Deep breaths, Katy.  Deep breaths.

It’s not like this is the first time I’ve put a photo of myself in a swimsuit on the internet.  But it’s the first time I’ve done so with “this body” and it’s taking a lot of courage to share them.  But how do I go about telling other women that they are beautiful no matter what size they are, but not listening to my own advice?  So here we are.  My bathing suit clad body in all of it’s glory.

I have two good reasons to share these photos, though!

First: Made for Mermaids just came out with seven new swim-related patterns and this is one of them!  I didn’t have time to participate in the testing of the patterns, but I did snag a copy for myself as soon as it released.  And then made this Roxy instantly because Momma needs more two-piece suits that are high waisted and cute.

and Second: This swim fabric from RP Custom Fabrics is worth celebrating!

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Sara is giving us a whole line of these “Slither” prints and they are to die for.  The colors are fabulous and the print is something different than the usual scale-type print.  Move aside mermaid scales, I’ve got some snake skin to rock!

Do you think Britney Spears, circa 2001 would have worn this print to do her “Slave For You” snake dance in?  Most likely.

Before I go, I do have to admit something to you.  I failed, miserably, at making this suit.  In my defense, I was coming off of a vacation and my brain wasn’t in sewing mode.

I first forgot to add length in the bottoms.  And instead of hemming properly the way the pattern calls for, I had to add the height in the form of a band.

And then I really thought I would be cool and instead of waiting for swim cups, I would just use an old bra.  Except that bra had underwire….so I had to fudge with it a bunch.  And once I had it all in and sewn and working and the whole thing hemmed and ready to go…………………..
………….I had installed the cups in backwards and it wouldn’t sit against my body.

So I ended up ripping the cups out, fixing them, adding a new band to the bottom of the top, using a million curse words, and then taking these photos.

It’s not the pattern’s fault.  Or the fabric’s.  It was 100% the fault of the person driving the sewing machine.  OY.