Pattern Review | Crosby Swimsuit by Seamwork
My journey over the last few months in trying to find a swimwear pattern to suit my curves and give me enough bust support and coverage without being frumpy has been a bit arduous to say the least (another blog post coming for this).
There aren’t many swimwear patterns out there that ‘really’ cater for curves and I almost gave up hope when I remembered about the Seamwork Crosby. Now I should say, I am a seamwork ambassador, but that doesn’t mean my review isn’t honest. If I didn’t really think what I am writing, I wouldn’t write it!
I feel everything would have been so much easier if I had just landed on this pattern first. The fit is really good for my body and there are some things that are a bit different about it that creates much more support and so I not only feel more confident on the beach because I like my swimwear, but I also feel confidence that I am not going to burst out. haha!
The biggest thing here is the amount of elastic that this pattern uses. Pretty much every seam has elastic sewn into it and this creates such a good feeling when you have it on.
Pattern & Instructions
As you would expect from Seamwork, the size range is great and inclusive. This pattern runs in a 0-26 which is a 30 – 52.5 inch hip. The pattern comes in both misses and curvy – I used the curvy pattern as this is drafted for a D cup and so already had more fabric in the bust area!
In sewing the swimsuit up, the pattern’s instructions were very clear and easy to follow. I did get a bit ‘stuck’ on the internal bra though the first time I sewed it which resulted in me stretching out the keyhole curve of my fabric from unpicking more than once!
I have a sew-a-long in the making for this to help anyone else struggling here – watch this space.
When it comes to sizing, I know that in Seamwork patterns I am generally a 16 in wovens and a 14 in knits. I don’t always need to sew an FBA but I could see with the pattern pieces held up to another bralette pattern piece that I have that it wasn’t going to be enough to keep me decent.
I took the cup piece of that bralette pattern (waves and wild superstar bra – and the G cup piece) and used it to modify the shape of the cup, keeping all connecting edges as they were but adding fullness to the cup. I am sure there is a more ‘proper’ way of doing this, but this worked perfectly for me without too much of a faff.
Other than this I made no other size adjustments to my Crosby Swimsuit and the rest is a straight 14.
There are a couple of things about the Crosby Swimsuit that I think make it a GREAT swimswuit for curves. As I mentioned above, there is a lot of elastic in this pattern. So much so, on my first sew, my wearble toile, I ran out of swim elastic early on in the project and so used normal elastic. So far it’s holding up well, but I know it won’t last.
For my second make (the jellyfish suit) , I was better prepeared and had purchased a long bundle of rubber elastic. I much prefer this type of elastic for swimwear. It is much less bulky than the woven equivalents and it is importantly more sustainable, being made. of a natural and biodegradeable material.
Functional & FLattering..
The Crosby pattern has an internal bra – a must for a lady of my age and cup size! The bra has 2 layers, and creates a sleeve for a foam pad, if you want to add it (I didn’t).
I used power mesh for the layer of the bra that sits in the middle of the suit fabric and the lining and this has been great for a bit of extra support. I totally recommend this if you are of a bustier body.
The Crosby also has a ruching on the torso. Now, not everyone is going to love this, but I do. It creates a more flattering look to my tummy area, which is much bigger than it used to be. By not having fabric stretched right over it, I somehow feel more confident about having this out on show.
Thank you Seamwork!
Seamwork Crosby is a Keeper!
I have often had a big mental battle with my body on the beach and while I can’t say a swimsuit is going to fix this, it goes a long way to getting me over one of the hurdles.
This last month I have made it to the beach, played in the ocean with my kids and relaxed more because I was a bit happier with what I had to wear.
It will come as no surprise that I 100% recommend this pattern for a body like mine. You can find a bit more Seamwork Crosby inspo here
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This looks like a great suit to make. Where do you find the pattern?
Hi Gloria, it is a great pattern that’s for sure! Its available on Seamwork 🙂
I’m thinking of doing the Crosby as a swim top. I see it has a waist seam. Do you think it can work as a top? Thanks for the great review!!
Hi, honestly I’m not sure. It has a shelf bra further up but the ruched style of it might mean that it rides up a bit. Always worth trying these things though but use a cheaper fabric to test!!
Looks like a great fit, i have similar body changes so will try this pattern