This post contains affiliate links. This does not increase the cost of items to you. For years, the focal point of our formal dining room was a huge bar cart where my husband and I displayed some of our favorite bourbons and whiskeys from our travels and collecting adventures. As we transformed our formal living…
DIY
Headband Storage for a Baby Girl
We’re all about the headbands in this house. Little E still doesn’t have a lot of hair, and since we’ve purchased a lot of neutral clothes in hopes of getting more life out of them if we have a boy in the future, we supplement outfits with headbands. They up the cuteness factor and minimize…
How to Remove Dip Nails or Gel Polish
I’ve mentioned my love for dip nails more than a couple times (read my step-by-step guide to doing your own dip nails at home). They last weeks, and you can save SO much versus going to a salon as the color grows out. As your nails grow, you’ll need to remove the existing dip or…
The Comprehensive DIY Competition Bikini Shopping List
Who’s ready to save a fortune on their competition bikini? This girl! Before you can get started sewing, you’ll need to stock up on supplies. The full list of everything you’ll need and links to where to buy it are listed below. Have a question about anything on the list? Just leave me a comment at…
DIY Dip Powder Nails
I was first introduced to dip powder nails before our honeymoon when I needed something that would last for three weeks of trekking through jungles, on safari, and diving with sharks (because that’s when you really need nail polish, right?). I absolutely fell in love. Beyond the expected nail growth creating a gap between the…
Competition Bikini Fabric Pattern and Color Options
Whether you’ve decided to make your own competition bikini or are purchasing one from a company, it all starts with choosing the right fabric for you. I previously shared why 4 way stretch is so important and 3 rules for choosing a competition fabric. Today, we are building on that advice and showing you specific patterns…
Cutting Out Your Competition Bikini Top
The feedback on our DIY Competition Bikini series continues to amaze and overwhelm me. When I started making my first suit two years ago, I struggled to find anything about how to get it done, so I just kinda made it up. This pet project – to create a resource that enables even an amateur…
3 Tips for Picking the Perfect Competition Suit Fabric
Whether you’ve decided to buy your competition bikini or are going to make your own, picking a fabric can be one of the most fun – and most stressful – parts. I’ve shared before why four way stretch spandex is so important. Still, the 4 way stretch fabric options are endless! Here are 3…
Understanding Competition Bikini Fabric Stretch
I wrote a post back in February about selecting the perfect fabric for your competition bikini – and your feedback was great. Since that post, I’ve received a few emails and messages on Instagram asking why 4 way stretch was important and whether a 2 way stretch could work. So today, we’re talking more about fabric…
Competition Bikini Suit Designs
The most cost effective way to purchase rhinestone crystals for personal use is in 1 gross {12 dozen} increments. This may sound like a lot of stones, but it doesn’t go as far as you’d like.
So what does this mean for the actual design? I’ve replicated some popular suit designs below, sharing what stones I used and where you can buy them from. Please note, these designs are based on an A/B top and small bottoms. You’ll want to increase the number of stones slightly for larger cup and/or bottom sizes. I also over buy by about 25%, just in case stones fall off or I want a different look when I start laying out the stones.
Competition Suit DIY: Ordering Rhinestones
Whether you’ve decided to sew your own suit or buy a simple suit from a reputable competition bikini manufacturer, adding your own rhinestones adds a lot to your stage look and can save you HUNDREDS!
CHOOSING A STONE TYPE
I don’t use true Swarovski crystals for my suit. I know, it sounds crazy, but here’s why: Swarovski uses a precision cutting technique that gives you those gorgeous facets that reflect light. And, that comes with a price. You’ll pay about twice as much for Swarovski stones, compared to Preciosa Viva 12 czech crystals.
If you’re producing these suits for sale with significant markup or using the stones in something that will be viewed up close like jewelry or a wedding dress, of course it makes sense to use the genuine Swarovski crystals. If you’re making the suit for yourself, save 50% and use Preciosa. You’ll never notice the difference on stage, I promise!
Competition Suit DIY: Constructing the Top
If you’ve been following along, we’ve SELECTED OUR FABRIC and put an order in for connectors. Next up, sewing the suit top.
CUTTING THE TRIANGLES
We’re not going to use a pattern today. Instead, we’re going to use a set of Swim Shapers to model our suit around – even if we’re not going to use them as padding on our suit. Alternately, you can use a triangle bikini top that fits well with minimal bunching along the bottom {you want the fabric on your competition suit to be pulled tight when complete}.