JM_Runs,

Are the Brother machines sergers or regular machines? I might could get the wife a serger if they were not 600 bucks.

Thanks,

csnipwb, NO, the new machines that I have for resale are NOT sergers. They are regular modern digital sewing machines.

The basic ones are like this 59 stich machine >> https://youtu.be/GicfQxF9rhk

The video of a Brother 50 stich, but I also have 70 and up to 200. However they are regular sewing machines, not sergers.
Also, there is not that much diffrence between 50 and 200, execpt 
 
I own, and sometimes use my serger, but you really don't need a serger for doing swimsuits. It helps for a few things. I find having one helps, but ONLY on the center seam of a man's thong, and then only when I have it loaded with the right color threads. For larger cloths or women's cloths then one would be useful, for example if one did a women's one piece swimsuit made of 4 or 5 panels, then a serger might be useful, for doing the vertical seams. Although I find modern sewing machines will do an overlock style stich for similar seams. 

If you are starting out do not get a serger. (a) a modern machine with a range of stiches should be able to do everything you need and (b) sergers are really frustrating to thread (c) sergers like straight lines or gradual curves, like the bottom of a T-shirt, not the rather tight curves in swimsuit construction.  Instead do it the same way people have done seams for generations, match the two fabrics, pin one on the other to keep them aligned, sew down the edge with a regular sewing machine, but using the stich pattern that makes sense for the seam type and fabric.

Starting out, spend your $$ on a good modern digital machine.  I will send you a Private Message (PM/DM) about getting a serger for you if you want one. However I suggest not getting one unless you already have a reasonably complement sewing machine first. 

I am having lots of fun altering thongs to fit better, removing and adding new waist bands to g-strings, or just fixing things. I don't make thongs from whole cloth, from scratch. For the time being I have plenty to fix, alter or improve. Often something as simple as shortening the rear strap, or combining the pouch on two thongs that are too transparent into one thong that is double thickness on the front. Although I did one yesterday with plastic snaps rather than sewing them together. I find doing small sewing jobs with a modern good quality digital sewing machine to be cathartic, in that all my attention is on the job at hand. Girlfriend #1 appreciates having her stuff fixed. One of the hems on a pair of work pants, or the strap on a camisole or her favorite swimsuit. Having the machine setup with a draw full of threads means I can just walk over, sit down, and pull something off the pile to be done without much fuss. Better than turning on the TV or fiddling with a fidget spinner. Your millage may very. If you live near me and want a good digital machine I have a source for good discounts on bad box and have a couple in stock.

I actually just started making my own swimsuits. I got tired of loving the front of one and hating the back or vice versa. Sewing in Home Ec back in high school was mandatory and my wife has a sewing machine so I found some similar fabric to ones that I own and tried to copy the ones I liked to make patterns. So far I have made three suits, two of which I could wear to the beach if I really wanted to. My stitching isn't very straight but a good zig zag stitch helps! I just need to try and sew a few more suits and I should have it down.

Get and learn to use one of the modern digital sewing machines. You won't regret it. I REALY am enjoying having a digitally controlled sewing machine with speed control. One that will reliably sew at VERY SLOW speed when doing something precise, or faster when ripping round a waist band. I also LOVE the needle threader. This makes changing threads and changing colors easy as pie. Taking something that does not fit right and fixing it, or sometimes creating a g-string by adding waist band makes me happy. I am cheep: It makes me happy to fix or altering what I have instead of paying the current high prices from good custom suit manufactures like Skinzwear. Many thing I order from low cost sites like Ali-Express are prefect, but others need some alteration in size, or more commonly rear strap. A little time invested and they are better. For many years I kept a "mending pile" with shorts, jeans and thongs that I did not want to throw out but had not got around to fixing. Most were thongs that did not fit right or had some problem. Over the last couple of years they have all been transformed into g-strings or thongs that are now in the active bins. It is easy to turn a rather mundane and ill fitting g-string from China into something unique and eye catching just by adding a brightly colored waist band made of FOE or a salvaged string from a string bikini. Sometimes the g-strings are conversions of the tops from larger women's bikinis. If the right fabric is the right shape and symmetrically cut this is a simple alteration. It helps to have a stock of FOE "fold over elastic" of various colors and widths, along with a box of toggles and slide fasteners. Sometimes I add unique touches of style or humor with iron on patches. Stars, crowns, wings or words like "Remove before flight". These can also be used on each side to expand the waist band of a thong that is a little tight fitting. It simple to make G-strings and suits where the waist band is a different construction than the rest of the suit. I now have so many thongs and g-strings I will probably not wear all of them in this lifetime. Each day I get up and think "What suit will I wear today?" If I am not wearing a thong then I am wearing short shorts. Some are short shorts and others are just classic men's briefs, although frequently modified. Many of these come with WIDE waist bands printed with the brand name. I dislike the wide elastic waist bands and HATE the branding. So without disturbing the stitching along the bottom edge of the elastic where the fabric is attached, I cut off the rest of the elastic. This just leaves a small waist band with a frying top edge. I cover this with 1" wide FOE. Now I have a nice pair of shorts with a narrow SOFT stretchy waist band that fits me better and looks more like shorts and not branded underwear. Girlfriend #1 often asks me to fix the stitching on a gown, dress or something where the stitching is coming unraveled.

I just taught myself how to sew a few months ago. My wife has a cheap $80 machine from Walmart so I decided to give it a go. Recently, I purchased a few different suits from AliExpress, tried them on, and after determining which ones I really liked, I took a seam ripper and tore them apart to copy the pattern. Now I can make the suits I love for a fraction of the price, just like JM said in the previous post. The other really cool thing about knowing how to make your own is that you can take the back style from one and pair it with a front of a different one. I've found too many times I love the front of one suit, but hate the back (or vice versa). Making your own allows you to have the best of both worlds! JM, do you use a serger or just a plain machine?

Most of the time I am just using my sewing machine... But it has various stiches including a blanket edge stitch which is very like a serger edge, without the cutting. However I do have a serger too. This I sometimes use for taking the "nose" out of the front of some thongs that are too floppy or two large in the front. I don't normally do thongs from scratch. Most times at least some of the fabric was a thong, or g-string, or even women's bikini top. Often keeping the front pocket and replacing everything else. Ali Express is a good source for various colors and widths of fold-over-elastic and iron-on addons. You just have to wait a while. However I have not found a good AliExpress seller for thread. That I often order using known brands on ebay.

This video came up on my YouTube feed and thought I would share. The video looks like it gives you some tips on sewing.

Thanks, that is an EXCELLENT video.

If you want to learn more about sewing swimsuits join the facebook group called "Learning to Sew Swimwear with Edgewater Avenue".

If you have the skills, then there’s really no substitute for the fit you can get from sewing your own swimsuits. There was a time a few years ago when I attempted it.

Online pattern seller has a selection of patterns for mens thongs and swimsuits. $15 for the set.

https://www.patternschool.online/product-page/swimwear-collection-part-5-mens

I bought a cheap brother sewing machine last year when it was on sale. I have made 12 g-strings by using other g-strings as patterns. I bought a double fold attachment meant for cover stitch machines and even made a few waist bands by taping the attachment to the top of the machine. I bought 2mm and 3mm elastic cords to use as waistbands and back straps also. I like that I can custom make pouches that fit my body. I wish I had spent a little more and got a machine with front feed dogs that might help the spandex not get caught inside the metal plate. Attaching elastic was another thing learned by trial and error. It is a learning experience. I will try out the swimwear patterns and see if they help.

I’ve been making my own since I was about 12. Back then it was my only choice. But as I got better at it I realized that the only way to get what I was looking for was to make it myself. There’s a learning curve with sewing spandex. It can be a little tricky and very aggravating but once you’ve done it enough you will get it right. I came up with my own patterns. I have them for thongs and gstrings as well as slingshots and other things. All of the things I’m wearing in my pictures are things that I have made myself.

Wow that's talent @thongguy2001. Wish I had that talent.

Agreed, I've attempted making a couple thongs. I think I managed to get one or two to fit okay, but it's tricky working with elastic and stretchy fabrics. I wish I had cover stitch machine.

I once saw a woman wearing just three triangles held together by what looked like sewing thread. From the rear she looked completely nude. Looked homemade to me!

I saw a middle aged lady wearing just a middle string in front last week in Fort Lauderdale. We chatted at the beach shower.

So, a single string on Ft Lauderdale beach! I assume she was wearing a top? That's hot! Was this in the Las Olas intersecting area or up by Sunrise, Bonnet House?

@SoFloStrings Wow. I would have never expected to hear someone seeing a women wearing a frontal single string g-string in public, especially in Fort Lauderdale. The only place I would expect to see that is at a nude beach or possibly at South Beach because I hear it is very lax there. I wonder if the brand of the suit is from the-bikini.com. I have several of the men's tear drop g-strings and I love them. Someday I hope to wear the mesh fabric suits at South Beach.

Yeah, she was visiting from Germany. I dunno what brand. I had to strike up a conversation and she did have a top on. Very small top.

Bonnet House Beach

On Bonnet House Beach, I believe it. I have seen some tiny thongs on ladies from a distance out there and worn my tiniest g-strings out there as well. As long as you have visible side strings, the police and lifeguards aren't going to bother you.

As you said thonglife "As long as you have visible side strings, the police and lifeguards aren't going to bother you." I keep banging this drum, "VISIBLE side straps". A good number of my g-strings have narrow side straps. I tend to wear ones that contrast to my skin color so I don't appear nude. Bright neon strings are colorful and fun. Try to be colorful not creepy.

I have some g-strings that are mesh, so a little too transparent for public spaces. By pairing an orange one over a blue one of the same cut I can double up, which works. I sewed the top two corners on the front and then the top of the inner ones rear strap. Tacked with a few zig-zag stiches to keep them centered on top of each other. Paired together they are no longer transparent. I kept both side straps so now they have double side straps, which sit differently and I think look cute. Thong test run - paddling down the canal to help a friend rescue her sunk kayak. Then hang out at her condo for drinks and attempting to get cats to do tricks for treats.

To the rear of some of my g-strings I have added a metallic shells or starfish.
Like this one >>

As you can see from the URL and the description, "swimsuit connector". Normally they arrive in one ziplock bag.

So it amuses me when the latest order came individually vacuum sealed, then packaged in pairs, with instructions which say:

- Keep away from humid environments
- Do not use in contact with water

- Avoid prolonged contact with sweat: Sweat contains fatty acids, urea, and other substances that can corrode metals. 
- Avoid contact with skin care products or cosmetics.
- Avoid wearing while swimming, bathing, hot springs, etc. 
- If not used for a long time it needs to be wiped clean and stored in seperate space to avoid damaging other items.

Hello everyone. I'm thinking of trying to make some thongs with a sewing machine. Are there any patterns out there that people could send me? My plan is to get some of my favourite Joe Snyder's and make patterns/templates out of them to have a try. What width elastic do people use? I'm looking at my Joe Snyder's and it looks like elastic can't be wider than 8mm (3/8"?). Also what technique can you use to hide the elastic. I watched the YouTube video and it's visible on the inside. The Joe Snyder's look like it's folded under.

Making thongs from scratch is more difficult than just altering existing suits. Most online patterns are rather basic and normally for thongs with more coverage than I like. I don't know of any good online patterns for the sort of thongs I like to wear.

I think it best to develop your own patterns. For this I suggest a "French Curve" for the shape of the front center seam. It is a lot simpler to make g-string type suits than fuller thongs, so start there.

There are a lot of videos on line about how to do elastic rolled into edges. There are various attachments you can use that helpg feed the elastic in as it rolls over the fabric tunnel for you.

You may want to start with using FOE (Fold Over Elastic) for the edges.  Normally about 5/8 of an inch wide and folds over the edge of the fabric.  Look at Youtube videos for instructions on sewing FOE to the edge of your fabric.  I sometimes use FOE for narrow g-string waist bands - folded in half and stitched.   

Join a Facebook group called "Spandex does not scare me". There is a lot of beginner help on Facebook, in that group and similar groups.

Do get a modern digital machine with "speed control slider" and a "needle threader". This will save you hours of frustration. I also like the more fancy machines with thread cut-off.

Thanks jm will have a closer look into that.

The economics of making your own suit doesn't make sense anymore. I've seen what fabrics cost- and a good sewing machine - wow. The Chinese economy and digital shopping platforms have really turned the tables! If you take time to look around on Temu and Aliexpress-- or whatever they're called in your country you will find many many men's and women's suits in many styles available for less than $10 or euros or pounds. Any many times they are $3-4 each. For the same amount as sewing supplies and a used sewing machine you can have over 100 suits!! In the USA and Europe the old guard of suit manufacturers are feeling the competition and going out of business. Now granted comparing a $3 Temu suit to a $60 Tangaland suit isn't fair- but the choices and ability to get multiple suits for the same price will continue to make thongs more popular on beaches around the world!

Valid points @sailor250. Doing this isn't for the economics for me.

Agreed. Making from scratch is not cost effective. Most of my sewing is on thongs and g-strings I have and wish to fix up. Some that don't fit just right. Some where I take out some of the depth of the front pocket. Some I change the waist band. I often decorate with an iron-on patch, then sew round the edge to keep it on because the glue gets soft in very hot sun. Everything from lightning bolts to embordered stars. Quite a few are V backed Chinese thongs that have a bar across between the V and two small side straps joining the front to back. I remove the bar joining the V on the back to make the rear sit better and then replace the side sections with more interesting items, like the 'Remove Before Flight' fabric key fobs. These are probably the only ones I have bought with the intention of altering them. I have been sorting out a bag of thongs for taking back to Spain. Last night I shortened an old 'Tanlines' brand g-string that was a little long from front to back, causing it to gap on the front sides. By taking out about 2" from the bottom of the crotch it moved the front about 1" lower and cured the side gap problem. This morning swapping out another g-string's red elastic waist band that had faded to pink, changed to a slightly thicker red-knit elastic that looks a lot better with the blue and white print.