Raspberry Creek Fabrics 2022 Swim Tour

I am thrilled to join the Raspberry Creek’s Suit Up for Summer Blog tour again this year! I love RCF swim fabrics and this year’s new prints really set the vibe for summer. There isn’t a single print I couldn’t use for someone in our house. They’re all perfection!

I have big plans to start making loads of new suits for my family. We recently moved to Florida and the weather is consistently giving us 80* days. We are loving it, but my 3 kids are outgrowing and outwearing their suits very fast. It’s time for a restock!

Before I share my suits, I wanted to brag a bit about RCF swim fabrics. Below is a photo of last year’s suits & rash guards I made for the tour. The second photo is from this week with absolutely no filter or editing! That is a year of water slides, beaches, and washings. (Don’t tell the perfect homemakers, but I also machine-wash and tumble-dry our suits.) Can you even believe this quality!? They look brand new! Those prints are still super vibrant!

Ok, now to the new prints!

For me

If you give me 74 prints, you can bet your last dollar that I will choose the navy blue and white ones every single time. And yes, there really are 74 prints in the new collection! I don’t know what it is, but the combination just calls to me. I love the contrast without it being as stark as black and white. It feels pulled-together and clean to me. Then, throw a palm-leaf design in there, and I didn’t stand a chance against this one. This Navy and White Tropical Leaf print is stunning. It feels upscale and classy to me and the fine details are amazing.

I have always loved the Take the Plunge Swimsuit Pattern by Patterns For Pirates, but never actually “taken the plunge” myself. See what I did there? Lol. Browse through the listing or the P4P Facebook group, and you’ll notice this suit looks fantastic on every single body. The shape is just so flattering. I can say that now after making one for myself, I love it even more. I was shocked at how happy I was with the results. It pulls in just where it needs to for a beautiful silhouette, has full coverage in the rear and keeps everything tucked in up top. I will absolutely make more of these this summer!

Adding to the great shape of this pattern, I used Power Net Lining (also available from RCF) in the belly panel. If you are new to swim or aren’t aware of this miracle fabric, it is amazing. Think DIY Spanx. Power Mesh or its stronger sister, Power Net, can be added in-between your main fabric and your lining for extra support or suck-in “power”. It has much less stretch than your lining and swim fabrics, so you don’t want to use it everywhere. But adding some to hard-to-control areas makes you feel like a super maker!

For Him

I chose the Navy and White Checker print for my son. I love that it coordinates with my suit while still reflecting his own playful style. I also used the solid Kelly Green Swim Knit to add a touch of brightness in the drawstring and binding of his tank top.

For his swimsuit, I used the Lowland Kids Surf Shorts pattern. I am really into a basic, looser fit swim trunk lately and this pattern fit the bill. I prefer the shorter length and wider leg at this age. Since this pattern doesn’t include a liner, I borrowed the briefs from the Lowland Kids Swim Boardies and they fit inside perfectly.

Whenever I sew suits for my kids, they always request the use of RCF’s Sports Mesh for the lining. They say it isn’t itchy or uncomfortable to sit on like other swim liners. It feels high quality and more durable to me as well, so I oblige. I had always wondered how it would work as a lightweight tank top and thought this little outfit would be a perfect time to try it out. I used my favorite tank pattern, the Piper Tank by Misusu, and scooped out a little extra room under the arms for a beachy look. Then, I used swim knit as binding around the arms and neck. This was a little heavy for the white mesh, but I think it looks pretty cute anyway. The tank is super light and airy and will be perfect in the Florida heat.

Thank you!

Thank you so much to Raspberry Creek Fabrics for having me again this year! We are such big fans of RCF swim fabrics and I love sharing how I use them! Thank you to the hosts, Sew Sophie Lynn and Paisley Roots for hosting. This blog tour is so much fun to see every year and a huge learning tool to those who are starting out sewing with swim.