Monday, May 7, 2012

Make a PERFECT Monokini with a Bikini!

As a woman I know how hard it is to find that perfect bathing suit when summer finally hits. It is such a rough process trying on swimwear. It gets even harder as we get older. I can never find the right color, size, support, quality or even the right coverage! I'm amazed at how tiny some swimsuits really are...As a mom, my choice in swimwear has changed dramatically. I actually
need a bit more coverage and support from my swimwear now. When it comes to hitting the beach with the little ones it helps big time. God knows, I don't need anything popping out while running after them...I love my two piece bikinis and I love my monokinis BUT most monokinis (one pieces with sexy cutouts on the sides) don't have the support and coverage we look for sometimes! Here is a way you can solve this very frustrating issue.

Things you will need:
  1. Bikini top and bottom of choice. They should fit well and comfy.
  2. Second halter bikini top in same or different color.
  3. Scissor & pins.
  4. Needle & thread or sewing machine.

Find your favorite two piece that fits you very well.
Find a second bikini top, preferably a halter top design. This shape allows for a great monokini design. It can be the same or different color. Cut in half.
As you can see below, the strap of the halter is perfectly hemmed and ready to attach to your bikini!
Already taking shape.
Since this bikini top is a string, triangle top, I have room to shift the pieces apart to in order to attach my halter belly piece. This method can work with almost any bikini top however.
It is very important that you try on your two piece bikini THEN pin the halter belly piece while you have it on. Pinning the belly piece on assures that it covers where you want covered. It also helps you adjust the length and tightness of the fit. Make sure you don't poke yourself with those pins! As you can see my halter piece is still gathered because I kept the band underneath. Cut the band off so that your piece will lay flat when pinning. That would be more accurate of course. I figured this out the hard way but I just quickly wanted to show you the options that you have with this and how much or little you can cover.
Tuck away more fabric for a sexier, less covered look. Pin and carefully remove. Hand sew or machine sew. Sorry for the bathroom shots...
Below, I used Photoshop to show you how you can use fabric paint to unite all three pieces. The possibilities are endless. Use old jewelry pieces to embellish the sides or the middle bust area. Have fun with it and be creative!

This works well for new moms that are looking to custom cover stretchmarks that are not usually covered with store bought swimwear. Buy larger halter tops to cover larger areas of the belly etc.
Enjoy!
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13 comments:

  1. very cool, i made one of this but from scratch and this one looks way easier thanx for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Hope you try to make it this way and show us your creations.

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  2. AnonymousMay 09, 2012

    OMG I seriously can not tell you how happy I am that I found this tutorial. I had a baby recently and I have some stretch marks on my tummy. I've been wanting to rock on monokini but usually the cut outs are too deep and show my stretch marks. I'm so excited to try this out, I'm thinking about adding a pop of color with that middle piece, thanks so much for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. So glad to hear! It works very well for new moms that want to hide stretchmarks. Let me know if you have any questions...

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  3. Thanks so much for this. Im going to use this idea on my carnival costume to make it more modest.

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  4. I thought I came up with an original idea! :) I actually have a huge scar from colon cancer all the way down the middle of my stomach. I bought a few of the monokini's but they never fit just right.. I am very long waisted. So one day while looking at monokinis online it hit me that I could take a bikini and make it into a monokini by adding another swimsuit piece in the same or similar pattern. What I came up with was taking an extra bottom and using that material because I need a little more coverage in the middle :) You can buy a small bottom for less coverage etc. It just give you a little more material to work with. I love the idea of adding accents to the swimsuit! Also, I bought a bunch of mix and match bikinis at the end of summer last year. So I have a bag full to work with… I need to get started asap since summer is almost here. I made only one last year. I also like to use one of the monokinis I bought that fits well to help in laying it all out. Thank you for sharing your ideas! It is so helpful! :) We are definitely on the same page! :)

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  5. AnonymousMay 18, 2013

    How would you go about this with a tankini?

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  6. AnonymousMay 29, 2013

    This is too cool! Exactly what I was looking for when I googled design your own monokini! Thanks!

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  7. Do you think it would work with shorts? I like to run and play in the beach with my kids, so I usually buy shortinis, (they are more comfortable than a bikini) but the designs are so ugly and not sexy at all I like this design but I wonder if it would work.

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  8. absolutely love this! I am a mom of 5 and fitness coach. so I have a 6 pack but small stretch marks just below my belly button and a decent scar above it from surgery (staples). i was so frustrated because I wanted coverage, no bikini for this momma but 1 pieces are terribly unattractive on me. ugh!! many of the Monokinis actually had so much front coverage they just looked like a 1 piece!! using a halter top-- this is genious!!! thank you so much for sharing! taking my kids to the lake next weekend and I now might actuall wear a swim suit!!!

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