Seashells Bikini Bottom

Last week, I posted the Bikini Top Pattern, which is part 1 of this 2-part summer pattern. The amount of love that this pattern has received has been overwhelming! I’ve received many lovely comments and email s about this pattern! Thank you so much, everyone!

So let’s talk about this pattern for a moment. The top was completed using standard crochet stitches, but the bottom uses Tunisian crochet stitches. Why??

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like the how visible your skin is when you crochet panties using standard crochet stitches. Regardless of how tiny a hook you use, you can always see through the stitching and have to sew on a liner if you want to keep your lady bits covered. I found that by using tightly crocheted Tunisian stitches, it not only diminished the space between the stitches, but also eliminated the need for a liner. So, that’s why I went with Tunisian crochet stitching for the Seashell Bikini bottom.

Now, yarn talk. I used Coboo yarn to complete this entire project. Coboo is a Lion Brand yarn that is a 50/50 cotton and bambo rayon blend. It is a great yarn to use for water wear patterns, such as swimwear, and is soft to the touch even after several washes (which is fantastic for garments that are worn over sensitive body parts). That’s my yarn preference, but you can use any yarn you want to create your bikini.

Last bit of info before we move on, color striping. As you saw in the tutorial (for those of you that have watched it), I showed you 2 different striping options for this pattern. Both of those stripe options are covered in the PDF pattern, so if you are interested in those, please consider purchasing the pattern.

You can find the PDF Pattern for the Seashell Bikini, below. This pattern comes with 3 PDFs:
1. Bra Liner
2. Seashell Bikini Top
3. Seashell Bikini Bottom

Also included are the stitch descriptions for the stitch abbreviations, as well as loads of photos, notes, and tips! You also get my never-ending gratitude for purchasing one of my patterns 🙂

What you’ll need:

Yarn: #3 DK Yarn. You can use as many colors as you want for this pattern. 

Hook: 4 mm, Tunisian Hook  

Additional materials: Scissors, 2 wooden rings, and yarn needle. Strip of Elastic, Pins or Safety Pins, and a Stitch/row counter, thread and a needle to sew the elastic to the bikini bottom  (optional).

Suggested ring size: ¾  inch in diameter (1.9 cm). 

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Sizing: Bespoke

To make it easier to take measurements and to try on the garment, grab a pair of comfortably-fitting underwear. Make sure they fit similarly to how you want the bikini bottom to fit when it is complete.

Materials: Pair of underwear, sheet of paper, ruler, pen/pencil. 

1. Lay the underwear on the sheet of paper, over a flat surface. 
2. Using the ruler, trace a line that follows the diagonal cut along  the back side of the leg opening, beginning at the crotch and bisecting the waistband.
3. Place the ruler, or measuring tape, along the waistband of the underwear.
4. Measure the space between the points where the diagonals of the leg opening, meet the waistband line. (As seen in the photo below) 

This will be your Waistband Measurement. 

This measurement will be wider than the waistband of the underwear. It needs to be wider in order to accommodate the decreases necessary to create the design and shape of the bikini bottom. 

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Abbreviations:

CH – Chain            SC –  Single Crochet                                  

DC – Double Crochet        SL – Slip Stitch

RP – Return Pass                             TS – Tunisian Simple Stitch 

Backside of Panty

Chain as many stitches as you need in order to complete a length that matches your Waistband measurement. 

Foundation Row: Cast on one stitch for every stitch of the chain.

Cast on: Insert your hook into the second stitch from your hook, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Leave the loop on your hook, and repeat with the remaining stitches of the chain. You will have the same number of loops on your hook as the number of stitches on your initial chain once you have cast on the full row.    

Complete a RP.

Row 1: Insert your hook into the front leg of the second and third vertical stitches of the row. Yarn over, pull through both of the vertical stitches, and cast on one loop. TS into every stitch of the row, until you reach the last two vertical stitches.

In the last two vertical stitches, insert your hook into the front leg of both the second-to-last, and last stitches. Yarn over, pull through both of the vertical stitches, and cast on one loop. 

Cast on one stitch in the final stitch of the row. 

Complete a RP. 

Repeat Row 1 until the width of your fabric measures approximately 2 inches (5 cm)

Gusset

Once your fabric reaches approximately 2 inches (5 cm) in width, complete the gusset. 

Row 1: TS into the second vertical stitch from your hook, and into every stitch of the row. Cast on into the final stitch. 

Complete a RP. 

Repeat Row 1 until your gusset length measures approximately 6 inches. 

Try the garment on at this point.  Make sure the length of the fabric covers your bottom, and that the gusset is long enough to reach the front side of the panty. If it is too long, pull out as many rows as you need. Add rows, if the gusset is too short.

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Front Side of the Panty

Row 1: Insert your hook into the stitch between the first and second vertical stitch (it’s the stitch that looks like a chain between the vertical stitches). Yarn over, and pull up a loop. Leave this loop on your hook (this is an increase). 

TS into every stitch of the row, beginning from the second vertical stitch. Stop after casting on into the last vertical stitch. 

Increase between the last vertical stitch and the final stitch of the row. 

Cast on into the final stitch of the row. 

Complete a RP. 

Repeat Row 1 until this section of the pattern measures approximately 6 inches ( 15 cm) in length. 

Try the garment on.  Make sure the length of the fabric covers your bottom, that the gusset is long enough to reach the front side of the panty, and that the front side of the fabric covers the front part of your body. 

Add or subtract rows as needed to ensure the panty fits your at a comfortable height. Once you reach the length you want, complete a bind off. 

Bind off: TS into the second vertical stitch of the row. Once you have two loops on your hook,  yarn over and pull through the 2 loops (like you would to close a SC). You should be left with just one loop on your hook. 

Repeat with every vertical stitch of the row. SC into the final stitch of the row, then cut your yarn, and weave in any tail ends. 

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Shells Side Border

Complete the shell border along the left side of the panty, then cut your yarn, weave in ends, and repeat the border along the right side of the panty. 

Insert your hook into the first stitch along the left side of the panty, yarn over, and pull up a loop. CH 1. 

Row 1: Beginning in the second stitch of the row, SC into every stitch. 

Row 2: CH 1, and turn your work around. Beginning in the first stitch of the row, SC into every stitch. 

Row 3 (Shell row): CH 1, turn your work around. Skip the first stitch, then DC 5 into the next stitch. Skip the third stitch. SC in the fourth stitch. SC in the fifth stitch. Skip the sixth stitch. Repeat the Shell Pattern until you reach the gusset. 

Shell Pattern: DC 5 into the next stitch. Skip one stitch. SC in the following stitch. SC in the next stitch. Skip one stitch. 

At the Gusset: SC into every stitch along the gusset. Once you reach the increases (for either the front or back side of the panty) resume the Shell Pattern until you complete the row. 

Once you complete the row, cut your yarn, weave in all tail ends, and repeat this section along the right side of the panty. 

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Front Waistband

Insert your hook into the first stitch along the front waistline of the panty. Yarn over, and pull up a loop, then CH 1. 

Row 1:  Beginning in the first stitch of the row, SC into every stitch along the top side of the waistband.

Row 2: CH 1, and turn your work around. Beginning in the first stitch of the row, SC into every stitch. 

Repeat Row 2, three more times, so that you end up with a total of 5 rows of SC. Cut a long tail and of yarn, and sew on the wooden rings. 

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Sewing the Rings

Hold the wooden ring along the edge of one side of the waistband.

Sew through the fabric and into the center of the ring. Repeat until you have securely sewn the ring onto the waistband. 

Remember that the wooden ring is what will fasten the bikini bottom to the tie (and will hold the garment up), so be sure to sew through both the ring and the fabric as many times as possible. 

Knot the yarn, and weave in the remaining tail end.  Repeat with the second wooden ring. 

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Back Waistband

Chain 50. 

Insert your hook into the first stitch along the back waistline of the panty. Yarn over, and pull up a loop, then CH 1.

Row 1:  Beginning in the first stitch of the row, SC into every stitch along the top side of the waistband.

After the last SC, CH 50. 

Row 2: CH 1, and turn your work around. Beginning in the second stitch of the chain, SC into every stitch along both of the chain lengths, and the top of the waistband.

Row 3: CH 1, and turn your work around. Beginning in the first stitch of the row, SC into every stitch of the waistband and ties. 

Repeat Row 3, two more times, so that you end up with a total of 5 rows of SC. Once you finish Row 5, cut your yarn and weave in any tail ends. 

Sewing the Elastic (optional)
This part of the pattern is entirely optional. I added this section to the pattern because sewing on a strip of elastic to the bikini bottom makes the garment more form-fitting, and keeps the fabric close to the skin (this is especially helpful when the fabric is wet). 

Measure a strip of elastic that spans from the bottom of the back waistband to the front of the gusset, and cut it so that it is about 2 inches (5 cm) shorter than your measurement. 

Pin the elastic tightly along the border of the bikini bottom. You will need to stretch the elastic as you pin so that it extends from the bottom of the waistband to the front of the gusset. 

Repeat on the other side of the bikini bottom. 

Sew the elastic onto the garment by hand or using a sewing machine (if you have one). 

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For questions or comments on this pattern, please contact Atenas at: atenas@modebespoke.com

Disclosures & Copyright

The photos and content on this pattern belong to Mode Bespoke, unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.

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