Childrenswear: The Flora Swimsuit

I’m just in time to participate in May’s Challenge of Menswear + Children’s Wear! Summer’s just started here in Florida so it’s swimwear sewing time for me.  I’ve been working on a new self-drafted pattern for my daughter Amelie that I think is just adorable!

Ami just turned 4 last month and has been growing like a weed! She’s been obsessed with wearing the same outfit lately, her purple sparkly swimsuit- plus leggings – almost every day. I’m thrilled that she loves the swimsuit I made her last year but it’s starting to get thread bear and a bit too tight. Time for new swimwear to get her wearing something different.

My goal with this swimsuit was to make it easy to wear with a rashguard for extra sun coverage but a little more durable for my active little girl. She’s always running, jumping and dancing so this swimsuit gives a bit of added coverage but is still super cute! A skirt is a must since swimwear always doubles as dress up wear for my Ami. :)

The suit slips on at the waist with boy shorts under an a-line skirt with an elasticized waist and ties in a bow at the back neck. The skirt and shorts can be hemmed like the bumblebee version or serged for finishing like the paisley one. I love the cutout back- so cute and girly but still really sturdy and easy to play in.

Both fabrics used for this suit are from The Fabric Fairy. Ami’s picks. I love the bumblebee honeycomb print– so fun and graphic- and the paisley is so pretty. The material itself was a dream to work with, soft with a really nice hand. I really love the quality of the prints I’ve ordered from this site. They’re nice and opaque and just feel great. I used about 1/2 yd of fabric for each suit.

I’m offering this as a one size (4/5T) pattern with instructions starting tomorrow.  Head on over to my blog Sew Pomona to see more and check back tomorrow on my blog for the Flora Pattern release!

Happy Summer!