EASY BIKINI Issue #32

Trade in your old yoga pants for a new sui

By Justina Blakeney
Published: June 1st, 2007 | 12:00am

MATERIALS
• an old pair of stretch pants
• a few strips of jersey (could be from an old T-shirt)
• a ribbon
• sewing machine useful but not required (i.e., you can sew this project by hand if you don’t own a sewing machine)

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE TOP
1. Carefully cut the waistband off stretch pants.
2. Cut two triangular shapes from the stretch pants (we suggest you use a bra to roughly measure your size, remember to add a half inch for seam allowance).
3. Take one jersey strip (2 inches wide) and sew flat around the two straight edges of the double triangular pieces. Repeat with other triangle.
4. Cut open the waistband, leaving one long, elastic strip. Place and pin the rounded edges of both triangular shapes to the center of the elastic band.
5. Use the zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine (or regular stitch if sewing by hand) to sew the rounded edges to the elastic band gathering the fabric in the center of each triangle (for larger boobs, slightly overlap the two triangles for more support).
6. Cut up one jersey strip into five thin slices about 10 inches long. Put the pieces together and sew together in the center to create “pom-pom.”
7. Sew ribbon to tips of each triangle, and cut to desired length depending on your size.
8. Sew pom-pom onto ribbon where desired.

FOR THE BOTTOMS
1. Cut out desired “panty shape” from stretch pants (you can use panties or bikini bottoms to measure your size, remember to add a half inch for seam allowance.)
2. Take two jersey strips (2 inches wide) and sew flat around each leg hole, using the zig-zag stitch.
3. Take one jersey strip and sew flat using the zig-zag stitch around the waist, pulling the jersey while leading it into the sewing machine to create elasticity in the waist.
4. Create a pom-pom as described above, and sew to rim where desired.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Venus Zine’s DIY Editor, Justina Blakeney, her sister Faith Blakeney, and Ellen Schultz are the designers behind Compai, a crafty design studio and eco-clothing label. With a focus on sustainable design and DIY, Compai has authored three books, collaborated with companies like Artemide and Elio Fiorucci, and has been seen on the pages of Vogue Italia, Adorn Magazine, Glamour Italia, the San Francisco Chronicle, on The Today Show, and, of course, Venus Zine. Check out what all the fuss is about at compai.com. E-mail feedback to justina [at] venuszine.com.

View more of Justina Blakeney’s work at on venuszine.com here.