Kaya rash guard by Sinclair Patterns : pattern review
I have ridiculously pale white skin, so to avoid using tons of sunscreen, I always wear a rash guard when swimming in daytime (basically a fitted swim tee). It’s much better for my skin and saves others the blinding glare from my skin!
My last rash guard is so old and well-loved that it’s stretched just about to my knees, so when Sinclair Patterns announced the Kaya rash guard and one piece set, I jumped at the chance to pattern-test.
Disclosure: I was a pattern tester for this pattern. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase after clicking these links, Threadistry may receive a small commission, at no cost to you.
The Kaya rash guard is fitted without being super-tight and clingy. The princess seams give a great opportunity to refine the fit and do some colour-blocking (along with the raglan sleeve). It is also fitted without being tight under the arms.
As with all Sinclair Patterns, I love that they come with tall, regular and petite options, because the tall patterns fit me so well. Adjusting for height isn’t that big a deal, but it’s so nice when I don’t have to!
I used a ribbed swim knit for the sleeves and side panels (the solid colours) and swim knit for the centre piece. All fabrics were from Sew Unique Fabrics in Australia.
The pattern is straight-forward to sew. There are multiple notches to line up for the princess seams, making them relatively easy to sew (since matching inner and outer curves can be a challenge!).
The pattern difficulty is 3-4/10, which seems right to me – you need to be comfortable sewing curves and knit fabrics. The zipper adds a little more difficulty. Overall it would be suitable for a confident beginner/intermediate sewist.
Kaya comes with lots of variations:
- Multiple sleeve options, from long to cap (and a little flounce sleeve too!).
- Zipper at the front or straight tee
- Two neckline options – high or scoop
- One-piece swimsuit
- Basic bikini swim bottoms are also included in the pattern (with three different rise options)
I love the idea of sewing up the one-piece swimsuit version (as I can never buy well-fitting one-piece swimmers). But I really don’t like going to the bathroom in one-piece swimmers, so I probably won’t get around to making them!
| Size | Size 6 at the bust, blended to 8 at the waist/hips, Tall, regular bust |
| Version | Short sleeve top, no zipper, lower scoop neckline |
| Fabric | Ribbed swim knit and swim knit from Sew Unique Fabrics |
| Pattern modifications | None other than size blending |