I get to share beautiful pictures of our beach vacation with you, I’m so excited! This year I made myself some swimwear but also made some for Andres. It all started because KNITorious Fabric had Banksy board short material and we were both super excited. It was a pre-order, which means that it usually takes 8-12 weeks to get your fabric and you have to be patient. As soon as it came I instantly started working on his swim trunks.
These are the Long Beach Board Shorts* from Peek-A-Boo Patterns. Andres’s measurements are waist 38.5′ and hips 41″ so I went with a size Large and they fit him perfectly. The back has elastic for a snug fit and the front has ties to make them tighter or looser.
The best part about making your own clothes is adding fun details! I added an inside pocket for a credit card or hotel card. These also have a side cargo pocket with a zipper. I didn’t add the rivets on the pockets because some amusement parks won’t let you on the water slides with them, so instead I just made a hole on the sewing machine with a circle looking buttonhole option. I have no idea what it’s called and I’m way too lazy to Google it.
I would suggest using a fresh stretch needle for the microtex material and polyester thread because it lasts longer in the clorine water. Life is SO MUCH easier if you have Wonder Tape*. It really helps you with pocket placement and seams. If you’ve never used it you need to give it a try, it’s worth the money for your sanity. It just washes away in the laundry.
I did make a muslin because I was so scared to cut into my custom fabric but in the end it was the exact size I needed. This isn’t a fast sew but it’s super rewarding and Andres loves his new swim shorts. I wanted to make Nico a pair but ran out of time. I always plan 101 things two weeks before vacation and can’t complete them all. Hopefully I’ll get around to it this summer. I ran out of this fabric, so Nico’s won’t be matching. When I ordered this fabric I ordered 1 yard, which worked perfect for Andres but not any room for any error.
Update: Andres gave me some feedback. He said the back elastic isn’t helpful and the back rides down. He asked me to skip it next time.
In case you want to know where we went – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! It’s so beautiful and amazing. I want to live on the beach and just bask in the sunshine and happiness! Also, wear lots of sunscreen, at least 30spf!!!
* affiliate link – I paid for everything on my own and am only doing afflinks in hopes of making up cost for my expensive taste in custom fabric, haha!