the pattern that help you fit it to your body just right.  I’ve yet to find a store-bought suit that fits me, and especially not a one piece.

Want to know why?  I am long legged, and long waisted.  I am 1″ longer in the waist than the average person that suits are drafted for.  AND, I have a bigger bust (which also takes up space).  So with all of this added together, I get a suit that’s too short and provides zero support.  No fun.

But if you sew your own suit, you get one that fits YOU.

I’m not going to lie.  Take the Plunge is not a pattern for the weak of heart.  I usually can bang out a piece of clothing in 30-60 minutes.  The first version of this suit took me FIVE HOURS.  It’s worth it.  But the way it’s constructed isn’t something you can just wing.  Read through the directions.  Make sure you have your pieces cut.  And pin the crap out of everything.

I’m not saying it’s an impossible pattern.  But I wouldn’t recommend it for a beginner.  Swim knits are slippery and can be tricky to sew with.  If you READ, PIN, and DON’T rush….YOU’VE GOT THIS.  Just saying.

The second version of my suit is the full back, regular bottom options.  Oddly this is my favorite style of the two.  You’d think I’d prefer the one that provides more cover.  But I still have an aversion to halter tops (big boob problems) and I like suits that are less fussy.  So a more traditional style is my jam.

A few notes about the pattern itself:

The front bodice is the same on all of the tops.  While it can be a tricky sew the first time you’re working through it, I do adore the finish.  The entire suit has fully enclosed seams.  It’s fully lined as well.  AND, full of support.

For instance: my suits have swim cups, inner lining (which is a power mesh, meaning it doesn’t have as much stretch as swim fabric and has more “hold” to it), and also an under bust elastic.  Ie: coverage, support, and lift.  The perfect combo for swimwear.

You’ll probably hear me say this every time I have to share swimwear photos.  But it’s such a humbling experience.  Posting pictures of yourself in a bathing suit on the internet isn’t easy.  But when you pattern test alongside women of all sizes (XXS – 3X+) you realize how lucky you are to be in a small tribe of women at that very moment.

There’s no body shaming.  There’s no room for self hate.  It’s literally you, sharing very personal photos of yourself, trying to get the fit right for a swim pattern.  And posting your photos to only hear positive reinforcement and lots of lady love.  It’s amazing and an experience I wish all women had at least once in their lives.

Need some links to things?

Pattern: Take the Plunge Swimsuit by Patterns for Pirates
Fabric: Anchors + Navy Coordinate from RP Custom Fabrics | Pink Stripe + Purple Aztec from Love Adore Knit Co.


I’d like to add that the pink/purple suit is made from fabrics that were sent to me by Kim from Love Adore Knit Co., after I did my usual heckling of her with fabric questions.  Sadly, Kim lost her battle with breast cancer very recently and I am just gutted by it.  She was such a beautiful spirit and Kim never once let on how much suffering she was dealing with.  I worked with her a few times professionally, and also chatted with her about random things every once in a while.  The sewing world has lost such a wonderful person and I was so incredibly sad when I heard of her passing.  There is a group of women organizing a fundraiser/auction for her family and you can join the Facebook group HERE, if you’d like to help support her husband and kiddos.

Disclosure: As always, you’ll find some affiliate links scattered within my post, which means I receive a small amount of compensation if you end up purchasing something I’ve recommended.  Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.  Purchasing from my links does not alter the pricing in any way for you, it simply helps feed my sewing, creating and blogging habits.  Thank you for your support!

2 Comments

  1. Dalene Pohl

    Good day, I love your swimsuit and would love to purchase the patter, but cannot find the link for purchasing. Please help

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Wild+Wanderful!  I’m Katy.
Momma. Wife. West Virginian.
Designer. 
Dreamer. Coffee Consumer.
DIY-er. 
Craft Beer Enthusiast.
Purple Obsessor. Lover of Handmade.

MILDLY WILD. MOSTLY WANDERFUL.

LATEST FREEBIES

My Sudoku Travel Capsule Wardrobe + FREE Interactive Sudoku Capsule Planner!

We are about to embark upon an epic family trip to Scotland and Ireland. I could not be more excited. It's all I can talk about. It's all I can think about. I'm just so fricken pumped. We are being true travelers during our trip, where we are constantly on the move...

The Little Wanderer Skirt | A Free PDF Sewing Pattern from Wild+Wanderful!

I'm excited to share that I've been able to update another pattern for y'all! The Little Wanderer skirt is the youth version of my beloved Wanderer Skirt pattern (which is also free). It's an adorable high/low half circle skirt with two hem lengths and optional...

Irish I Were Sewing :: FREE St. Patrick’s Day Themed Silhouette + Cricut Cut Files!

I've been super missing making fun themed outfits to wear. And I've been missing sharing fun cut files on here like I used to. So I remedied both of these things by creating a super fun St. Patrick's Day themed sewing design AND am giving it to you as a freebie on...

The Wanderer Skirt | A Free PDF Sewing Pattern from Wild+Wanderful!

I know, I know. You might be thinking: "Katy, didn't you release The Wanderer Skirt back in 2017?" Yes. I did. But it's been six years of learning how to draft and design and I really wanted to go back and give it a little facelift. So here we are! On the surface,...

The Snuggler Sweater | A Free PDF Sewing Pattern from Wild+Wanderful!

A sewing friend of mine sent me a photo of this adorable sweater, with no sleeve seam, a cross-over front and back, and a "batwing" style dolman sleeve. And I was obsessed with the idea of turning that rtw sweater into a sewing pattern. And that's what I did! Meet:...

Elffire Club :: FREE Stranger Things Inspired Silhouette + Cricut Cut Files!

I saw someone use my free Elf on the Shelf Clothing Pattern the other day for a Stranger Things Eddie / Hellfire Club outfit and immediately was struck by a Christmas pun.  It had to be made.  I couldn't resist. If you need a little refresher on what I was...

RECENT POSTS

Fabric for Pirates :: September 2023 Reveal

It's the 15th of the month, and you know what that means! It's the fabric shipment reveal day! WOOOOOO!! This month's fabric is a total Katy Pick. Not only is it in the prettiest purple (plum...

Ruched Top & Dress by Patterns for Pirates

Listen. LISTEN. I would have shared this new sew of mine last week when we officially launched it over at Patterns for Pirates but I've had a lot of things going on around here. After we returned from our whirlwind Ireland/Scotland trip, I had barely enough time to...

Fabric for Pirates :: August 2023 Reveal

Hey Fabric Lovers! Long time no talk...in fact, it's been a whole month since we've talked about the subscription. It's so uncool that I have to wait until the 15th of every month to share what...

AFFILIATES