Making Swimsuit But Substituting Yarn

[B. Chane'l Lee]

Hey, so I am making a swimsuit. The pattern calls for a medium weight yarn 100% cotton. I am using a 5/Bulky yarn that is 72% cotton and 28% nylon. The pattern did not give me any gauge to work with,so I'm curious as to how I would go about making sure it will still fit. The yarn recommends a 8mm hook, but I will be downsizing that considerably in order to get a tighter stitch. Most likely will be using a 4.25mm/G hook instead in order to get the tight stitches that I want. 

[ReniC]

The Craft Yarn Council has a chart including gauge reference. Maybe it will help.

[Real Deal]

Cotton with nylon might work because the nylon is very durable, but I personally would never try making a swimsuit using bulky or any other heavy weight yarn. I'm trying to imagine how wearing a bulky weight bra and panties would feel. Icky I think. Thick and ungainly.

 

Also, if you actually get the swimsuit wet, it will weigh a ton! All that cotton will absorb water, so as you get out of the water, the bottom will probably sag down like wet diapers. Not a pretty sight, but probably very funny, to other people, that is.

[B. Chane'l Lee]

Well all swimsuit patterns say use 100% cotton, some say use a mix of nylon and cotton, so I chose the mixture. But the yarn doesn't have that kind of feel that would make it too heavy. It's not a fuzzy yarn. It's Bernet Maker/Home Dec yarn. So it has a flatter texture to it.

[Granny Square]

A really bad idea--make a hat and cowl set for winter with the yarn instead, and find a better pattern and appropriate yarn for a swimsuit. That sounds sort of gruff, sorry, but I'm just trying to save you time and disapointment.

 

Cotton stretches a lot when worn, even when you don't get it wet.

 

You want a finer gauge yarn for a swim suit, and web then you should line it with fabric for structure as well as modesty. And, there'll so one can go hook wise without it being very hard to work your stitches.