When it comes to having fun in the sun each summer, there’s nothing our family loves to do more than spend time on the beach. The oldest members of our family love lounging in the sun and playing ball or reading, while the youngest ones love digging in the sand and building castles. Of course, everyone loves splashing in the water no matter their age and that means we all need bathing suits. That’s why we’ve been looking up different patterns and styles for making our kids DIY bathing suits from scratch!
Just in case the idea of sewing or altering adorable bathing suits for your little ones interests you as much as it did us, if not more, here are 14 cute patterns that will get you inspired and guide you through the steps along the way.
1. DIY diaper accessible toddler suit
Is the littlest member of your family feeling completely beach ready and raring to go but they’re still young enough that potty training hasn’t finished yet, so you’ve been thinking about how to navigate diapers and changing on the beach while still getting them into a bathing suit that they’ll be comfortable splashing in? Then we think we might have found just the tutorial for you! Check out how Meg-Made created a super convenient diaper accessible baby and toddler bathing suit that’s surprisingly simple to make.
2. Vintage inspired halter kids one-piece
Is your child a little fashionista who actually just didn’t really like any of the cutesie, modern looking bathing suits you found in stores on your last shopping trip? Then perhaps they’d prefer a slightly more vintage inspired suit style that looks like something they might have seen the original old fashioned Barbie wear! Elsie Marley guides you step by step through the process of making a simple one-piece suit that makes great use of striped fabric both vertically and horizontally.
3. Printed girls one-piece with matching hairband
Perhaps your kids are the kind of active children who are much more concerned with fun patterns rather than style or fit when it comes to what they’re wearing, so you’d like to keep the cut of their suit simple but still fun? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how Mood Fabrics made a very simple leotard style one piece in some fun graphic fabric! The best part of this tutorial might be the cute matching hairband that they show you how to make as well. Suddenly your super simple bathing suit is a little matching set outfit!
4. Cross back bathing suit with a neckline ruffle
Are you actually feeling quite confident in your sewing skills and you feel like you could handle a little bit more detail than the plain leotard bathing suit that we showed you above gave you? Then perhaps you’d prefer making something like this criss-cross strapped bathing suit with an adorable ruffle at the neckline! Pretty Prudent shows you precisely how each element of this suit is done, making it quite accessible even for beginner sewing enthusiasts.
5. High waisted and ruffly kids two piece
If you’re going to go to all the trouble of making your child a custom bathing suit from scratch, would you rather make them one that’s completely adorable and definitely won’t be found in the average store in your neighbourhood? Then we have a feeling you’ll find this lovely ruffled two piece with high waisted frilly bottoms and a ver sweet little collar a little more to your tastes! Check out how Julia Faye Davison made this cute dual-coloured version for their own little diva.
6. Easy tied waist boys swim shorts
Perhaps you’re actually just looking to try your hand at making a pair of simple boy’s swim shorts but you just couldn’t find a colour or pattern that really appealed to your child in stores? Then you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for in this simple, clear tutorial outlined on Colours For Baby! Don’t feel intimidated by that elastic band waist; they’ve got a nice, clear, concise guide to help you through it.
7. Ruffle bust halter one piece
Are you still thinking about how adorable you found the cute ruffled ideas we showed you earlier on our list but you find that one style doesn’t have quite enough ruffle and the other actually has a little bit too much? Well, lucky for all of us, The Girl Inspired is here with a tutorial that will teach you how to create something that falls right in the middle or those two styles but still gives you some ruffle! Check out their tutorial to see how this adorable mid-bust ruffled one-piece was made.
8. Tips and tricks for sewing with bathing suit fabric
Are you the kind of DIY enthusiast who is quite confident in your sewing skills over all but you’ve actually never sewn with bathing suit fabric and you’re a little worried about how it’ll behave in your sewing machine, since the texture is so different? Well, we felt the same way when we first tried making our kids’ bathing suits, which is why we were so pleased to stumble upon this helpful resource featured on Cucicucicoo, which is full of helpful tips and tricks for using that specific type of stretch fabric in particular.
9. DIY towel cloth swimsuit cover
Have you actually already made your kids some awesome, totally useful DIY bathing suits and been quite pleased with yourself, so now you’re looking for a tutorial that will help you sew them coverups to keep them warm and dry after a good beach swim as well? Then we’d absolutely suggest taking a look at this cute guide from Two Bobbins Later that will help you make a terrycloth jacket! You could even make this from upcycled towels, using supplies you already have access to rather than buying new stuff.
10. Tank top style swimsuit using an old suit as a guide
Does your child actually already have a favourite style of simple bathing suit that they wear all the time, but you’ve started to notice that it’s begun to lose some of its elastic? Maybe the material is thinning out a little from so much wear and you’re worried that it’ll be see-through soon. Well, it definitely sounds like the suit is due for replacement, but that doesn’t mean you should throw it out just yet! No Big Dill shows you how you can actually use an old bathing suit as a guide to make a brand new one.
11. T-shirt style leotard that also works as a swimsuit
Okay, we know that this tutorial from Craftsy is technically for a dance leotard like the ones your child might use for ballet or gymnastics class, but we actually think that this would make a fantastic bathing suit for little ones whose shoulders are prone to sunburning, even when you slather them in sun screen! As long as it’s made in the right fabric so it’ll withstand the water at the beach, this pattern will absolutely work for you style-wise.
12. Ruffled neckline two piece tankini
Are you actually still thinking about that simple ruffled neckline suit we showed you originally but you know your kids prefer two-piece swimsuits because they don’t like having to pull their entire suit off from the top if they have to use the washroom throughout the day? In that case, we have a feeling you might all prefer this two-piece version of the same idea instead! Check out how Zaaberry made just a few alterations to the design you saw before in order to create bottoms and a tank top.
13. Basic baby swimsuit tutorial
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to find a bathing suit pattern that will work for a child even smaller than the little toddler we showed you earlier on because you’re convinced that making a DIY bathing suit for your baby is the best plan for you? Honestly, we love that idea, which is why we were happy to find and be able to include this lovely little suit pattern from Delia Creates! The smaller the child, the smaller the suit, the quicker the project.
14. Simple DIY lined swim trunks
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about DIY swim trunks because you’d love to make some beach shorts for your sons but you’d prefer to make them lined for maximum comfort? Then we’ve definitely found the perfect tutorial for you! Check out how Made Everyday not only made their shorts from scratch but also added a simple lining on the inside, just like in the professionally made shorts you’d buy in stores.
