Swimsuit Toile

I've been looking forward to trying my hand at making a swimsuit for myself.  The first step was making a swimsuit for Ellie.  Good practice with working with the fabric and also the clear elastic tape.  Also, I have finally made friends with my serger/overlocker.  (The secret?  Good thread.  And Good Needles.)

I will blog Ellie's swimsuit soon.  But first, I wanted to show off my swimsuit toile!

The fabric is a crazy cotton knit from the 'free' pile.  It actually wouldn't make a bad swimsuit pattern.  Hides all the flaws!
Anyway, the instructions suggested making a toile, and I'm really glad I did.  I rarely take the time to do something like that, but since the instructions have NO pictures, and it's something I've never done before, the time was well worth it.
So what did I learn?  Well, I actually made the top too big.  So I will cut smaller seam allowances and be sure to sew them correctly.  It's actually important for your swimsuit to be tight - it will stretch when wet.  I also will be making the waist on the bottoms higher.  After four kids, this is important.
I didn't line the toile, but I know how to deal with that.  The biggest thing will be figuring out how to put the 'cups' in.
I've got everything cut out, and am ready to get started!