swiming folder

8/18/2019 Swiming Folder

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Samples


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Class Material


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Articles(How each applies to class is stated after each article.)


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Swimsuit Sewing Tips

Swimsuits are often considered one of those “holy grails” of sewing. Sewists don’t want to tacklethem because they’re worried about finding good patterns, or sewing with challenging fabric, orknowing the right construction techniques. But you can and should!" stretch yourself ha ha, get it#"

to sew a swimsuit this summer.

To encourage and inspire you, $% Seamstress&rin % ha'e gathered tips and inspiration from a bunchof different sewing bloggers. (lick on any of their pictures to be taken to their full blog posts abouttheir finished suits. )nd pour yourself a glass of lemonade or ice tea, since you’re going to want tospend some time soaking in another pun, ha!" what these inspiring ladies ha'e shared!

Why Sew Your Own?

“$ drafted my suit from scratch. $ wasn’t seeing anything out there that had e*actly what $ wanted,so $ made it up. $t took time self+drafting, but it was worth it. aking your own swimsuit isn’t

necessarily cheaper than buying one. )t least, not if you 'alue your time. -ith the time $ spent on

this suit, it’s a /00 suit. $t took me o'er 12 hours to draft e'erything perfectly for that flawless fit.

34-&5&6, $ would ha'e spent the same amount of time in a fitting room, feeling discouraged

about my body shape. $nstead of spending hours thinking my boobs are too small or my legs are

too big, $ spent hours understanding my body shape. $ came out of the e*perience feeling more

confident and happy with the body 7od ga'e me than e'er before.” –Melissa

“$’'e sewn quite a few pairs of bathers for myself8 that’s what we call them here by the way, and

now couldn’t e'er consider buying 6T- ready to wear" ones e'er again9 The reason# y own

fit me perfectly, of course! -hen it comes to fitting your own bathers, there’s :ust no substitute for

actually trying the things on during the construction process and pinning ad:ustments in the

rele'ant spots that need it, and this means ine'itably getting a few pin pricks in the process

unfortunately! The upside is that you can draw those alterations onto to your own pattern and

thus ha'e your own perfectly custom fit pattern awaiting you ne*t year. – Carolyn

Picking Fabric:

“Try to get a nice medium weight, matte ;ycra


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“(hoosing the right fabric is 'ery important when sewing swimwear. =ou need four+way stretch

:ust think of your poor crotch if you don’t!" and spande*. These fabrics were made to be worn

wet, and to dry quickly. =ou also need a lining. >or a child’s suit, there’s not as much concern

about support. ;ucky children, their bodies are naturally firm and muscular." So you can use a

finer, lighter mesh+like lining and be 4?. >or myself, $ would call in the big guns, and use a lining

with a bit more lift+and+seperate power. The tradeoff though is a hea'ier+weight lining will not dry

out as quickly. So e*pect your apres+swim shorts to sport a wetspot for the walk

home.” – Suzanne

“Spande* quality 'aries, :ust like any other fabric. >or a Spande* that has the pattern printed on

to the fabric, when it stretches you can see the white base, and the fabric has a stiffer feel

because of the printing directly on the fabric. ) yarn dyed spande* has a more fluid, softer hand

because the colors and pattern are knitted into the fabric. The same swimsuit out of two different

Spande*es fits and feels differently because of these fabric characteristics.” – Lucinda

“Swimwear is a pro:ect you can ha'e fun with. >or me all the fun lies in picking out the fabric. $’m

a /+@’er by day so this is my chance to step out of the basic office neutrals and really ha'e some

fun with bright colors and


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“-hen it’s time to start sewing up that fun fabric remember to use a brand new stretch needle.

=ou will also find a walking foot to be super helpful. The regular pressure foot can smoosh the

fabric too much causing wa'y or une'en seams. The walking foot will feed the fabric e'enly to

pre'ent this. Don’t fear the swimsuit! Take your time and ha'e fun with it. =ou’ll be laying on the

beach in no time.” – Shannon

“$f you’'e ne'er tried sewing a swimsuit before, it’s far easier than you might think! )nd can e'en

be done fully on a sewing machine no need for a serger


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This article applies in the fact it gives many helpful tips to those who are adventuring into

the land of sewing their own swimsuit. One tip I definitely agree with and will be happy to be

reminded up every time I come back to this binder for reference is the fact that using a rotary

cutter is definitely more to my advantage than shears when working with swim material.


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Swimsuit

BackgroundA swimsuit is an article of clothing used for swimming and sunbathing. For women, the

swimsuit is either a two-piece bra and panty ensemble or a one-piece maillot style.

Men's swimsuits are either abikini-style brief or the longer and fuller swim trunk.

History

Although swimming is not a natural human ability, people have been drawn to water

since ancient times. The Romans built the first swimming pools and by the firstcenturyB.C.had even created a heated pool. In Japan during this period swimming

events were common. Europeans were slower to come to the sport because of a

widespread fear of infections carried from other bathers through the water. However, by

the mid-nineteenth century, a number of swimming organizations were founded,

particularly in London.

The swimsuit as a particular article of clothing did not appear until the early twentieth

century. In the late nineteenth century, bathers wore a bathing costume consisting of

billowy bloomers and overblouses, stockings, and shoes.Suntans were considered asign of low class, so many women covered their heads and faces. To many, even these

body-obscuring outfits were considered shocking. Over the next several decades, the

style and acceptance of bathing wear changed significantly.

At the beginning of the 1902, three young men in Oregon (John Zehntbauer, Roy

Zehntbauer, and Carl Jantzen) owned a clothing company called the

PortlandKnitting Company. They were also avid members of a rowing club. Their

financial futures were secured when one of their teammates asked them to create a

wool rib-knit rowing suit that would retain body heat. Although the garment they createdwas not particularly suited for swimming (when wet it could weight up to 8 lb [3.6 kg]), an

idea was born. The form-fitting knit suit, made by the company that would become

Jantzen, featured a sleeveless shift over long shorts.

In the 1930s, sunbathing became a popular pastime. Women's styles began to feature

lower-cut backs and armholes to allow more exposure to the sun. Jantzen introduced

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the Shouldaire model with a drawstring sewn above the bustline that allowed the wearer

to lower the shoulder straps for better suntan coverage. It was also in the 1930s that

women's midriffs were exposed for the first time; in cutouts and eventually in two-piece

swimsuits

Manmade fabrics were introduced during this period. The evolution of the swimsuit as a

form-fitting garment called for a flexible and elasticized material. Rayon was the first

fabric used, and then American Rubber Company developed Lastex, an extruded rubber

surrounded by fiber. Lastex's success was short-lived because it was not colorfast and

did not retain shape when stretched. The fabric's flexibility was also affected by body

oils.

In 1939, E. I. duPont de Nemours & Company developed anylon called 6.6polymer that

revolutionized the manmade materials industry. In the years to come, other synthetic

materials such as Dacron, Orlon, Lycra, and Spandex were invented and were used

alone or blended to make swimsuits. During this period, textile manufacturers also

began to experiment with woven patterns and bright colors.

The next major highlight in the history of the swimsuit occurred in 1946 when the bikini,

atwo-piece suit for women, was introduced in Paris. Supposedly named for the Pacific

atoll where atomic bomb experiments were conducted, the bikini caused a furor.

Although immediately popular on European beaches, the bikini was not worn in the

United States until the 1960s.

In the 1970s, the use of materials such as Lycra became popular as a means to

manipulate physical attributes. Soft one-piece maillots were popular among women and

remain so today. In 1977, designer Rudi Geinrich's thong bikini, which features a mere

strap on the rear portion of the suit bottom, hit the beaches of Brazil. It also remains a

popular style around the world, but is often considered controversial on American

beaches.

Innovations of the 1980s included suits of material that allowed the wearer to tan

through the fabric. This style faded in popularity as the public became more aware of

sun-related skin cancers. The French cut, leg openings high on the hip, also appearedduring this decade.

In competitive swimming, the design of suits built for speed is an on-going challenge. At

the2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the use of a full-body suit by many swimmers

caused a uproar. The Fastkin suit, made by Speedo, is constructed of a sharkskin-like

material and is marketed as a performance-enhancing suit. A number of teams objected

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to the use of the suit and sought to have it banned. However the Olympic governing

committee allowed the suits.

Raw Materials

Fabric is the primary material. Some companies manufacture their own fabric while

others purchase it from outside supplies. Synthetic dyes are used to color the fabric.

Until the mid-nineteenth century, dyes were extracted from animal, vegetable, and

mineral sources. In 1856, a young chemist in London named William H. Perkin

accidentally discovered how to make mauveine, a purple dye, while he was attempting

to synthesize quinine. Dyes are applied in a variety of ways depending on the type of

dye, the type of fabric, and the desired effect. In the simplest process, cloth is dipped

into a solution of water and dye. Sometimes an oxygen reagent is added to make the

color more uniform. In mordant dying, a wet metallic solution of tin, chromium, iron or

aluminum is applied directly to the fabric. Then a dye is applied on top of that and the

color is formed within the cloth. Some dyes can be applied directly to the cloth. In this

process, the fabric is immersed in a hot solution of the dye. Patterns of color are created

by dying fabrics that have been woven with different types of yarn such as nylon and

polyester. The yarns react differently, or not at all, to different dyes. In this manner, a

pattern appears on the fabric.

The bra of a bikini or two-piece woman's swimsuit may have metal or plastic fasteners.

Men's swim trunks often include a drawstring in the waistband. Lengths of elastic are

used for straps, leg openings, and waistbands.

Design

Design is a crucial step in the manufacturing of swimsuits. As in any aspect of the

apparel industry, designers pay close attention to what is being worn and what is new in

fabric and color. Swimsuit designers are also concerned with comfort, colorfastness and

elasticity of the fabric.

Designers use a combination of hand-sketches and computer-assisted-design software

(CAD) to create new styles. Hand-sketches are enlarged to create paper patterns and a

sample is cut from a material such as muslin. The garment is then fitted onto a

mannequin and adjusted until the designer achieves the desired look. Colors and fabric


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are chosen and a sample is made and tried on by a human model. The designer again

makes adjustments.

Designers using CAD draw with a stylus onto adigitizing pad that is connected to a

computer. As the designer draws, the garment's image appears on the computerscreen. Colors and fabrics can also be chosen and viewed on the computer screen.

Templates are created and sent to the factory to be cut into pattern pieces.

The Manufacturing

Process

The manufacture of swimsuits is largely a computerized and mechanized process with

The evolution of the swimsuit.

factory workers running the machinery and occasionally guiding the fabric.

1.Spools of cotton and synthetic thread are loaded onto knitting machines that weave the

threads into rolls of fabric. The rolls are fed into large tanks fitted with agitators. Pre-

measured amounts of bleach and color-dyes are released into the tanks. After the fabric

has been cleaned and dyed to the desired color, it is then placed into drying machines.

The fabric is re-rolled and stored until it is needed.

2.Workers bring the bolts of fabric to spreading and measuring tables. The bolts are

attached to one end of the table and the fabric is drawn across the table and wrapped

around an empty bolt on the other side. The worker turns the empty bolt to take up the

slack until the fabric is pulled taut across the table. The worker

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enters predetermined length measurements into an encoder. The encoder then relays

the information to electronic blades that cut the fabric.

3.After the entire bolt of fabric has been cut into lengths, the worker stacks them in heights

up to 6 in (15 cm). He or she then takes the stacks to the piece-cutting machine. Here,another worker operates the computerized machinery that cuts the swimsuit pieces from

the lengths of fabric. In smaller factories, pattern-marking may be done by hand before

the fabric is cut. In larger companies, the pattern dimensions are fed into a computer that

relays the information to the cutting machinery.

The number of pieces is determined by the style of swimsuit. A woman's one-

piece maillot is usually made from two pieces. A bikini would have two sections

for the brief and four to six pieces for the bra. Cups for the bra and for the top of

the one-piece are also cut. Lining panels are cut for the crotch and for the bodice.

Men's swim trunks are constructed from two to four panels.

4.Each piece is stitched to another at separate sewing stations. Depending on the size of

the factory, the sewing is done by individual seamstresses working at industrial sewing

machines, or by computerized stitching machines operated by workers. For a bikini, the

bra cup is placed between the lining and the front bra panels and the three pieces are

stitched together. A side panel is then stitched to each of the front panels.

If the design calls for straps, lengths of elastic are placed between two strap

pieces and the three pieces are sewn together. The straps are then sewn onto

the front and side panels of the bra. If hooks are used to close the back of the

bra, a metal or plastic hook is sewn or ironed into a facing on the end of one side

panel. A loop is made on the other side panel by folding the end piece over and

stitching it to the panel.

1.Briefs, whether for a woman's two-piece suit or for a man's swim trunks, are

pieced together in similar fashions. Lining is stitched into the front panel or

panels. The front panel(s) are joined to the back panel(s). Lengths of elastic are

inserted into waistbands and leg openings. The outer material is folded over to

make a facing and the facing is then stitched to the garment.

2.The completed garments are pressed and labels are stitched onto the inside. The

swimsuits are packaged in plastic bags and loaded into cartons for shipment to

retail outlets.

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Quality Control

Swimsuits are subjected to a number of tests in the factory before they are sold to the

public. Tests for fabric and color changes include repeated washings in fresh, salt, and

chlorinated water, as well as exposure tosimulated sunlight. The suits are stretched andweighted down before and after washings to determine if they retain their original

shapes. Samples suits are also given to volunteer testers who report back to the

companies on comfort and wearability.

By products/Waste

The primary waste products result from fabric dyeing and from the manufacture of

synthetic fabrics. An entire industry dedicated to the recycling of dyes and synthetic

materials now exists to serve the textile industry. Dye solutions are generally purifiedand reused. The residue from the manufacture of synthetic fabric are used to make

other products, especially plastic bottles.

Very few waste materials exists after the sewing of the swimsuits. The computerized

processes allow for precise measurement and cutting so that little excess remains. What

extraneous bits of thread and fabric do exist are discarded.

The Future

Although no significant design changes have occurred in the swimsuit industry in the

last 20 years, the popularity of the suit and the popularity of swimming is expected to

continue. Innovations are likely to focus on figure enhancement. The use of computer-

assisted-design and computer-assisted-manufacture is expected to increase. Industry

associations are currently working to devise a universal standard for the computer

language used.

(Source:http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Swimsuit.html )

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This article applies to the class in the sense that knowing the history of a garment can

help you know where to go for more inspiration whether it’s past fashions or possible future ones

to come. nowing the process that had been used for making a piece in the past and even how it

is still currently manufactured can help you know how some suits have been constructed.


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Swimsuit Pictures

!or all of the following swimsuits I would use the techni"ues taught in class

(burrito#sandwich seams for the crotch) and all of them would have lining attached as instructed.

$s well as having bra cups put into all of the swimsuits. %ersonally that’s how I prefer my

suits and female I’m likely to make a swimsuit for would want them as well.


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(Image Source: http://www.chinabestprice.com/prouct/!omen-s-"#assica#-$a#ter-

%i&ini-Swimwear-1'072'.htm# )

&ather than making this swimsuit into a two piece I would 'ust have the middrift section

of the suit be pink fabric that matches the small pink accents on the waist band and the top of the

bust section.

!irst I would find a two piece pattern that has a bra like top and then ad'ust the bottom of

it to have enough seam allowance to have the bottom of a plain one piece swimsuit attached.

eaning I would also find a one piece pattern to ad'ust to get the rest of the suit. I would have

the pattern of the one piece altered to have the sections (the shapes* such as the band and high

wait being shown) desired cut with seam allowances added. Once the piece is all sewn up* I

would add buttons to get the high waist +shorts, look being referenced.

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!irst off I wouldn’t make this swimsuit white but most likely the solid white shown as

black and the greysish color as red. $fter deciding that change* I would go and find a plain

strapless swimsuit pattern. :ith that pattern I would be able to make the stripes of red the rightwidth and in the right placements for my body type#if it was a gift for the other person’s body. In

all this suit shouldn’t be a difficult look to achieve.

($lso as an e3tra note for a strapless swimsuit I would most likely go out and find a bra designed

to be strapless as well)

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aff21fbb557.'pg)

!or this swimsuit I would go and find a pattern that had shorts and a tankini pattern that

had the flowy bottom. If I couldn’t find a pattern that had a flowy bottom I could always add

fullness at that particular spot. $s for the shorts if the pattern is too short#too long I would ad'ust

it to be the appropriate length.
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