I didn’t just sew for myself last weekend – I finished off these bathers for Clare as well.

The pattern is Kwik Sew 3605. Clare wanted the view E skirt, but attached to the bathers bottoms from view D. It was easy to do – I just made both, then basted them together at the waist before attaching the elastic. The top is view A, the tankini top.

I found the swimwear lycra at Rathdowne Fabrics. It was a large panel with motifs printed onto it in a way that suggested they were originally going to be cut out as singlet tops (or similar). This gave me a few challenges when I cut out the bathers. I managed okay in the end. (There is also a flower print right on Clare’s bottom, but you can’t see it under the skirt). I made size Medium, which is a 7-8, and there is still plenty of room in these for Clare (who turns 9 in January).

She’s pretending she is sunbaking at the beach. These weren’t hard to sew. However, without a coverstitch machine, it’s really not possible to get the inside looking as good as the outside. But I’m glad that I had an overlocker. I made her hat a couple of years ago – it is Nicole Mallalieu’s Kid’s Hat pattern.