There is something gloriously confident about a handmade swimsuit, and a crochet one piece swimsuit is the most flattering place to start. Unlike a two-piece, a one-piece gives you one smooth line from shoulder to hip, and crochet gives you texture, lace and colour that no shop-bought swimsuit can match. Whether you love a sporty monokini, a vintage bathing suit or a Brazilian maiô — maiô is simply the Portuguese word for a one-piece swimsuit — this collection has a free pattern for you.
So here are twenty genuinely free one-piece swimsuit patterns, every one verified as free and every one framed by its own designer as a single-garment swimsuit. I have noted the yarn, the sizing and the honest little details for each one as we go, and I have labelled the video tutorials clearly so you know exactly what you are clicking. And because these are beach pieces, I picture every single one styled the way I would actually wear it: with a sheer cover-up, a sarong or a loose beach shirt layered over or around it. Choose your favourite, pick a yarn that can handle the water, and let's make your beach wardrobe by hand.
1. The Plunging Monokini With a Bare Back
We are starting with a showstopper: the Collette Monokini from Shaz at The Knotty Lace, a one-piece with a low plunging neckline, a bare back and a high-waisted bottom, worked seamlessly from the front bottom right up to the back in half double crochet only. The full pattern is free on her blog in five parts, in a remarkable nine sizes from XS all the way to 5XL, in DK-weight cotton-blend yarn with a tiny 2.25 mm hook for a firm, supportive fabric. That small hook is the secret here — it keeps the plunging front structured instead of saggy, which matters enormously in swimwear. I picture it under an open linen beach shirt, the shirt slipping off one shoulder as you walk to the water. If you want one swimsuit that feels both daring and properly made, start here.
Pattern: Collette Monokini by Shaz at The Knotty Lace — Get the free pattern
2. The Pineapple Monokini, With an Honest Warning
The Pineapple Monokini from Snugs Montreal is made all in one piece with no seams at all, a halter top that ties at the rib cage and a pineapple lace motif that gives it its name. The full row-by-row pattern is free on the designer's blog in a one-size-fits-most fit, worked in cotton yarn with a C hook, and the designer is refreshingly honest about it: she calls it an untested pattern, made only once for herself, and she says plainly that it is totally not for water, just for looking hot, because cotton absorbs so much water. She suggests thin nylon thread or elastic cord if you actually plan to swim, though she has not tried that herself. So treat this one as a poolside and photoshoot beauty — worn over a sarong at a beach party, it will turn heads — and choose a different pattern on this list for actual laps.
Pattern: Pineapple Monokini by Snugs Montreal — Get the free pattern
3. The Pineapple Lace Panel That Joins Top to Bottom
Jane Green at Beautiful Crochet Stuff gives us a one-piece where a pineapple lace panel is the hero: it connects the top and the bottom into a single garment, with triangles, a front and back bottom, and the pineapples sewn to the top to finish. The complete pattern is free on her blog, written for cup sizes 32 B, C and D and 34 B, C and D, in a stretchy elastic yarn — Nako Comfort Stretch, a microfibre and polyester blend — with a 2.00 mm hook. That elastic yarn is a genuinely smart choice for swimwear, because it helps the suit hold its shape when wet in a way plain cotton cannot. I picture it in a bright coral with a white crochet sarong wrapped low at the hips for the walk from beach to café. If you like lace with engineering behind it, this one is lovely.
Pattern: Crochet Swimsuit by Jane Green at Beautiful Crochet Stuff — Get the free pattern
4. The Marsala Maiô That Doubles as a Bodysuit
Our first Brazilian maiô comes from artisan Silvana da Costa, a Círculo recipe shared with full credit: a one-piece in deep Marsala red, worked in Verano yarn with a 3.0 mm hook, sized 38, with a fine round elastic and a bra closure at the back. The full recipe is free on the page, with materials, execution steps and finishing all written out, and the designer notes it is also wearable as a body — which makes it twice as useful on holiday. That dual life is the charm: wear it to the beach under a sheer white cover-up in the morning, then keep it on under high-waisted shorts or a wrap skirt for dinner. The Marsala colour is rich against sun-warmed skin, and the lined finish keeps everything smooth. A beautiful, practical make.
Pattern: Maiô Beira Mar by Silvana da Costa — Get the free pattern
5. The Bold Blue Plus-Size Maiô
The Maiô Millano from Ateliê Círculo is the plus-size hero of this collection, written for sizes 46/48 in Verano yarn — a bright Azul bic blue paired with Paixão red — with a 3.5 mm hook, three blue buttons and a blue lining fabric. The full recipe is free on the page, front and back execution plus finishing, and the two-colour design is striking without being fussy: the blue carries the garment and the red accents it. I love a swimsuit that does not apologise for its size range, and this one is made for real bodies at the beach, worn with a matching blue sarong knotted at the waist. If you have been waiting for a one-piece pattern that actually includes you, this is your make.
Pattern: Maiô Millano by Ateliê Círculo — Get the free pattern
6. The Striped Cut-Out Maiô With Sewn-In Cups
The Maiô com Recorte — the cut-out maiô — is a Círculo-brand recipe in sunny Canário yellow and Off-White stripes, worked with a 2.5 mm hook, with a crab-stitch edging, a lined bottom and ready-made cups sewn in for support. The full guide is free on the page, and I want to be transparent with you: no individual artisan is named on this one, so the credit belongs to the Círculo brand recipe itself, the way yarn-brand libraries are credited elsewhere in this collection. Sizes are not stated on the page — the striped construction is worked from charts, so confident crocheters can size it from the chart counts. I picture it with a white beach shirt worn open over it, the yellow stripes peeking through like sunshine. A cheerful, well-engineered swimsuit for stripe lovers.
Pattern: Maiô com Recorte by Círculo — Get the free pattern
7. The Macramê-Bodied Maiô
The Maiô Jéssica from Ateliê Círculo pairs a classic swimsuit bottom with a macramê body panel and sewn cups, a combination that gives structure where you need it and beautiful open texture across the middle. The full recipe is free on the page, written for sizes 36/38 in Verano yarn with a 3 mm hook, and the blog states plainly that all its tutorials are completely free. The macramê panel is the detail that lifts this one above an ordinary swimsuit — it reads like jewellery built into the garment. Wear it under a long, open crochet cover-up dress for the full beach-to-boardwalk effect, or let the panel show under a short sarong wrap. Elegant, supportive and unmistakably handmade.
Pattern: Maiô Jéssica by Ateliê Círculo — Get the free pattern
8. The Blue Bikini-Yarn Maiô
Gabi Kyrillos created the Maiô Azul for Ateliê Pingouin, and it is worked in Pingouin's Bikini yarn — a yarn actually made for swimwear — in three blues, with a fine 2.2 mm hook. The full pattern is free on the page, with bust, body, tanga and strap execution all written out, and the sizing runs by skein count: P takes two skeins, M two, G three, GG three and Plus four. Using a yarn designed for swimwear is the single best decision you can make with a crochet swimsuit, because it dries faster and holds its shape better than ordinary cotton. I picture this one in its blues with a white linen beach shirt thrown over it, sleeves rolled, for long lazy lunches by the sea. A proper swimming swimsuit, not just a pretty one.
Pattern: Maiô Azul by Gabi Kyrillos for Ateliê Pingouin — Get the free pattern
9. The Cut-Out Illusion Maiô
Engana-mamãe means "fool-mama" in Portuguese, and the Maiô Engana-Mamãe lives up to its cheeky name: it is a one-piece with a cut-out illusion, where the construction tricks the eye into seeing separate pieces that are in fact joined into a single garment. The full pattern is free on the page — a credited repost from Manequim magazine, so the credit here is Manequim rather than an individual designer — written for size 38 in Pingouin Brisa yarn with a fine hook, a wooden ring detail, elastane fabric and fine elastic. The wooden ring is a lovely touch, a little natural accent at the centre of the design. Wear it with a gauzy sarong draped over one hip and let the illusion do its work. Playful, clever and very Brazilian beach.
Pattern: Maiô Engana-Mamãe by Manequim (via Toda Moderna) — Get the free pattern
10. The Two-Part Construction Swimsuit
The DHG swimsuit tutorial takes a wonderfully logical approach: first you crochet the briefs, front and back, and then the top is worked straight up from the briefs into one continuous garment, finished with a shaped neckline, leg shaping and a shrimp-stitch edge. The full tutorial is free on the DHG shop blog, and although no individual designer is named — it is a DHG brand tutorial — the one-piece framing is confirmed by the construction itself, since the top grows out of the bottoms. Sizes are not stated, so this one suits a confident crocheter happy to work from fixed stitch counts and adjust to her own measurements. I picture it in a classic black with a long, openwork cover-up over it for evening beach walks. Simple, clever construction, beautifully finished.
Pattern: Crochet Swimsuit by DHG — Get the free pattern
11. The Entremio Panel That Turns Two Pieces Into One
The Maiô Missioni is a masterclass in joining: an entremeio panel — a decorative insertion strip — joins the bikini parts into a finished garment that its designers frame as a maiô, a true one-piece. It was created by Lilian Kimura and executed by Maria Aparecida Dourado, and the full recipe is free on the page, written for size 42 in Cisne Hobby yarn with colour changes in red, orange and beige, worked with a 1.50 mm hook. The warm sunset colours are gorgeous against the entremeio lace, and the fine hook gives the panel a delicate, almost tatted look. Wear it under a long, flowing beach cover-up in cream so the colours glow through the openwork as you move. If you love a pattern with a clever construction story, this one will delight you.
Pattern: Maiô Missioni by Lilian Kimura (creation) and Maria Aparecida Dourado (execution) — Get the free pattern
12. The Free Ravelry Monokini You Can Actually Swim In
Arewa Monokini by Yetunde Oluwo is a free download on Ravelry — the pattern page itself is the credit, priced at zero — worked in Bernat DK yarn, a cotton and acrylic blend, and the designer frames it explicitly as a one-piece monokini you can wear to the beach and swim in if you use cotton yarn. I will not invent sizes for you: the Ravelry page does not state them, so check the download before you start and measure against your own body. That honesty matters, because a swimsuit that fits is everything. I picture it in a soft natural cotton with a bright sarong wrapped as a skirt over it for the journey home from the beach. A straightforward, swim-friendly freebie from a designer who tells you exactly what her suit can do.
Pattern: Arewa Monokini by Yetunde Oluwo — Get the free pattern
13. The Vintage 1940s Chevron Bathing Suit
Here is the treasure of the collection: the Lovely 40's Bathing Suit, a free PDF download of a pattern from the June 1949 edition of Stitchcraft magazine, sized for a 33–35 inch bust in fingering-weight yarn at a tight nine stitches to the inch. The design is a two-colour diagonal chevron one-piece, and the pattern's own caption describes crochet construction throughout — tight crochet all around the sides and back, with cords at the neck and waist to help it keep its shape — and it even encourages you not to be afraid to go into the water in it. One honest note: the blog hosting the freebie files it under a "Knitting" category tag, but the pattern caption itself explicitly describes crochet, so I present it here as a vintage crochet bathing suit, and it is worth one live look at the PDF before you publish your plans. I picture it in cream and navy with a vintage-style beach robe over it, pure 1940s poolside glamour.
Pattern: Lovely 40’s Bathing Suit by Stitchcraft magazine (June 1949) — Get the free pattern
14. The Lace-Bodied Cocktail Swimsuit
Cocktail by Filipa Carneiro is a free download on Ravelry, worked bottom-up in half double crochet and then finished with a lace body panel, a long back tie, lycra straps, lining and four macramé wood beads. It comes in sizes S, M and L, worked in Rosários4 Cocktail Fino yarn — a cotton and acrylic blend — with 2.5 mm and 2 mm hooks, and the Ravelry page carries English and Portuguese text. The wood beads are the detail I keep coming back to: tiny, natural, beachy, the kind of finishing touch that makes a handmade swimsuit look considered rather than improvised. Wear it with a crochet sarong in a matching tone, the back tie showing above the wrap. Do note that paid copies of this design circulate on other shops — the free Ravelry page linked here is the genuine free credit.
Pattern: Cocktail by Filipa Carneiro — Get the free pattern
15. The Closed Shell Stitch Monokini (Video Tutorial)
Our first video tutorial is the Valencia Monokini from Charde Crochets, a one-piece worked in closed shell stitch — that dense, scalloped stitch that looks like rows of tiny shells — in medium-weight yarn with an F hook. The free video tutorial covers sizes S to 1X, and I want to be clear about the credit: the video itself is the free pattern here, because the written PDF linked from the video description is a paid listing, so follow the video and do not go looking for a free written version that does not exist. Shell stitch is a forgiving, rhythmic stitch, and it gives a swimsuit a lovely textured surface that reads beautifully in photographs. I picture it with a sheer white cover-up dress worn open over it, the shell texture visible through the gauze. A great first video project if you like learning by watching.
Pattern: Valencia Monokini by Charde Crochets — Get the free pattern
16. The Maiô Body, Taught Step by Step (Video Tutorial)
Lu Alves, known as Lu Crocheteira, teaches a maiô body in this free video tutorial, building the complete one-piece from the first chains of the bottom through the bust assembly and the joining of all the parts into a finished garment. One honest note: the video page description itself is minimal, and the completeness of the tutorial is supported by a roundup's step-by-step description of it, so it is worth a live watch-check before you commit your yarn. Sizes and yarn are not stated on the video page, so watch first, note the hook and yarn she uses on camera, and measure as you go. I picture the finished maiô under a loose, open beach shirt in white, the classic Brazilian beach look. A patient, watch-and-follow make for a quiet afternoon.
Pattern: Maiô Body by Lu Alves (Lu Crocheteira) — Get the free pattern
17. The Side-Open Bodysuit in Size G (Video Tutorial)
Claudete Azevedo's free video tutorial, part of a multi-lesson series, teaches a beautiful side-open maiô — she calls it a crochet bodysuit — in size G, with explanations for making other sizes, worked in a single ball of Charme yarn with a size 2 hook. The side opening is the design feature here: it breaks up the line of the swimsuit in a flattering, unexpected way, and the tutorial walks you through it step by step. Because it is a video tutorial, you can pause, rewind and check your work against hers at every stage, which is a real comfort with a fitted garment. I picture it in a soft sage green with a long sarong wrapped over it, the side opening peeking out as you walk. Easy, pretty and genuinely wearable.
Pattern: Crochet Bodysuit by Claudete Azevedo — Get the free pattern
18. The Off-Shoulder Ruffle Swimsuit (Video Tutorial)
The Ciganinha swimsuit is an off-shoulder ruffle bodysuit — a one-piece with a flirty ruffled neckline that sits off the shoulders — designed by Renata Vieira and interpreted on video by Bruna Motta at Artes da Motta, so both names belong in the credit. The free video tutorial walks through the whole swimsuit, and the ruffle is the star: it frames the collarbones and gives the suit a romantic, almost flamenco feel that no plain swimsuit can match. Sizes and yarn are not stated on the video page, so watch the tutorial first and take your measurements from the maker's guidance on screen. I picture it with a light, open crochet cover-up worn off one shoulder to echo the ruffle. A joyful, feminine make for dancers at heart.
Pattern: Ciganinha Swimsuit by Renata Vieira (design), video by Bruna Motta at Artes da Motta — Get the free pattern
19. The Black and White Bodysuit Series (Video Tutorial)
MOÇA PRENDADA's Black and White Bodysuit is taught as a multi-lesson video series, and the link here is Lesson 2, whose description links Lessons 1 and 3, so start at Lesson 1 and work through the series in order. The black-and-white colour scheme is strikingly graphic — a two-tone maiô that looks almost like a monochrome photograph — and following a series has a real advantage: each lesson covers one stage properly instead of rushing the whole garment into a single sitting. Sizes and yarn are not stated on the video page, so watch Lesson 1 first, note her materials, and crochet a gauge swatch before you commit. I picture it under a long black beach cover-up, the monochrome suit flashing through the open front. Bold, classic and endlessly wearable.
Pattern: Black&White Bodysuit by MOÇA PRENDADA — Get the free pattern
20. The Wool-Yarn Bodysuit, With an Honest Yarn Note (Video Tutorial)
We finish with Brunaticality — Bruna Roberge — whose free video tutorial teaches a swimsuit and bodysuit in one, sized to her own measurements (top 6/8, bottom 8/10, bra 34B) and worked in Rowan 100% wool yarn with a 3.5 mm hook. Here is the honest yarn note: the designer used wool, and wool is not ideal for swimming — it absorbs water and dries slowly — so if you plan to actually swim in this one, consider remaking it in a cotton or cotton-elastic blend, which will hold its shape and dry far better. As a design, though, it is super pretty, and the tutorial is clear and friendly. I picture it — in a swim-friendly cotton remake — with a beach shirt knotted at the waist over it for sunset walks. A lovely pattern, made even better by choosing the right yarn for the water.
Pattern: Swimsuit/Bodysuit Tutorial by Brunaticality (Bruna Roberge) — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
And that is twenty one-piece swimsuits, my friend — plunging monokinis and pineapple lace, Brazilian maiôs in Marsala and blue, a vintage 1940s chevron, a free Ravelry lace-body cocktail suit, and six friendly video tutorials to learn from by watching. If you are new to swimwear, start with the Arewa monokini or the DHG two-part construction; if you want a showpiece, the Collette monokini or the vintage chevron are calling your name. Whichever you choose, remember the golden rule of crochet swimwear: pick your yarn for the water as much as for the look, line it where it counts, and always style it with a cover-up, a sarong or a beach shirt for the journey to and from the sand.
Now tell me — are you team classic one-piece or team daring monokini, and which of these twenty is going on your hook first? I read every comment, and I cannot wait to see your beach makes!
