by Justina Blakeney, Compai Creative


Anyone who has ever shopped for swimwear knows that trying to find the perfect suit is a nightmare. The bottom fits, but the top doesn’t; it’s see-through or baggy or just too tiny. In other words, the suit just doesn’t suit you. You end up looking either too “porn star” or “granny,” and to add insult to injury, you spend a small fortune for a swimsuit that’s faded from the chlorine and sags in the wrong places by the summer’s end. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a designer bikini when you can make one yourself in less than one hour from recycled materials you probably already have lying around?


TEEKINI TOP
1. Find an old T-shirt (not too transparent)—the bigger the better.
2. Lay your T-shirt out flat.
3. Cut off the bottom hem of the T-shirt.
4. Cut off two more 1.5-inch-wide strips from the bottom to use as straps.
5. Lay out and pin an existing bikini top out onto the front of the T-shirt (make sure not to pin it through to the back!). T-shirt fabric does not need hemming, so it won’t fray after it’s been cut. Should you, however, choose to hem your suit, add a 1-inch seam allowance on all sides of the pattern.
6. Now outline the pattern onto the T-shirt. Once you are finished, cut the shape out of the front of your T-shirt.
7. Remove the bikini from the T-shirt fabric. You’ll notice that your top has very short straps. Cut out two strips at least 6 inches long, from your leftover scraps. Tip: Feel free to use a different stretch or jersey fabric to add color or flavor!
8. Hand-sew each strip onto the short ties of your bikini top so that your straps are long enough to tie in a bow. Trick of the trade: Once the straps are sewn on, tug on them to make them more string-like.
9. We added a lace detail and dyed our bikini top, but feel free to use your creative energies and add your own touch.
(Source: www.ecouterre.com )