Feb
When I Actually Made One That Worked
So last summer, July 2024 specifically, I was at my sister’s place by the lake and realized I forgot my swimsuit top. She had this random stash of Red Heart Scrubby yarn in coral which I know sounds weird but hear me out – it actually holds up pretty well in water and dries fast. I’d made a crochet bikini top once before in spring 2022 but that one stretched out so bad after one pool session that it was basically unwearable.
The thing you gotta understand about making these is that regular cotton yarn is gonna stretch like crazy when it gets wet. I learned this the hard way. That 2022 top used Lily Sugar’n Cream and it looked cute for about twenty minutes before physics took over.
Starting With The Cups
I usually just chain about 4 or 5 to start each cup, then single crochet in a circle, increasing every other row until it’s the size I need. You basically make two triangles or circular pieces depending on what coverage you want. For me, I do maybe 8-10 rows of increases before I start measuring against myself which is awkward but necessary.
The pattern I sorta follow in my head goes like this: chain 4, join to make a ring. Then round 1 is single crochet 8 stitches into that ring. Round 2 you increase in every stitch so now you have 16. Round 3 you do single crochet in one stitch, then increase in the next, repeat around. Keep going with that rhythm where you add one more regular stitch between increases each round.
My dog kept trying to steal the yarn ball while I was doing this which made counting stitches really annoying, she thought it was a game.
The Connecting Band Thing
This is where it gets tricky and also where that 2022 top failed me. You need the band that goes around your ribcage to be tight enough that it actually supports but not so tight you can’t breathe. I chain a long strip – usually measure it against myself by wrapping the chain around my back while holding the cups in place. Looks ridiculous but whatever.
For the 2024 version I did half double crochet for the band because it’s sturdier than single crochet but still has some give. You want maybe 3-4 rows of half double crochet. The width of your band should be like 2-3 inches when you’re done.
One thing that really annoyed me was figuring out where to attach the cups to the band. I tried sewing them on the first time and the stitches showed through and looked sloppy. Now I just crochet them directly onto the band as I’m making it, which means you gotta plan ahead about placement. I usually mark with a piece of contrasting yarn where I want each cup to sit on the band before I start attaching.
Straps Are Honestly The Worst Part
You need straps that tie around your neck and also ones that tie around your back, or you can do a halter style where it’s just the neck tie. I prefer the halter because less stuff to figure out. For straps I just chain really long – like 30-40 inches for neck ties so you have enough length to actually tie them.
With the Red Heart Scrubby I did three chains side by side and then slip stitched them together to make a thicker strap that wouldn’t dig into my neck as much. Regular thin chain straps will cut into your skin after a while, trust me.
The back straps need to be even longer if you’re doing a tie-back style instead of a band. I’d say 50 inches each? Better too long than too short because you can always trim them but you can’t really add length easily once you’ve finished everything.
Yarn Choices That Actually Matter
So besides that Red Heart Scrubby I mentioned, I’ve also used Bernat Handicrafter Cotton which is okay but does stretch some when wet. Aunt Lydia’s Classic Crochet Thread is actually really good if you want something more delicate looking – it doesn’t stretch as much because it’s tighter and – wait I should mention you’d need a smaller hook for that, probably like a size 7 or smaller.
Some people use acrylic yarn but I don’t recommend it because it holds water and takes forever to dry. Plus it feels weird when wet. The Scrubby yarn I used is technically acrylic but it’s textured different so water doesn’t stay in it the same way.
There’s also this stuff called Omega Sinfonia which is a cotton-acrylic blend that worked decent when I tested a small swatch. Didn’t make a full top with it though so can’t fully vouch for it.
Sizing Issues Nobody Talks About
The cups are gonna fit different depending on your size obviously. I’m like a B cup so I don’t need a ton of coverage or support, but if you’re bigger you absolutely need to think about structure more than I did. Maybe add some boning or use a thicker band, or even line it with fabric.
I tried making one for my friend who’s a D cup and it was a disaster honestly. The crochet fabric just doesn’t provide the support needed without some serious engineering. She ended up sewing a regular bikini top lining into it which kinda defeats the purpose but looked good.
Measuring is weird because you can’t really use a standard pattern since everyone’s shaped different. I hold the cups up to myself every few rows and check if they’re covering what needs covering. Professional? No. Effective? Yeah pretty much.
Making It Stay On In Actual Water
This is the real test right? Looking cute on the beach is one thing but actually swimming is another. That 2022 top I made would ride up constantly and I spent more time adjusting it than actually swimming. The 2024 version stayed put way better because of these things:
- Tighter band around the ribcage – I made sure it was snug when dry because it’ll loosen slightly when wet
- Thicker straps that I tied really secure around my neck
- Used that Scrubby yarn that doesn’t get heavy with water
- Added a extra row of slip stitches around the edge of each cup to make them more firm
Even with all that, I wouldn’t go doing dive bombs or anything intense. It’s more for lounging in the pool or casual swimming. Which was fine for that lake trip – we were mostly floating on those inflatable things anyway while watching Love Island on someone’s phone.
The Lining Question
Do you line it? I’ve gone both ways. Without lining it’s definitely gonna be see-through when wet, especially if you use lighter colors. White or yellow? Forget it, you’ll be showing everything.
To line it I cut triangles from old swimsuit fabric or even just some stretchy fabric from old t-shirts. Sew them onto the wrong side of your cups after you’re done crocheting. It’s tedious and I hate sewing so I usually skip this step and just wear darker colors or accept the slightly sheer situation.
Some people crochet two layers for each cup which makes it thicker and less see-through but that’s double the work and honestly I don’t have that kind of patience most days.
Dealing With Chlorine And Salt Water
Chlorine will fade your yarn over time, especially if you’re using Red Heart or other cheaper brands. The Scrubby held up okay but the coral color definitely got lighter after a few pool sessions. Salt water is a bit gentler actually but you still gotta rinse everything really well after.
I just hand wash mine with regular detergent and lay flat to dry. Don’t wring it out because that’ll stretch it weird. Just press the water out gently and reshape the cups while it’s drying.
Variations I’ve Tried
Besides the basic triangle cups I did a bandeau style once which is just a long rectangle that goes across your chest with straps. Way simpler actually but offers like zero support so only works if you’re smaller.
I also tried doing a crop top style that’s longer and covers your whole torso basically. Used Caron Simply Soft for that one which was a mistake because it stretched out so much it looked like a dress by the end of the day.
There’s those ones with the rings where you crochet circles and put metal rings in them – never tried that because it seems complicated and also where do you even buy those rings?
Halter versus triangle back makes a difference too. Halter is easier to construct but some people find it uncomfortable on their neck. Triangle back with the band gives better support but you gotta figure out the geometry of how everything connects.
Hook Sizes And Tension
I usually use a G hook (4.0mm) for most swimwear yarn. Some people go smaller for tighter stitches but then it takes forever and your hands cramp up. With Scrubby I actually used an H hook (5.0mm) because that yarn is thicker.
Your tension matters way more than hook size though. I crochet pretty tight naturally which works good for bikini tops because you don’t want loose floppy fabric. If you crochet loose maybe go down a hook size or really focus on keeping stitches snug.
Test your tension by making a small swatch and getting it wet. Does it stretch a ton? Tighten up. Does it feel like cardboard? Maybe loosen slightly but honestly too stiff is better than too stretchy for swimwear.
Time Investment Reality
That 2024 top took me maybe 4-5 hours total? I was working on it while watching TV and taking breaks so hard to say exactly. The cups go quick, it’s the straps and band that eat up time because they’re long and boring.
First time you make one will probably take longer because you’re figuring stuff out. I frogged and redid the band like three times on that 2022 version before I got it right.
If you’re adding lining or doing fancy stitches could easily be 8-10 hours of work. Which seems like a lot for something you might only wear a few times but I guess that’s crafting for you.
