Every summer someone asks me, half-joking, whether you can really swim in a crochet swimsuit — and every summer I answer the same way: yes, if you choose the right yarn and a snug stitch, and the feeling of walking down to the water in something you made yourself is worth every single row. For this collection I have gathered twenty free patterns I would genuinely trust at the beach: lace bikinis in sunshine yellow, a full-coverage two-piece you can size to any body, a star-stitch one-piece, and cover-up dresses to throw over the top when the ice-cream stand calls.
A quick word of swim wisdom before we start: work your swimwear in cotton, bamboo or a cotton-elastane blend, keep your tension firm, and add a light lining or cup inserts if you want extra confidence in the water — plain acrylic sags, and nobody needs that surprise. Sizes in this roundup are wonderfully inclusive, with several sets running to XXXL or 5XL, and most tops and bottoms tie at the sides or back so the fit adjusts to you, not the other way round. Pick your favourite, order two or three balls of something bright, and let us make this the summer of handmade swim.
1. The Sunshine-Yellow Lace Bikini with the Tie Sides
If summer had a uniform, it might be this bikini. DROPS Tahiti is worked in strong-yellow Safran cotton on a tiny 2.5 mm hook, which keeps the stitches fine, dense and properly swim-safe, while a band of lace patterning softens both the bra cups and the briefs. The top is built from two cups joined together, the bottoms adjust with side ties, and the whole set is written in six sizes from S to XXXL, so the fit is a conversation, not a gamble. You will need around 200 to 250 grams of yarn for the full set in one colour. Wear it exactly as designed, golden and unapologetic, with a white shirt thrown over your shoulders for the walk home.
Pattern: Tahiti (DROPS 170-15) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
2. The Chantilly-Lace Bikini That Takes One Ball of Bamboo
Kristin Omdahl's Lacey-Mae is the romantic of this list: a classic tie-fastening bikini top and a coordinating bottom, both edged with playful cluster scallops that look like tiny shells along the waterline. The whole set takes a single 300-yard ball of her Be So Sporty bamboo yarn, and the bamboo's soft sheen gives the finished suit a genuinely luxurious, boutique feel. Elastic is worked into the waist of the bottoms for a snug fit that stays put when you dive, which is exactly the sort of thoughtful detail I look for in swimwear. The sample size fits a 34/36 B/C top and 36-inch hips, and the page includes a free PDF download and a video tutorial. In ivory it reads almost bridal; in coral it is pure holiday.
Pattern: Lacey-Mae Crochet Bikini by Kristin Omdahl at Kristin Omdahl — Get the free pattern
3. The Red Fan-Stitch Bikini for Making an Entrance
Some bikinis whisper; the Waterfront struts. This DROPS set is crocheted in red Safran cotton with a pretty fan pattern rippling across both pieces, the kind of stitching that catches the light as you move along the promenade. The top and panties are each written in grouped sizes running from S/M all the way to XXXL, and the full set takes a modest 150 to 200 grams of yarn, which makes it a wonderfully affordable statement. A 3 mm hook keeps the fabric firm enough for real swimming, not just posing on a towel. Pair it with big sunglasses and a woven tote and you have a whole retro beach film in one outfit.
Pattern: Waterfront Bikini (DROPS 190-6) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
4. The Full-Coverage Two-Piece You Can Size to Any Body
Nadia Fuad designed her Sassy Summer Bikini for real bodies and real swimming: a fuller-coverage two-piece with a firm, tight stitch around the edges and an openwork floral pattern blooming in the centre of each piece. There is no fixed size chart to squeeze into — the pattern teaches you to make it to fit your own measurements, any shape, any size, which is why it has been a community favourite for years. A full video tutorial walks beside the written pattern, so even a first-time garment maker can follow along stitch by stitch. Nadia's sample is fully lined, and I recommend copying her: a simple lining turns a pretty bikini into a confident one. Work it in a tropical rainbow or keep it classic navy — the repeat is easy to memorise either way.
Pattern: Sassy Summer Bikini by Nadia Fuad at YARNutopia — Get the free pattern
5. The Off-White Set with the Fanned Edges and Side Ties
Sunlit Sands is the newest DROPS bikini and possibly the most elegant: a clean off-white set in Muskat cotton, worked in double crochet with fanned edges finishing both the top and the bottom. The bottom is cleverly constructed in one long strip, starting at the top of the front, travelling down and up the back, then tied at each side so you can adjust the fit every single wear. The top is two neat triangles joined with ties, and sizes run from XS to XXL with the whole set needing just 200 to 300 grams. That creamy colour against tanned skin and a straw hat is the entire Mediterranean mood board in one pattern. If you make only one classic set this year, make it this one.
Pattern: Sunlit Sands (DROPS 256-15) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
6. The Beginner Bikini with the Pretty Ribbed Texture
Every roundup needs a friendly first swim project, and Jenny and Teddy's Oh My Bikini is exactly that: an easy set built on simple stitches, with a clever back-loop ribbing worked through the fabric that gives it stretch, structure and a lovely knitted look. Wannipa made hers in fresh white cotton — light, breathable and kind against sun-warmed skin — and she encourages you to try the pieces on as you go, adding rows for more coverage or taking them away for less. Because the design is so simple, it is also endlessly recolourable: one in white, one in watermelon pink, one in sea-glass green. The pattern is free on her blog with all the hand-holding a beginner could want. This is the set I would hand to a friend who has only ever made scarves.
Pattern: Oh My Bikini by Wannipa Yunker at Jenny and Teddy — Get the free pattern
7. The Star-Stitch One-Piece in Soft Sea Teal
Our one true one-piece, and what a beauty she is. Annoo's bathing suit is worked in a stretchy microfibre-elastane yarn — Alize Diva Stretch — which is the secret to a crochet swimsuit that hugs, swims and springs back instead of sagging, and the body is patterned with rows of delicate star stitch that catch the sun beautifully. You begin with the bottom, shape it with patient decreases and increases, then join front and back and work the body in the round up to the straps, trying it on as you climb. The pattern is written for sizes Small, Medium and Large, uses about three skeins for the small, and comes with a companion video from her channel. In her light-teal sample it looks like something from a designer swim rail — at a fraction of the price.
Pattern: One Piece Crochet Bathing Suit by Annoo at Annoo Crochet Designs — Get the free pattern
8. The Pink Bikini Sprinkled with Crochet Flowers
Find Me at the Beach is the girliest set in this collection and I make no apology for it: a soft-pink Safran bikini finished with little crocheted flowers, like a meadow wandered down to the shore. It is written for sizes S to L, fitting cup sizes A to C, on a fine 2.5 mm hook, so the fabric stays neat and opaque where it matters. The whole set takes only about 100 grams of yarn, which makes it a perfect one-weekend project or a very generous handmade gift for a sister or best friend. Small projects like this are also a lovely way to practise swimwear construction before committing to a bigger set. Add a floral sarong and a daisy in your hair and lean all the way into the sweetness.
Pattern: Find Me at the Beach (DROPS 211-14) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
9. The Sahara Bottom with the Double-Sided Band
Shaz at The Knotty Lace designs swimwear the way it should be designed: in nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, with honest notes on elastane yarns so your finished piece actually swims. Her Sahara bottom is worked from the front panel down to the back with a modern double-sided band at the sides — the upside-down triangle detail gives it texture, support and a genuinely designer silhouette. The pattern page insists, rightly, on adding elastic and choosing a stretch yarn, and there is a full video tutorial if you like to crochet along. It was designed as a set, so pair it with her matching Sahara bralette top, linked from the same site, for the complete look. Once you have made one bottom that truly fits, you will never buy swim bottoms again.
Pattern: Sahara Cheeky Bikini Bottom by Shaz at The Knotty Lace — Get the free pattern
10. The Tie-Front Bikini with the Boho Tassels
Summer Ride is pure festival energy: two bra cups worked separately, fastened together at the front with a tie, then finished with handmade tassels that swing as you walk to the water. The pattern includes five diagrams covering the stitch patterns, the assembly and exactly how to make and attach the tassels and straps, so nothing is left to guesswork. A two-colour pattern runs through the design, which makes it a joyful stash project — pick a main shade and a contrast and watch the cups come alive. Ties cross at the back through little loops, so the fit adjusts beautifully and nothing digs in. Wear it with denim shorts and a kimono after the beach and it moonlights as a summer top without missing a beat.
Pattern: Summer Ride (DROPS 190-4) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
11. The Watermelon Bikini You Can Finish in a Weekend
Some patterns are projects; this one is a party. SeeLoveShare's watermelon bikini works the classic red, white and green colourway into a fitted, flattering set that is instantly recognisable from across the pool — yes, people will ask where you bought it, and yes, you get to say you made it. The whole set can be finished in a weekend with just one ball of cotton yarn in each colour, and the designer is refreshingly honest about using a small hook and tight stitches so everything stays exactly where it should. The written pattern is free on the blog, with a printable PDF available if you prefer paper at the beach house. It is playful, photogenic and secretly very well constructed — my favourite combination.
Pattern: Crochet Watermelon Bikini at SeeLoveShare — Get the free pattern
12. The Fan-Edge Bikini Top That Pairs with Everything
Dive is a bikini top with real polish: two single-crochet cups — single crochet being the firmest, most opaque stitch in the swim drawer — joined and edged all the way round, then finished with a deep fan edge along the bottom that flutters prettily over a high-waisted bottom. The straps are simple knotted cords threaded through the corners, so the top ties at the neck and back and fits a whole range of bodies; the pattern is written in six sizes. It is designed in DROPS Paris cotton on a 3.5 mm hook, a yarn with enough body to hold the cups' shape in and out of the water. Make it in white to pair with every printed bottom you own, or in red to match the Waterfront bottoms above. A small project with an outsized wardrobe payoff.
Pattern: Dive (DROPS 199-54) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
13. The Mykonos Textured Top in True Swim Yarn
Named for the Greek island it belongs on, Shaz's Mykonos bralette is a textured bikini top designed from the start for the water: her sample is worked in Cascade Fixation, the cotton-elastane yarn that stretches, retracts and dries quickly, with a small 2.25 mm hook keeping every stitch snug. The written pattern is free with a step-by-step video, and her swim collection is graded across cup sizes A to G, so support is genuinely on the menu here — add the optional elastic and cup inserts she suggests and it rivals anything from a swim shop. The alpine-style texture gives the simple shape a rich, woven look that photographs beautifully. Pair it with her matching Mykonos string bikini bottom, also free on her site, for a complete Aegean-blue set. This is the top I would pack for a sailing holiday.
Pattern: Mykonos Bralette Bikini Top by Shaz at The Knotty Lace — Get the free pattern
14. The White Bikini Top with Its Own Matching Beach Skirt
Summer Sweetheart solves the oldest beach problem — what to wear between the water and the café — by giving you both halves of the answer in one pattern: a neat white bikini top, written for cup sizes A to C, and a matching crochet skirt in sizes XS to XL to slip over the bottoms. Both pieces are worked in DROPS Muskat cotton on a 4 mm hook, so the set feels substantial and holds its shape, and two little mother-of-pearl buttons finish the skirt like proper dressmaking. Together they read as a chic two-piece dress; apart, the top pairs with any bottoms you already own. It is the hardest-working pattern in this roundup, and in crisp white it goes with every towel, tote and sandal in your bag.
Pattern: Summer Sweetheart (DROPS 99-28) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
15. The Petrol-Blue Fan Top Worked from the Top Down
Seashore Memories is a bikini top with a dressmaker's soul: worked from the top down in deep petrol-blue Paris cotton, with fans opening across the fabric and a row of mother-of-pearl buttons adding a tailored finish you almost never see in swimwear. Because it grows downward, you can try it on as you crochet and stop at exactly the coverage you love, and the sizing is generous — S through XXXL. The fan stitch gives the fabric a lovely weight and drape, more little beach jacket than barely-there top, which makes it a dream over high-waisted bikini bottoms or a swim skirt. At 150 to 250 grams it is still a quick, satisfying make. In that sea-glass colour, with white bottoms and silver jewellery, it is effortlessly elegant.
Pattern: Seashore Memories (DROPS 190-23) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
16. The Two-Yarn Set in Army Green and Warm Brown
This clever DROPS set mixes its fibres on purpose: the bikini top is crocheted in Paris, a sturdy aran-weight cotton that gives the cups real structure, while the bottoms are worked in finer Safran with a metre of side string for that classic tie-side finish. The colour story — army green above, warm brown below — is earthy, flattering and wonderfully different from the usual pastels and brights. The top is written in two sizes, S/M and L, and the bottoms in S, M and L, each piece with its own hook so both fabrics behave exactly as they should. Earth-tone swimwear photographs like a dream against sand, rock pools and wooden boardwalks. If your beach style leans natural and unfussy, this set was designed for you.
Pattern: Bikini Top and Bottoms (DROPS 95-28) by DROPS Design — Get the free pattern
17. The Summer Vibes Top with the Scalloped Border
Wannipa's Summer Vibes bikini top is the quick, happy make of this collection: two half-double-crochet cups that grow from a simple foundation chain, framed with a sweet scalloped border of chain loops and single crochet that softens the whole silhouette. The cups are sewn together at the centre, a bottom border joins everything neatly, and the pattern is written in three sizes with a full video tutorial if you prefer to watch each round happen. Half double crochet is the perfect swim stitch for beginners — faster than single, firmer than double — so this top can genuinely be finished in an afternoon. Work it in a sunny yellow or a soft peach and pair it with white high-waisted bottoms for an instant set. Festival fields and pool parties will both approve.
Pattern: Summer Vibes Bikini Top by Wannipa Yunker at Jenny and Teddy — Get the free pattern
18. The Lace-Up Cover-Up Dress for Over Every Bikini
Now for the layer that makes the whole outfit: Summer Lovin' is a breezy swim cover-up built from just two identical rectangular panels, seamed at the shoulders and laced together at the sides with simple crochet ties, so the fit is relaxed, floaty and completely adjustable. The openwork stitch pattern mixes clusters and tall stitches into a fabric that dries fast and shows your bikini off underneath in the prettiest way. Adult sizes run from XS/S/M up to 3XL/4XL/5XL in a soft sport-weight cotton, bamboo and linen blend — and the pattern even includes children's sizes, should a small person in your life demand a matching one. Wear it as a beach dress over your set, then as a tunic with shorts for the evening market. Two rectangles, endless holidays.
Pattern: Summer Lovin’ Swim Cover Up at A Crocheted Simplicity — Get the free pattern
19. The Sunshine Mesh Cover-Up with the Long Sleeves
Sunshine is the cover-up I reach for when the sun is high and my shoulders have had enough: a light mesh beach dress with longer sleeves for shade, a flattering V-neck worked straight into the front panel, and little tassel ties at the sides to close it as much or as little as you like. The mini-lace mesh stitch is a simple two-double-crochet repeat, so the panels grow quickly, and the pattern is written in a glorious run of sizes from Small to 4XL with a step-by-step video alongside. Sleeves are crocheted directly into the armholes — no sewing them in afterwards — which keeps the whole dress pleasingly seamless. In white it is classic; in a soft apricot it glows. Pop it over the watermelon bikini above and try not to smile.
Pattern: Sunshine Crochet Beach Cover Up by Wannipa Yunker at Jenny and Teddy — Get the free pattern
20. The Dune Walk Cover-Up in Vertical Lace Stripes
We finish with the most elegant throw-over of all: Hortense's Dune Walk is made from two long panels worked lengthwise, so bands of solid and open lace run vertically down the body — a stripe effect that lengthens and flatters every figure it floats over. The panels are folded and slip-stitched together leaving armhole openings, and the lace only truly blooms after a wet block, which turns a simple construction into something that looks genuinely boutique-made. It is written in a wide range of sizes and begs for a soft cotton in sand, stone or seafoam. Over a plain black or white set it becomes a beach-to-dinner dress with sandals and a clutch. Slow, graceful and endlessly wearable — a perfect last stitch for this collection.
Pattern: Dune Walk Coverup by Hortense at Knitting with Chopsticks — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
Twenty patterns, and a handmade answer for every kind of beach day — a yellow lace bikini for the bold mornings, a star-stitch one-piece for real swimming, and a lace cover-up dress for the slow walk to lunch. My three golden rules, learned the damp way: choose cotton, bamboo or a stretch swim yarn, never plain acrylic; keep your stitches snug and your hook a size smaller than your instincts suggest; and rinse every handmade suit in cold water and dry it flat, so it keeps its shape all season. Start with the Oh My Bikini or the Summer Vibes top if swimwear is new to you, and save the Tahiti lace for when you feel unstoppable. Now tell me in the comments: are you team classic bikini set, team elegant one-piece, or team cover-up dress over everything? Happy crocheting, friends — see you at the water's edge!
