"Queenie Bikini" - Accessory Crochet Pattern For Women in Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK - COT-CRO-WOM-002

Queenie Bikini Crochet Pattern – Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK Swimwear in Three Colourway Options

The Queenie Bikini is a women's crochet bikini pattern (pattern code COT-CRO-WOM-002) designed and published by Paintbox Yarns. It is a free downloadable PDF pattern rated at intermediate difficulty, making it an ideal project for crocheters who are comfortable with basic stitches and ready to explore simple lace construction and garment shaping. The pattern covers four bust sizes — 81 cm (32 in), 86 cm (34 in), 91 cm (36 in), and 97 cm (38 in) — making it accessible to a range of body types.

What Is Being Made

The Queenie Bikini is a crocheted two-piece swimwear accessory for women. The pattern offers three distinct colourway versions of the same bikini design, allowing crafters to personalise their finished piece with one, two, or three colours of yarn. Each version uses the same construction method but creates a strikingly different visual result depending on the colour combination chosen.

• Plain Bikini: A single-colour version worked entirely in Champagne White, using 4 × 50g balls of Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK. This clean, classic colourway gives the bikini an elegant, minimalist look.
• Two Colour Bikini: Combines Marine Blue (Colour A) and Kingfisher Blue (Colour B), using 2 × 50g balls of each shade. The tonal pairing of these two blues creates a sophisticated nautical feel.
• Three Colour Bikini (as seen on the pattern cover): Uses Bright Peach (Colour A), Daffodil Yellow (Colour B), and Midnight Blue (Colour C), with 2 × 50g balls of each colour. This vibrant, summery palette is the most eye-catching of the three options and is the version featured on the cover of the pattern.

Materials Required

Yarn

All three versions of the Queenie Bikini are worked in Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK, a DK weight (double knitting) yarn. As the name suggests, this yarn is made from cotton, which makes it particularly well suited to swimwear and warm-weather accessories. Cotton yarn is naturally breathable, holds its shape well when wet, and has a smooth, crisp stitch definition that is ideal for lace crochet work. Paintbox Yarns strongly advises using the recommended yarn, as the pattern's fit and yarn quantities are calculated specifically for Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK, and results cannot be guaranteed with a substitute fibre.

Hook

A 3½mm crochet hook (UK size 9, US size E4) is required for all versions of the bikini. Crocheters should always swatch before beginning to ensure they are working to the correct tension, as an incorrect hook size will affect the finished measurements and fit of the garment.

Tension (Gauge)

The stated tension for the Queenie Bikini is 18 stitches and 21 rows to 10 cm (4 in), measured over double crochet fabric using a 3½mm hook. Checking tension before starting is described in the pattern as vitally important, since working at the wrong tension will directly affect whether the bikini fits as intended. Crocheters should adjust their hook size up or down as needed to achieve the correct gauge.

Techniques Used

The Queenie Bikini is constructed using a combination of accessible intermediate-level crochet techniques:

• Worked Flat: The bikini pieces are crocheted flat, meaning they are worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round. This is a straightforward construction method that gives the crocheter full control over shaping and makes it easy to follow stitch counts row by row.
• Lace Crochet: Lace techniques are incorporated into