Stitch Every Day--Week 24, #32 Swimming suit

This week I stitched every day!

FINISHES: I completed my third bathing suit using Jalie 2317 again. It is the best one yet! The hole in my daughter's bathing suit is growing, which motivated me to finally cut her bathing suit this week.

The trickiest part of a bathing suit is applying the elastic after the suit is sewn. It only took about an hour after tracing to cut and sew a complete suit. Finishing the elastic slows me down. I would like to read another pattern to see if the instructions are more complete--the Jalie instructions are diagrams . . . no words. I read a tip on Creative Chicks that helped smooth out some of the leg wrinkles--the neckline is still too gathered in the front with no ripples in the back.
Maybe I need to measure when quadranting the elastic?
Or perhaps use smaller elastic in the arm holes? (I don't think the pattern calls for more than one size, but it seems so big on the tiny arm holes).

Here are some closer up views. The bust is too big for her. I did not grade it, I just cut the size for her shoulder to crotch height--thus the extra fabric in the chest.
Compare the back neckline to the front, and you will see the smooth elastic in the back and the gathering puckers in the front. Truly, the neckline is the area which needs the most improvement.

Isn't that neck straining cute?

That said, she loves it. I am happy with it--and couple of things to try next time. I started Monday night and finished Wednesday night, so it went together quickly. I am not sure how many bathing suits it will take until I am completely happy, but I have at least two more to make for this summer, so I will get some more practice! Bathing suits are worth knowing how to sew--the one I want is $100. Multiply that times the number of daughters I have, and well . . . . it's worth spending a little more time getting it right.

3 are theirs, 3 are mine

The most fun this week was having Katie, Mitch, and their family stop by on their move. We enjoyed time in the park, dinner, and hanging out at our home together. When the kids were in bed, (but not necessarily asleep), we went to the basement and I fired question after question at Katie. Of course, she had the answers! So much knowledge & experience in her sewing brain. So grateful she shares!