Sewing hack: One to two piece suit

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inside: Learn how to split a swim suit from one to two piece. Swim suit too small? Cut in and make it a two piece for more wear. Easy sewing hack to get more wear from a suit.

Last spring break we went to Florida and I made my daughter a new suit before we went. It fit her fine then, but by summer it was already to short. It hardly got any wear all summer and I was sad because it was such a cute suit.

Now that we are nearing spring break again, my daughter has no suits that fit, so I’m hacking this one from a one to two piece suit to get a bit more wear out of it. All the details are below.

Sewing hack: One to two piece suit

This is really an easy sewing hack, especially if you made the suit to start with. Even if you have a store-bought suit though, I think this can work in many situations. First, it has to fit in width and just be too short, which usually happens first. I’ll show you how to get more life from a suit that is too short.

First let’s look at how cute this one turned out! Rose really was sad this swim suit didn’t fit anymore, so in minutes we created a new suit that she can now wear. I don’t think it will last all summer as it is a bit snug around as well, but much more comfortable now that it’s not too short.

I love the ruffle at the neckline of this suit and I’m glad she can wear it a bit longer. I don’t think we are headed anywhere warm this spring break, but maybe a hotel pool will get some use.

Here are a few more sewing hacks to get more wear from clothes:

Swim suit sewing hack and tutorial

Let’s first talk about the supplies and what you need to re-create this hack yourself.

You will need a too short swim suit
1/2″ elastic
Extra fabric {if you have} My fabric is from Raspberry Creek

The first step is to cut the suit in half. I would use a different suit or pair of underwear to see how tall you want the suit bottoms to be.

If this is a suit that you didn’t make and don’t have any extra fabric, then I would at this point fold over a 3/4″ seam allowance and sew. Leave an opening to thread the elastic and then add elastic to the bottom and the top. I wouldn’t take away any more fabric, just cut the bottom to size, then fold under the top of the bottom and the bottom of the top.

Now, if you do have fabric from sewing the suit like I did, I trimmed the top and bottom back another inch and then added on a casing for the elastic. I cut the strips of fabric 1.75″ wide and the circumference of the suit. You will also cut the elastic the same size as the suit. The suit is fitted so it won’t really be needed for gathering.

Again, the new elastic can be cut the same as the suit, you are not gathering the fabric, you are just making the top and bottom of the suit so it stays in place.

Fold the casing in half and sew the short ends with right sides together so it forms a circle the same size as the top or bottom of the suit.

With wrong sides together pin/clip and sew the casing to the raw edge of the suit. When you sew the casing to the suit, leave an opening to thread the elastic. Thread the elastic through the casing, then sew the ends together and then sew the opening in the casing closed as well.

Repeat with the other half of the suit.