Hello everyone! I am so excited to tackle my next sew along! I am sewing the Greenstyle Creations North Shore Swimsuit! The Sew Along will begin on Wednesday, May 29th and end on Sunday, June 2nd. Today’s post will help you get prepared for the event and give you all the details you need to be able join me next week!

Here is a schedule of how I plan for our days to go so that you can plan accordingly:

Day 1: Select Size, Cut Out Your Pattern, and Cut Out Your Fabric

Day 2: Sew Your Bottoms

Day 3: Sew Your Top

Day 4: Catch Up Day

Day 5: Show Me What You Made and Enter to Win Prizes!

The Pattern Discount, Updates, and Options

If you do not own the North Shore Swimsuit pattern, you can purchase it HERE for 25% off using code “NSSAL”. The code will be valid through June 1st.

If you already own the North Shore Swimsuit pattern, make sure you have downloaded the most recent version. The pattern was recently updated to include a trunk length measurement, and some minor adjustments were made in the elastic measurement chart.

Before you start gathering supplies, you will want to decide which options on the suit you plan to sew. The North Shore has two views: View A is a one piece swimsuit with side cut outs or a scoop back, while View B is a two piece bikini with 4 bottom options and more top options than you can sew through in a summer.

The back of the top of your swimsuit can have a U Back or halter back that can be a pullover, tie back, or a back that is closed with a swim hook. The front of the top can have full coverage or a Full Cup Deep V or a Deep Plunging V. The Front also has the option to include ties or a strappy middle. I will have some collages for you in next week’s Day 1 post to compare the different options if you are still on the fence of what to make!

Prizes and Fabric Discounts

Our generous sponsors for this sew along are Raspberry Creek Fabric, Made Whimsy, and Greenstyle Creations! All sponsors are offering discounts as well as prizes to our winner!! One special winner will win a $25 Gift Card to Raspberry Creek, a $25 Gift Card to Made Whimsy, and one free Greenstyle Creations pattern! To be eligible to win, you just need to participate by commenting on each day’s thread in the Greenstyle Creations Facebook Group and comment on the Day 5 post with your final suit (or suits for additional entries). You can join the Greenstyle Facebook group here. Each day of the sew along, I will make a post in the Greenstyle Facebook group with that day’s steps as well as a blog post with help and video tutorials for that day’s tasks.

Use code “Greenstyle” for 10% off all swim knits at Made Whimsy through May 25th.

For 15% off at Raspberry Creek Fabric, use code “GREENSTYLESWIM” through May 25th.

Fabric and Supplies

I have a full video showing all the supplies you will need. You can watch the supply video HERE.

Here is a list of supplies you will need that I discuss in the video, including links to my recommendations:

  1. Swim Fabric and Swim Lining. Of course, I recommend taking a look at our fabric sponsors’ shops. I was sooo impressed with the quality of both of their swim. The navy and white check gingham and blue floral swimsuit fabric that I am wearing is from Raspberry Creek. The solid swim fabrics and striped florals that I am wearing all came from Made Whimsy! I also loved the quality of the swim lining that I received from both of them.
  2. Thread, Stretch Needles, Scissors (Optional: Rotary Cutter), Clips, and a Sewing Machine (Optional: Serger and/or Coverstitch)
  3. Swim elastic. You will need 3 yards of 3/8 inch swim elastic and 2.5 yards of the 1 inch swim elastic. So Sew English carries 3/8 inch rubber elastic, but I have only seen it in bundles. You can see what they have in stock here. Sew Sassy carries 3/8 inch rubber elastic here. I would suggest the thicker one of those available. Etsy also has several shops with great reviews on their rubber elastic. You can find those here. If you do not like rubber elastic, Joann’s fabric carries cotton swim elastic that does not have nearly as firm of a stretch as rubber. You can find that here. Also, a wonderful option is the rubber elastic that has been wrapped in polyester. It sews very much like a traditional braided elastic. You can find both the 3/8 inch and 1 inch of this type at Wazoodle here and at Fabric Fairy here.
  4. Bra Cups. I purchased mine on Amazon here. I also have to tell you that I struggled finding bra cups because they only come in cup sizes without reference to band. A 30D cup is definitely different size wise than a 40D so if both people bought a D bra cup, it would be huge on one and small on the other, and yet both of them wear a D cup. I have since learned that the “D cup” in a bra cup is based on a 34D. So, by using sister sizing, you learn that a 32D is actually in need of a C cup when buying a bra cup for a swimsuit/sports bra. This has worked well for me since finding this out! Also, reading Amazon reviews is very helpful!
  5. A 1 inch Swim Hook if you do the hook back closure. I found mine at Joann here, and they are also available at several stores online like Sew Sassy.
  6. A 1/2-3/4″ bra ring. I bought the 3/4 ring from Simply by Ti. You can find them at Sew Sassy, Wawak, or Etsy.

I had so much fun mixing and matching all my swim bottoms and tops. I tried make them in a true capsule fashion so that they all went together in some way. I think gingham is my new neutral. haha!

I made so many suits for this sew along that I am ready for a beach vacation!

Don’t forget to grab your pattern HERE using code “NSSAL” for 25% off. I will see you next week!

Thanks for reading today! I hope you are able to join me and that I have inspired you! You may follow me on Instagram or receive updates by liking my page on Facebook. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.

Disclosures: I received some of this fabric for free to use in the sew along. Some of it was already in my stash, though. This post also may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.


1 Comment

Greenstyle North Shore Swimsuit Sew Along – Day 1 – Let’s Get Started!! – Sweet Mama · November 12, 2019 at 2:43 pm

[…] Day 0: Get Supplies […]

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