During testing we had a lot of ladies used swim knit as a swim top for their littles! I think the design looked like a great swim top!

So, I thought I would share the very simple mods I did to use the Heart Breaker Cami as a swim top for my Baby Girl!  I recommend adding swim elastic around all the edges.  This helps the suit stay put when wet. I used 3/8″ swim elastic so I didn’t have to change any measurements to the binding 🙂

*I know a lot of ladies will be asking if they can skip the elastic.  Technically yes, you can sew it with just swim knit and it will stand up to the water.  BUT, the elastic will make it a “real swim suit”.  What does that mean exactly?  The swim elastic is made to hold up to the water and chlorine and doesn’t stretch out when wet.  The swim fabric does  stretch out and get heavier when wet.  For me personally, if I’m going to give the time to sew up a swim suit, I want it to be a nice, stay put, last all summer one! So, I absolutely take the time to put in the elastic 🙂 I don’t want it to grow and fall down on her while we’re swimming or constantly be slipping off her shoulders if I skip it.

Follow the tutorial for the first step of attaching binding.  Then serge or stitch your swim elastic along the opposite edge of binding that has not been attached yet.  You want the edge of the swim elastic to be even along the edge of the binding. For the front curved neckline you will want to put slight tension on the elastic as you’re attaching, you don’t need to stretch much- just a touch- so that it hugs to your little one’s body.

Finish the binding exactly per the tutorial.  Repeat these steps for the rest of the binding- putting a small amount of tension on the elastic only around the curved areas (under arms).  For the shoulder straps and X back binding pieces you do not need to stretch the elastic at all- use a 1:1 ratio.

I also added some swim elastic into the bottom hem to keep it from riding up.  For the cropped version I slipped elastic into the band there at the bottom.

And now she’s ready for the summer!  I can’t wait to see her in it (especially since I found these perfect accessories to go with it!)