Bikini Facelift: Ruffle Top

I’m not much of a ruffle gal, until it comes to bikinis. They add a layer of coverage and make me feel like Barbarella. Or a pirate. So, after digging around the bikini bin and finding some fabric at home I could repurpose, I ventured into the somewhat frilly side of swimwear, for a ruffle bikini top bikini facelift. So far, pretty happy with the results.

DIY Ruffle Bikini top.

Tools: Scissors, needle & thread, bikini top, enough fabric to make 2 ruffles

Step 1: Cut off fabric from an old tee shirt, rash guard, or any type of material you have that would look good for the top. I used a maxi skirt that needed hemming anyways. If you have some stretchy lace, that could be sweet too. Cut it the width you want the ruffle. I’d say go thicker than you can go back and trim after you’re done.

Step 2. Cut 2 strips for the ruffles. these should be almost twice as long as the side of the bikini tip you will be attaching it to. Cut more that you think you’ll need, just to be safe.

Step 3. Using a needle and thread, do a simple straight stitch along one side of the fabric. Pull and gather the loose thread at the end until you have the desired Rufflefication. Wiki How explains this well.

Step 4. Secure the ruffle along the desired side of the bikini top where you’ll be fastening it with a few straight pins. *Note, in my demo, I used my same top new tie technique, so I fastened it according to how it would be tied when finished.

Step 5. Grab a needle & thread and using a whip stitch, attach the ruffle to the bikini top from one side to the other.

Step 6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the other side.

Step 7: When the top is on, I tuck the outside into the top for a more polished look if desired. Now is also a good time to trim if needed.

Step 8: Realize rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruffles rrrrrrrrrrrrrule. On bikinis.

Ola Feroz Swimwear. Handmade bikini love.

When Jessica Garcia wanted a bikini line that she could do anything and everything in, while still looking amazingly hot, she took matters into her own hands. Literally.

Meet Ola Feroz, Jessica’s line of mix & match, unique, high-quality, flattering, fierce bikinis that, you guessed it, she makes by hand.

After visiting Venezuela every summer, where a local seamstress would hand make her a custom bikini, Jessica took Phi Beta Kappa-esque notes, learned to sew her own bikinis, and put her bikini addiction to work. Wherever that inspiring seamstress might be today, might we all thank you, because this line rocks.

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Bikini Facelift: Stay put double tie sides

A typical side-tie bikini bottom is super cute & flirty, but there is one pitfall. If the bottoms are a wee bit loose or stretched out, those suckers fall off even if the wind seems to hit you in a weird way. But never fear, with some scissors and novice needle work, you can turn them into a secure double tie that feels like it is locked in place and looks rather saucy (if I might say so myself). So, grab that old pair out of your drawer and let those lovely bottoms live to see another day.

All you need is: A needle & some extremely sturdy thread that you can’t pull or break - I like dental floss, (The stronger the thread, the less important your sewing abilities are.) scissors, and about 20 minutes.

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Bikini Facelift: Fringe Bikini Top

Fringe isn’t just for moccasins, handbags, and bangs anymore folks. It’s made its way into the genre of the bikini top. Trendsetting brands like Tyler Rose, L* Space, Acacia and Thayer have all adorned tops with bold or subtle fringed trim that makes you want to shimmy and shake a little bit more than usual. Bonus: it’s really flattering to your bust line, and channels your inner Shakira or Tina Turner at the same time. So, I took an old bikini top, and with a little bit of thread and the aid of a tee shirt, was able to spice things up a bit.

How to take a simple bikini top from blah to fringe-tastic.

Tools: Bikini top, tee shirt you don’t mind cutting off 6” or so from the bottom, scissors, needle, thread

1. Find a tee shirt you deem worth of being your bikini top’s fringe trim. (I used one that matched the color with a fun feather screen print)

2. Using your scissors, cut about 6” off from the bottom of your tee shirt (bonus if you have a tee you want to crop).

3. Cut that 6” tube in half, then in half again, resulting in two strips of fabric.

4. Flip your bikini top inside out, and pin the fringed tee shirt hem (the part where you stopped cutting each strip) in place on the inside of the bikini top where you want the fringe trim to be.

5. Using a threaded and knotted needle, attach the fringed using a whip stitch. (basically loop the needle and thread in and around as you work along the bikini top.)

6. When you’ve covered the edge of the top you want to have fringed trim, knot and tie off the thread, and cut off any extra thread or t-shirt fringe.

7. Repeat for the other side.

8. Remove pins, flip the top right side out, try it on, and feel free to trim if any strips are too long.

9. Shake, shimmy, and pretend to salsa dance.