Seamus trunks

Pattern: Ottobre 3/2009 Seamus Swim Trunks #40

Fabric:  Blue & white striped lycra with burnt orange trim plus white swim lining

Fabric Price: ~$6.00
Size: 92 cm

Child's Age: 2 1/2

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Here is #3, the youngest.  We'll call him "Chuck" or "Chucky" because he looks like a "Chuck" but of course that's not his name at all.  He has a very traditional and sophisticated name, that his slow-to-speak-for-his-age little self likes to pronounce with a very strong English accent. 

It was the Fourth of July and the first time wearing these I think.  I hadn't had a chance to take any pictures of the trunks for the purpose of the blog. Plus, he's a terrible model: makes awful scrunched up faces at the camera, is constantly moving, and usually runs off before long.  So, I figured I might as well attempt some photos here, at Abuelo's house playing in the inflatable pool.

This is the second item I've made from Ottobre.  The retro styling of these trunks makes for kind of an unusual construction.  There are three distinct pieces, four total.  The main piece is the top front, sides and back.  The ends are sewn up to make the center back.  There's a lower, center front piece that goes in the inside of the piping and two side panels also enclosed in the piping.

Inside waist showing lining

This is the side view before turning the bottom edge to hem.
I can't believe I managed to match the stripes for the most part.  Or, at all!

The swimsuit fabric selection at JoAnn and Hancock is pathetically dismal.  As I did not need for him to be seen from outer space, I decided to forgo their solid and blindly bright selections.  I came across this blue and white striped fabric at the quilting fabric store.  The burnt orange, I found later at Hancock, but it is not true swimsuit fabric, it is just a shiny, stretchy lycra.  Now, I wouldn't recommend stripes on a swimsuit where you have to match the stripes.  It was not my intention to challenge myself in this manner.  It was simply all there was to pick from.  But paired up with the contrasting orange, I really liked the even more retro-y effect of the stripes.  This swimsuit has an elastic at the waist but also calls for a drawstring.  I don't know where to find elastic grosgrain ribbon, and the mere thought of it gives me a headache, so I haven't put that in yet. Though, I did make the buttonhole opening for it.  I do think it would make it look cuter.

I lined it because the stripe fabric wasn't very thick.  It may not be true swimsuit material either for all I know.  And, because this style of swim trunk probably needs some lining.  I made it the smallest size.  I wasn't sure if it would suit my 4 y.o. or Chucky better.  My 4 y.o. (I forgot what name I made up for him) is pretty skinny.  Chuck is smaller but actually girth-ier.  The trunks fit the 4 y.o. but were a bit lose at the legs.  However, they were not very flattering in the front area without some kind of additional support.  On Chucky, since he still has to wear a swim diaper, they looked great.  The piping wasn't as hard to put on as I thought it might be.  I serged all the seams and used a double needle to topstitch the waistband and hem the legs.  Wow, I actually followed the instructions to a T.  I even installed the elastic (almost) like they said I should. 

What is happening to me?  It's like I'm being all professorial, matching stripes, lining stuff, finished edges ... with a serger, double needle topstitching, FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS!  I don't even recognize myself anymore.

Very cute trunks, good fit.  Chucky was very excited to be the recipient of something made especially for him this time.  I'm not sure how these would look on older boys though.  They probably need more lining.