Stitching Sunshine: How I Sewed My Dream Swimsuit Set for Brazil

September 5, 2025 Terrance Williams

I knew when I took my vacation to Brazil, I wanted to wear me made outfits the whole trip! I was going to be on some of the most famous beaches! It was going to be hot and fun and exciting, and I wanted my clothes and my wardrobe to match the vibe. I knew I was going to be spending a lot of time at the beach, and so I decided to create a beach set that was fashionable and fun, and my style. I decided to make the set out of this fun, bold, and tropical monstera leaf print from Minerva fabric. I got it in their sports Lycra. What I love about this fabric is that it has great stretch, the colors are bold and vibrant, and it’s the perfect fabric whether you are making activewear or swimwear. I used Vogue Pattern 1897 for the tank top and the swimming briefs and New Look 6737 for the shorts.

Two sewing pattern envelopes, New Look 6737 and Vogue 1897, placed on top of tropical leaf print fabric in green, teal, black, and pink. The New Look pattern shows a woman in a matching jacket, bikini top, and shorts, while the Vogue pattern shows men modeling various swim trunks and shorts. — Vogue sewing pattern 1897 and New Look Pattern 6737 with sports lycra fabric from Minerva fabric

High-waisted bikini bottoms with a tropical leaf print in shades of green, teal, black, and pink, displayed on a wooden surface — Vogue sewing pattern 1897 view C made with sports lycra fabric from Minerva fabric

Sewing with B 790 PRO & Mettler Seraflex Thread

As far as the construction of the garments, I used my BERNINA 790 PRO and Seraflex thread from Mettler. I always use a stretch needle when I work with the sports lycra. The needle and the seraflex thread make sewing seamless. When working with the Seraflex thread, you only need to do a straight stitch! Because the thread is made for knit fabric, and it stretches, you don’t need to do the usual zigzag or lightning bolt stitch. You can just do a straight stitch, and the thread will stretch with your fabric. This is a game-changer for people who usually work with knit fabric. I love that the thread comes in a variety of different colors to match all my sewing projects!

Close-up of a Bernina B 790 Pro sewing machine with two spools of Mettler thread, one white and one green, placed upright on the sewing surface beneath the presser foot. — Two spools of Mettler Seraflex thread, one white and one green

Stitch Information

If you didn’t have Seraflex thread and were using regular thread, the Bernina has features on the machine to help guide you with which stitches and needles you should be using. If you select a stitch and you are not sure what it is or what it does, you can always touch the question mark on the panel next to the display screen, select the stitch you need information about, and another screen will appear giving you information about the stitch.

Close-up of a sewing machine touchscreen showing a menu of stitch options, including straight and zigzag stitches. A hand is using a stylus to press the question mark button on the side panel to access stitch information. — Use a stylus to press the question mark button on the side panel to access stitch information.

Close-up of sewing machine screen displaying stitch information

Creative Consultant

You can also go into the creative consultant, which is the dress form next to the display. You can select it and tell the machine what fabric you are using and what technique you are trying to do, whether its joining seams or a button hole or anything else, and the BERNINA will tell you the thread you should be using, the foot you should have on your machine, adjust the tension and foot pressure and it will select the correct stitch for you to use! It’s encouraged to use the creative consultant when working with new fabrics to get the best results!

Close-up of a Bernina B 790 Pro sewing machine touchscreen. A hand holding a stylus is pressing the dress form icon on the right-side menu, with fabric options such as denim, fur/imitation fur, and tulle and lace visible on the screen — Close-up of the B 790 PRO sewing machine touchscreen from the Creative Consultant

Close-up of a Bernina B 790 Pro sewing machine touchscreen. A hand holding a stylus is pointing to the ‘Lightweight Knit’ option on the fabric selection menu, which also displays choices for woven fabrics, mediumweight knit, heavyweight knit, toweling, leather/vinyl, and other materials. — Close-up of the B 790 PRO sewing machine touchscreen from the Creative Consultant

Close-up of a Bernina B 790 Pro sewing machine touchscreen. A hand is holding a stylus and pointing to the ‘Seam’ option on the menu, which also shows icons for finishing edges, blindstitch hem, buttonhole, zippers, decorative sewing, and appliqués — Close-up of the B 790 PRO sewing machine touchscreen from the Creative Consultant

Close-up of a Bernina B 790 Pro sewing machine screen displaying stitch and function options. The screen shows icons for seam, finishing edges, blindstitch hem, buttonhole, zippers, decorative sewing, and appliqués. The right panel lists settings: stitch 11, needle 70H-SUK, thread polyester 120/2, and presser foot 1D, with green check and red X buttons at the bottom. — Close-up of the B 790 PRO sewing machine screen displaying stitch and function options.

Wearing The Set At Ipanema Beach

Wearing my beach set at Ipanema beach was an incredible experience! The tank top and briefs fit perfectly, making them not only comfortable but also stylish! The fabric’s stretch allowed for total free movement, whether I was swimming in the ocean or walking on the beach. The glossy finish of the fabric caught the sunlight beautifully, making the outfit truly eye-catching. Not only did I feel great wearing my outfit, but I also received so many compliments from other people on the beach. It’s a wonderful feeling to wear something you’ve made yourself, especially when it turns out as well as this did.

Person standing barefoot on a sandy beach at sunset, wearing a tropical green, teal, black, and white leaf-print swimsuit with matching top and bottoms. They are wearing reflective sunglasses and posing with one hand resting by their side. Ocean waves, beachgoers, and distant mountains are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky. — Swim set V1897 view B and C

The combination of Minerva’s Glossy Activewear Lycra, Vogue Pattern 1897, the B 790 PRO, and Seraflex thread made this outfit set a winning combo. The fabric’s quality, the pattern’s design, and the ease and accessibility of the sewing machine worked perfectly to create pieces that are both functional for me and fashionable to match my style. Whether you’re planning a beach vacation or simply want to add some handmade activewear to your wardrobe, I highly recommend giving this set a try!