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Oceana Bikini Top Pattern

Oceana Bikini Top Pattern
4.4★ Rating
5-7 Hours Time Needed
1.7K Made This
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Intermediate Level

I deal with an intermediate-level pattern: I deal with slightly more advanced stitches and shaping.

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Weekend Treat

Takes 5-7 hours, making it an enjoyable project to finish over a couple of days.

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Casual Chic

Relaxed style with a modern twist, perfect for everyday wear while maintaining that handcrafted uniqueness.

About This Oceana Bikini Top Pattern

This pattern creates a classic string bikini top with scalloped shell edging and adjustable cups. It is written for three cup sizes (Small, Medium, Large) and includes steps to adapt the cup size for a perfect fit. The design uses shell stitches and chaining for a feminine scalloped finish, with options to add elastic or a fabric lining for water use.

Oceana Bikini Top Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

Youll find complete row-by-row instructions for each cup size, edging, base and back tie. The pattern is written using US terms and includes abbreviations, gauge notes and helpful tips for assembly.

Why You'll Love This Oceana Bikini Top Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because it transforms simple crochet stitches into a flattering, wearable bikini top with a beautiful scalloped edge. I enjoy how adaptable the pattern is — you can easily tweak the cup base or strap lengths to fit different bodies and styles. The combination of half double crochets and shells creates a textured, durable fabric that feels special yet comfortable to wear. I also love that it includes options for adding elastic or lining so it can be worn in water with confidence. Making this top is fulfilling because it combines creativity with practicality and produces a piece youll actually wear.

Oceana Bikini Top Pattern step 1 - construction progress Oceana Bikini Top Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Oceana Bikini Top Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Oceana Bikini Top Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love how easy it is to customize this pattern: change yarn color or use variegated DK for a summer-ready look.

For a chunkier, cosy style use a bulkier yarn and larger hook to create a thicker, statement top.

To make a mini or keychain size use thinner yarn and a smaller hook for a tiny decorative piece.

I often line the cups with swimwear fabric for extra coverage and stability when wearing in water.

Add elastic to the last cup row if you want the top to stay firmer — just fasten off and reattach yarn with elastic.

Try adding contrasting scallop edging or embroidering tiny motifs on the cup for a unique detail.

Mix textures by using a cotton main and a metallic thread for the edging to catch the light.

Swap the back tie for a braided cord or a ribbon for a softer finish and an easy style change.

I sometimes add small shells or beads to the ends of the ties for a beachy accent that wont affect wearability.

Dont be afraid to adjust the neck strap chain length — you can crocheted fewer or more chains until the fit feels right.

If you want more coverage at the center, add a few extra single crochets along the base before the edging to widen the cup base.

For a sporty look, work the cups in a thicker cotton and make the straps wider with rows of hdc for added support.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Skipping the stitch count checks during the cup rows can create mismatched edges; count your stitches after each row and use markers to confirm alignment. ✗ Working with inconsistent tension will warp the cup shape and size; keep your tension even and practice on a small swatch if necessary. ✗ Forgetting to fasten off and reattach yarn when adding knitting-in elastic may make the elastic sit incorrectly; follow the instruction to fasten off and reattach where indicated. ✗ Not marking the chain spaces for shells can lead to misplacement of shells; mark or count every 6th stitch from the ch1 space so you know where shells will sit. ✗ Skipping the recommendation to line the bikini when planning to wear it in water can cause the top to become see-through or lose shape; add swimwear fabric or knitting-in elastic as advised for durability.

Oceana Bikini Top Pattern

Make a stylish, scalloped crochet bikini top with this easy-to-follow pattern designed for adjustable fit and three cup sizes. Youll create a flattering string bikini using shell stitches and simple shaping techniques. The pattern is written for Small, Medium and Large cups and includes guidance for adapting sizes and adding elastic or lining. Perfect for creating a handmade swimwear staple you can customise to your measurements.

Intermediate 5-7 Hours

Materials Needed for Oceana Bikini Top Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Wendy Supreme Cotton DK (DK, 100% cotton, 201m per 100g) - 1 skein (or substitute cotton yarn)
  • 02
    Optional: extra yarn for contrasting edging or larger sizes (approx 50-100g)
  • 03
    Optional: Swimwear fabric for lining (small amounts per cup)
  • 04
    Optional: knitting-in elastic (small length for added stability)

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook size 3mm
  • 02
    Yarn needle
  • 03
    Stitch markers (optional)
  • 04
    Scissors
  • 05
    Measuring tape for gauge and cup base measurement
  • 06
    Swimwear fabric and sewing needle (optional for lining)
  • 07
    Knitting-in elastic (optional)

Progress Tracker

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— Materials & Sizes :

Info :

Materials used: 1 skein of Wendy Supreme Cotton DK (DK,100% cotton, 201m per 100g ) or substitute cotton yarn. 3mm hook. Yarn needle. Stitch markers (optional). Knitting-in elastic (optional). Swimwear Fabric (optional).

Info :

Cup Sizes: Small – base of the cup should measure 6.5" (16.5cm). Medium – base of the cup should measure 7.5" (19cm). Large – Base of the cup should measure 8.5" (21.6cm).

Info :

Back Tie: Can be made as long as required.

— Gauge :

Info :

Small: 21sc x 24 rows = 4"x 4" (10cm x 10cm). Medium/Large: 22 hdc x 17.5 rows= 4"x 4" (10cm x 10cm).

— Abbreviations :

Infos :

ch(s)- chain(s). sc- single crochet. hdc- half double crochet. sl st- slip stitch. st(s)- stitch(es). rep- repeat. prev- previous. skp- skip. ch sp – chain space. tr- treble crochet. FPtr- front post treble crochet. BPtr- back post treble crochet.

— Notes :

Infos :

Pattern uses US terms. Cups are worked by working along one side of the ch and back down the other (working in a horse shoes shape), this is classed as 1 row. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch throughout. Stitch count will be provided in brackets at the end of a row or repeat. Instructions included in [ ] are to be done in the same st. This pattern is split into 3 sections, Main Cup, Edging and Back Tie. Choose your desired cup size and then follow the corresponding instructions in the Main Cup and Edging sections. Small instructions will be in black, Medium in blue and Large in purple. Information on how to adapt each cup size for a perfect fit is included in each Main Cup section. If you plan to wear this bikini in water you may wish to work knitting-in elastic with the yarn to help the bikini hold its shape. Just work the elastic like you were crocheting with 2 strands of yarn. This can either be worked throughout or can be added on the last row of the main cup section. To do these simply fasten off and reattach the yarn with the knitting-in elastic and work the remaining pattern as normal. You can also use the back tie of an old bikini instead of crocheting one if you prefer. I recommend lining the bikini with swimwear fabric (again you can use an old bikini) if you plan to wear this top in water.

— Main Cup Section :

— Small Cup :

Row 1 :

(sc in back loops of ch) ch14 sc in 2nd ch from hook sc along 11sts In last st [2sc,ch1,2sc] Sc along 12 sts (12sc, 2sc, ch1, 2sc, 12sc)

Row 2 :

ch1, turn sc along to 1st st of the [2sc,ch1,2sc] group of prev row skp sc before ch1 sp [2sc,ch1,2sc] in ch1 sp Skp next sc Sc along (13sc, 2sc, ch1, 2sc,13sc)

Row 3-14 :

Rep row 2 (25sc, 2sc, ch1, 2sc, 25sc)

Info :

*Fasten off after row 13 and reattach yarn and knitting-in elastic for row 14 if you are using it for the edging* (OPTIONAL) Now go to Edging Section.

— Medium(Large) Cup :

If no adaptions are given in purple for the large cup follow the medium instructions (Large cup stitch count will be given at the end of row or repeat in purple).

Row 1 :

ch 15 (ch16) hdc in 2nd ch from hook hdc along 12 sts (13sts) In last st [2hdc,ch1,2hdc] hdc along 13sts (14sts) (13sts,2hdc,ch1,2hdc,13sts) (14hdc, 2hdc, ch2, 2hdc,14hdc)

Row 2 :

ch1,turn hdc to 1st hdc of the [2hdc,ch1,2hdc] group skp hdc before ch1 sp [2hdc,ch1,2hdc] in ch sp skp next hdc st hdc along (14hdc,2hdc,ch2,2hdc,14hdc) (15hdc,2hdc,ch1,2hdc,15hdc)

For medium cup Row 3-12 :

Rep row 2 (24hdc, 2hdc, ch1, 2hdc, 24hdc)

Info :

*Fasten off after row 11 and reattach yarn and knitting-in elastic for row 12 if you are using it for the edging* (OPTIONAL)

For Large Cup Row 3-15 :

Rep row 2 (28hdc, 2hdc, ch1, 2hdc, 28hdc)

Info :

*Fasten off after row 14 and reattach yarn and knitting-in elastic for row 15 if you are using it for the edging* (OPTIONAL) Now go to Edging Section

— Edging Section :

— For Small and Medium Cup :

If no adaption for medium cup is given in blue, follow the instructions in black.

Row1 :

ch1, turn sc in 1st st *skp 2 sts 5 tr in next st (shell st) skp 2 sts sc in next st* *-* rep 3 times

Row1 continued :

skp 2 sts (skp 1 st) 5 tr in ch 1 sp of prev row skp 2 sts (skp 1 st) *sc in next st skp 2 sts 5tr in next st (shell) skp 2 sts * *-* rep 3 times sc in last st (9 shells,10 sc) (45tr, 10 sc)

Row 2 :

ch1,turn hdc in 1st st *ch7 skp 5 sts hdc in sc between shells* *-*rep 3 times ch5 skp 2 sts hdc in top of shell ch5 skp 2 sts *hdc in sc between shells ch7 skp 5sts* *-*rep 3 times hdc last st (66chs, 11hdc)

Row 3 :

ch1, turn sc in 1st st *9sc in ch 7 sp sc in hdc between chs* *-* rep 3 times 5 sc in ch 5 sp sc in hdc at top of shell (47 sc) ch 90+1 (This is the neck strap ch more or less to get desired length) sc along chs (90scs) sl st into sc at base of ch 5 5sc in ch 5 sp *sc in hdc between chs 9sc in ch 7 sp* *-* rep 3 times sc in last st (46 sc, 1 sl st) (93 sc, 1 sl st and 90 sc for strap)

Info :

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Base of cup :

Attach yarn in the 3rd sc of the last row (see picture).

Row 1 :

sc along base (including 3 sts either side from last row of the cup), spread sts evenly (37sc)(40sc) See picture above.

Row 2 :

ch 3, turn (counts as a st) *FPtr around next st after ch ch 1, skp 1 st BPtr around next st ch1 , skp 1* *-*rep 8 times For small cup FPtr in last st For Medium cup FPtr ch1, skp 1 BPtr in last st (10 FPtr, 9 BPtr) (10 FPtr, 10 BPtr)

Info :

(10 FPtr, 9 BPtr) (10 FPtr, 10 BPtr)

— For Large Cup Edging :

Row 1 :

ch1,turn sc in next 4 sts *skp 2 sts 5 tr in next st skp 2 sts sc in next st* *-* rep 3 times skp 2 sts 5tr in ch 1 sp of prev row skp 2 sts *sc in next st skp 2 sts 5tr in next st skp 2 sts* *-* rep 3 times sc in last 4 sts (9 shells, 16 sc) (45tr, 16 sc)

Row 2 :

ch1,turn sc in first 3 sts hdc in 4th st (the last sc before shell st) *ch7 skp 5 sts hdc in sc between shells* *-*rep 3 times ch5 skp 2 sts hdc in top of shell ch5 skp 2 sts *hdc in sc between shells ch7 skp5sts* *-*rep 3 times hdc in the next st sc in last 3 sts (66chs, 11hdc, 6 sc)

Row 3 :

ch1, turn sc in next 4 sts *9sc in ch 7 sp sc in hdc between chs* *-* rep 3 times 5 sc in ch 5 sp sc in hdc at top of shell (50 sc) ch 90+1 (This is the neck strap ch more or less to get desired length) sc along chs (90scs) sl st into sc at base of ch 5 5sc in ch 5 sp *sc in hdc between chs 9sc in ch 7 sp* *-* rep 3 times sc in last 4 sts (49 sc, 1 sl st) (99 sc, 1 sl st and 90 sc for strap)

Info :

Fasten off and weave in ends.

— For Large Cup Base of cup :

Info :

Attach yarn in the 6th sc of the last row (see picture).

Row 1 :

sc along base ( including 6 sts either side from last row of the cup), spread sts evenly (43 sc) See picture above.

Row 2 :

ch 3, turn (doesn't count as a st) *FPtr around next st after ch ch 1, skp 1 st BPtr around next st ch1 , skp 1* *-*rep 9 times FPtr in last st (11 FPtr, 10 BPtr)

Info :

Fasten off weave in ends. Go to back tie section.

Info :

If you have made adapted the cups and therefore have a different st count, simply count back and st mark every 6th st from the ch 1 sp. This will allow you to calculate how many shells you need to do.

Info :

After you have done this count back 2 sts from the last st marker. This st is where you will need to sc to from the beginning of the row.

Info :

For example this cup will follow the same pattern as the small cup but with an extra 3 sc at each end of row.

— Back Tie :

Info :

Make a chain to your desired length of a back tie ( for reference for a 32" back I chained 250). Then simply sc along ch, fasten off and weave in ends. You can also use an old bikini back tie for this if you wish.

Info :

When finsished simply weave the back tie through the FPtr and BPtr at the base of cup. See pictures below.

Info :

Follow social and copyright notes as in the pattern source: You may sell finished products made with this pattern however please credit me as the designer, reference my shop entirelyemma and the pattern you have used. Do not alter, share or sell this pattern, it is for your personal use only.

Assembly Instructions

  • Weave the back tie through the front post treble (FPtr) and back post treble (BPtr) spaces at the base of the cup to secure the tie and adjust placement.
  • Position the two cups on the desired neckline spacing and align the base straps so they can be tied or joined by the back tie; weave ends and trim any excess yarn.
  • If adding swimwear fabric lining, cut fabric to the cup shape, baste or pin inside the cup, then hand stitch the lining to the cup edge with small, even stitches.
  • When using knitting-in elastic, fasten off at the indicated row, reattach yarn with elastic and work the remaining edging, ensuring the elastic sits inside the last row for a snug finish.

Important Notes

  • 💡Use stitch markers to mark the ch1 spaces and every 6th stitch to help place shells and keep track of repeats.
  • 💡Try the cups on or measure against the desired base width (Small 6.5", Medium 7.5", Large 8.5") before finalising edging and straps.
  • 💡Weave in ends securely and trim excess to prevent unraveling, especially if the bikini may be worn in water.

This Oceana Bikini Top Pattern gives you a flattering handmade swimwear staple that fits beautifully and makes a statement. Whether you customise the colours, add lining, or tweak the cup size, you can make a top that feels like it was made just for you. Have fun creating something wearable and unique — share your finished pieces and tag the designer for inspiration! 🧶👙

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FAQs

What size will the finished piece be?

The finished bikini top has three cup size options: Small (cup base ~6.5"/16.5cm), Medium (~7.5"/19cm) and Large (~8.5"/21.6cm). Strap lengths are adjustable to fit.

Can I use different yarn weights for this pattern?

Yes, you can use other yarn weights, but this will affect the final size and drape. Check gauge and adjust hook size and stitch counts to match the intended cup base measurements.

Do I need prior crochet experience for this pattern?

This pattern is rated intermediate — familiarity with hdc, shells, FPtr/BPtr and reading stitch counts is recommended for best results.

How long does this project typically take to complete?

Most crocheters finish the bikini top in about 5-7 hours depending on experience, size chosen and whether you add lining or elastic.

Can I wear this bikini in water?

Yes, but for water use its recommended to add knitting-in elastic to the last row for stability and/or line the cups with swimwear fabric for additional support and coverage.