And just like that, it’s a wrap. The summer is coming to an end. Noooooo. Well, what better way to end summer then in my Riri Swimsuit by Mimi G Style? Now let’s be honest. I would have NEVER made this swimsuit if it hadn’t been for the modifications I made to it. The original design had a plunging v neck and the straps for the back were spaghetti straps. The original pattern would not have had enough support for me.
Riri Swimsuit
I’m a Sew It Academy student and have been since Mimi started the online sewing academy in 2016. As a Sew It student, there a lots of patterns included with your monthly subscriptions, the Riri being one of them. Like I said, I had no intentions of ever making this swimsuit because it was low cut in the front and very exposed in the back. Then, one of the lessons released was Sewing A Swimsuit. Ok, perfect, but what was even better is that Mimi showed us how to modify the swimsuit to make it just a little more modest. I said, I’m all in!
Fabric and Modifications
The fabric I used was this neon green Lycra Spandex fabric I picked up from my local fabric store, A to Z Fabrics. I also picked up the black fabric from them as well. I really love this fabric because it’s not too thin and has great recovery. The fabric I used for the cover up is a Polyester Chiffon Fabric Black & White and was sent to me by Minerva Craft and it’s currently on sale. The sheerness of this fabric made it perfect for a cover up and I love the way it contrasts with the neon green.
I only made 2 small modifications to the swimsuit to make it just a tad more modest and have more coverage. For the top portion, I used the slash and spread method to make the cups longer. I added about 2 inches to the front. Then I made the back straps 5 inches wide. This modification certainly helps with having less side boob and holding the girls in. With the exception of making the back straps wider, I followed Mimi’s instruction to the letter. That’s the amazing part of being able to sew. The ability to make something to your specifications is so liberating.
Let’s Talk About My Self Drafted Cover Up
I wanted to make a cover up for my Riri so I went to YouTube University to see what I could find. I came across a tutorial from Orly Shani that showed you how to make the cover up without a pattern. You can watch her video HERE. I pretty much made it like she did. My two rectangles are 21″ w x 84″ L. If you want to make your cover up longer, then all you have to do is make the length longer. She also added a piece of fabric in the back which I did not add. I think it came out pretty good, don’t you?
PS, I Made My Earring Too
How could I almost forget to talk about my earrings?!! You see these babies I have on? I made them!! Yes, I did and you won’t even believe me when I tell you what I made them out of! Mimi G recently did an online live class and she made these amazing earrings using FIMO Leather Effects Polymer Clay. Yes, POLYMER CLAY!! I’m still in amazement of these earrings. Once you bake this clay it hardens and it feels like faux leather! The possibilities are endless. You can even SEW it!!! Gasp! I can’t wait to do more with FIMO Leather Effects polymer clay.
Final 3K Giveaway
If you made it this far in my blog post, then you deserve to enter my final giveaway. DRUM ROLL PLEASE …………. This week’s sponsor is none other then Mimi G Style herself. Mimi has so graciously donated 3 months of the Sew It Academy for FREE!! Yes, you heard that correctly. Now, as I said above, I’ve been a student of Sew It Academy since 2016 and the very 1st class in the academy is opening your sewing machine out of the box. The courses build on each other so the skills you learn in one class will be used in upcoming courses and so on. It’s not just for beginners either. Even if you’ve been sewing for a while you can still sign up and I promise you, you’ll learn something new. You can use my link to sign up to Sew It Academy or you can take your chance and enter my giveaway! Just click on the photo below and follow instructions to enter. Contest ends Sunday 9/6 at 11:59 PM EST.
Can I give you guys a round of applause for a minute? I want to thank you. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read my blog posts. It means the world to me, really. I created this blog so that I could document my sewing journey with you and to share any knowledge I gain along the way. I really love sewing and to be able to share it with the world is just icing on the cake.
Thank you all who entered my 3K contests over on Instagram. I also want to thank my amazing sponsors who helped make this a success. Below are links to the swimsuits I made for this series and also links to my sponsors. Make sure you follow them on Instagram!
Until Next time,
Johanna
Week 1 – Prizes
LA Finch Fabrics – Provided a $35 gift card to the winner @thethreadsroom
Evie Swimsuit Pattern by @caramiyamaui
Week 2 Prize
Bernice Reversible One Piece Swimsuit by @sirenapattern – *winner has not been announced at time
Week 3 Prize
3 Month subscription to Sew It Academy from @mimigstyle.
Winner will be selected 9/6
Alright, I’m done frolicking on the internet in swimsuits. I guess I should go put some clothes on and start planning for all. Although, I live in South Florida, so you will continue to get these summer lewks from me for a while longer.
Until Next time,
Johanna
