Swimwear and method of manufacture

Abstract

A swimsuit garment ( 10, 42, 58, 74 ) is constructed of a single piece of knit material characterized by having high stretchability so as to fit a wide range of wearer sizes and yet remaining comfortable. In manufacture, the swimsuit is cut from a material blank and is seamless with the cut edge remaining free from hemming or other finishing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A swimsuit garment, comprising: 
 a one-piece seamless extent of a knit textile material cut from a blank of material into a predetermined geometry including complementary strips for being hand-tied together to aid in securing the garment in place when worn, the cut edge of the garment being a raw edge free of finishing or hemming.    
     
     
         2 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 1 , in which the textile material has sufficient stretchability to enable one constructed size of the garment to comfortably fit an extended range of women's sizes.  
     
     
         3 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 2 , in which the textile material has sufficient stretchability to comfortably fit an individual in the size range extending from women's size 2 through 14.  
     
     
         4 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 2 , in which the textile material is a combination of polyester and spandex (Lycra).  
     
     
         5 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 2 , in which the textile material is selected from the group consisting of polyester, spandex, Lycra, nylon.  
     
     
         6 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 1 , in which the garment includes first and second arm members with respective first and second slits for receiving the arms therethrough.  
     
     
         7 . A swimsuit garment as in  claim 1 , in which the complementary strips are provided for tying securement in the waist region of a wearer.  
     
     
         8 . A swimsuit having a first upper-half garment and a second lower-half garment, comprising: 
 each garment being constructed of a one-piece seamless extent of material cut from a blank of knit material into a predetermined shape for the respective garment including complementary strips for being hand-tied together to secure the said garment in place when worn, the cut edge of the said garment being a raw edge free of hemming or finishing;    said upper-half garment being of generally band-shaped geometry for receipt about the upper part of a wearer's body with first and second complementary pairs of strips integral with respective opposite end portions for mutual tying engagement and a third pair of strips for receipt and tying engagement about the neck of a wearer; and    said lower-half garment including first and second pairs of strips for tying engagement to secure the said lower-half garment about a wearer.    
     
     
         9 . A swimsuit as in  claim 8 , in which the upper-half garment is generally rectangular having a long dimension for receipt about the chest when worn and a lesser width dimension with two spaced apart strips extending from each respective outer edge.  
     
     
         10 . A swimsuit as in  claim 8 , in which the upper-half garment is elongated and oval with a long dimension sufficient to extend about the upper body of a wearer and the oval having a maximum width located substantially at the center of the front of the wearer's body, and said oval narrowing down to provide first and second tying strips at opposite narrow sides of the garment, and further having third and fourth strips integral with an upper edge of the garment for tying about the wearer's neck.  
     
     
         11 . A one-piece women's swimsuit for accommodating sizes 2-14 without adjustment, comprising: 
 a single unitary extent of a textile material selected from the group consisting of polyester, spandex, Lycra, nylon cut from a textile blank into a design configuration with the cut edge being free of finishing or hemming;    said predetermined design configuration including an upper half with a central panel for covering the upper torso region, forward areas of each side of a wearer, and first and second arm members with first and second respective slits therein; a seamless bottom half with a stomach panel, rear panel and crotch panel; and    when the swimsuit is extended out forming a flat unstressed plane it has the following approximate dimensions: 36 inches from a topmost edge to a lowermost edge; the arm slits are each 6 inches long; and the crotch panel width is 2.5 inches.