Songbird Tank Top Hack: Swimsuit Top

Once you’ve made a Songbird top or two (to become proficient in the construction and be 100% confident in the fit!), why not hack this pattern into swimwear? That’s what Meg did! Take a look at this fabulous swim top. 

The Songbird Tank Top already has a built-in shelf bra, so the internal support is already there. Lots of people prefer a little extra coverage with a foam bra cup, and that’s an easy addition! Use swim lining or power mesh for your shelf bra pieces, and source (or make!) your preferred bra cup shape.

Some cups are shaped like an upside-down U, and are meant to be sewn with the flat end towards the bottom of the shelf bra. Some have more of a teardrop shape and can be placed with the point of the teardrop facing up. The important distinction is that the material will withstand whatever water you’ll be swimming in. Chlorinated pools, saltwater pools, and seawater are pretty hard on fabrics, so a swimsuit-specific material is important. 

You might choose to size down from your usual Songbird size for a closer fit – fabrics can relax when wet, and we want our swimwear to be secure! (I, Judith, chose to stick with my usual size for my swim top but trim down the side seams of the main and shelf bra pieces by 3/16” (5 mm) after cutting out my pieces.) Meg sized down one size.

To join the cup to the shelf bra, mark the location of the elastic’s top edge (2” (5 cm) above the cut edge at the bottom) on the wrong side of the Shelf Bra Front. With the Shelf Bra Front on a flat work surface, place the cups on the fabric’s wrong side. This is the side that will end up facing the wrong side of the Main fabric, and the texture of the cup might show through the main fabric, so the cups’ edges need to be smoothest on this side. In the photos, you can see teardrop shaped cups being used. The point is the top of the cup, and it’s placed pointing up towards the shoulder. The bottom of the cup is ¼” to ⅜” (6-9 mm) above the elastic’s top edge marking. If you drew an invisible line through the center of the shoulder strap, it would travel at an angle as you go towards the hem edge. With the cup’s bottom edge just above the elastic’s top edge, the apex should line up with the invisible shoulder strap line.

Pin the cups in place, making sure they are evenly spaced from the center front. The cup will stand away from the fabric. This is okay! The cup doesn’t stretch nearly as much as the fabric does, or even at all for most foam cups, so the main fabric will stretch over top and it will even out.

Using a zig-zag stitch (setting 3.0 mm wide and 3.0 mm long), secure the cups to the Shelf Bra right at the edge of the cup so the stitches straddle the foam’s edge. Work slowly and make sure the fabric and the cup stay smooth. Double check the cup’s position and the stitches’ smoothness before proceeding.

On the right side of the Shelf Bra fabric (the side that will be against your body) trim away the excess fabric inside the cup, about ⅛” (3 mm) from the edge of the stitches. This edge is nice and soft, and there’s no need to finish it further.

As you continue on with the instructions, remember that the side where you cut away the excess fabric is the RIGHT SIDE, and will go against your skin.

For Meg’s bikini top, she cut both layers as the length of the shelf bra, and added elastic, turning both layers toward the wrong side. If you want a tankini, make sure to cut the outer layer the correct length, either cropped or hip-length, whatever you prefer, transferring any adjustments you may have made to your initial tank top.

Meg also opted to omit step 4g, sewing the small angled seam on the center front of the binding. This gives the top a round neck finish as opposed to a more v-neck shape. (And can be an easier option if your swim fabric is persnickety!)

You may choose to modify the binding method and add some elastic to your strap. Swim fabric can be super slippery, and it’s also more susceptible to being damaged by pressing, so switching up the binding method allows you to skip pressing. I like to use the regular width of the binding, then trim it back after topstitching. Using sewing clips instead of pins is also helpful if your pins might snag your fabric. 

When you get to step 4 of the Top sewing steps, follow the steps as instructed with these changes: 

Sew the Binding with the right side against the Right side of the TOP (not the shelf bra, like step 4 instructs) stretching gently as instructed.

Wrap the binding around the seam allowances to the BACK, and pin or clip. (You don’t need to turn the raw edge under, so it will extend much beyond where it does when you sew the top in regular fabrics.)

Topstitch with a zig zag (2.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm long) from the right side, right along the inner folded edge, securing the binding around the raw edge.

Trim the excess binding fabric almost up to the top stitching.

You can choose to keep the strap length as written, and fold the strap in the modified way as you topstitch the armscye binding. This strap method provides softer support, and keeps the hardware on the back only.

Another option is to use a ring on the front of the strap as on the back, and create a strap with elastic inside for a little bit of extra support. Use ½” swim elastic for this option. 

Rather than sewing the whole strap as you finish the armscye binding, stop sewing 2” after the end, just like you did on the back. Leave the 2” “tail” on the front and back shoulder ends. The remaining fabric will be used to create the Straps. 

To create the strap with elastic, place your swim elastic on the wrong side of the Strap. Zig zag the edge of the elastic to the outer long edge of the Strap fabric, stretching if needed as you go.

Flip the elastic over, then flip it over again, so the fabric wraps around the elastic three times.

Then zig zag (2.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm long) along the center of the strap’s length to secure the layers. This can be shifty, so work carefully!

Trim back the excess width to the edge of the stitching. The smooth side is the right side of the strap, and the side with the trimmed edge is the wrong side.

With the straps complete, you can follow the same process of attaching the rings and attaching the straps. This time, though, attach the rings to the body first, and attach the straps to the back rings. Then try on the top, threading the strap through the ring and adjusting from the front. It’s a bit easier! Secure the straps to the length you like at the front. Try on the top one more time before trimming the ends.

If you chose a tankini style instead of a bikini style, you can add elastic to the bra and hem following the Songbird Tank Top instructions. We hope you try this tutorial and have fun sewing swimwear!

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  1. OMG, this is so great. I want to make this pattern into knit cami with support, so this is perfect. Any suggestions for sources/brands of bra cups? I haven’t a clue. Thanks!

    1. I found the ones in the photos at Wawak! They’re standing up really well to pool season so far! They have several different kinds and I didn’t save the label (oops!) but their customer service team is really responsive, so if you’re unsure what is best for you, I’d ask! You can also try lingerie specialty shops like Emerald Erin. If I remember correctly, Cloth Habit has “where to shop for bra making supplies” blog post with piles of links, too.
      Happy sewing!

  2. Thank you for this great Songbird Tank Top hack. I was looking for this style of swimsuit since a long time. Might you share a pattern recommentation for the swimsuit pants shown in the pictures in the blog? Thanks