How to Make a Bikini Top. Pattern and Tutorial

Today I want to show you how to make a bikini top with our sewing pattern. Just choose your size, print, and follow the sewing tutorial.

With this bikini top, you will be ready to rock all your pool parties and those amazing holidays by the beach. 

Join me to make the first of many triangle bikini tops on your swimsuit collection.

In this post, I am going to teach you how to sew a bikini top pattern called My Golden Bikini Top. 

This is a basic but beautiful necessity in all the summer wardrobes.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many of these triangle bikini tops I already have. Just for the simple reason that they are too easy and quick to sew from start to finish.

Now I can make them under an hour. Maybe an hour and a half counting the fabric prep and cutting the pattern…

And I keep making them every time I have a new trip or pool party. 

They are just so simple to make that I just have to do it. 

Plus, you can customize them any way you like! 

How to Make a Simple Bikini with Ruffle Trimming.

Take this white bikini ruffle top for example. Is the same base as the bikini top of this tutorial but just before I added the lining, I decided to customize it by sewing on top of it, several layers of gathered strips of the same fabric.

It’s a super easy hack that made it look completely different and super stylish. And you can do the same with your own designs.

Maybe print with fabric paint and stamps, add appliques or even some beads.

Either way,  you can have a lot of different designs with just this one pattern.

The thing I like the most about this pattern is that you don’t absolutely need a Serger to sew it. 

You can use a zigzag stitch and get the same beautiful results. 

Using your sewing machine to sew knits is very easy. 

If, you need more information about this you can read our 20 knit fabric tutorials post that will tell you all you need to know.

How do you make a bikini top without sewing?

The first step is to download the Golden Bikini Pattern at the end of this post. Print on the page size you have at home(letter or A4) or go to your nearest printer and ask them to print the A0 size. 

This triangle bikini pattern PDF comes in sizes from 2 to 20 and you can download it and assemble it from the commodity of your own home. 

Once you have printed and assembled your pattern, select your size and cut your fabric.

Then Follow this easy step-by-step sewing tutorial.

The thing I like the most about this pattern is that you don’t necessarily need a Serger to sew it. 

Heck, you don’t even need a sewing machine if you don’t have one.

Get some iron hem tape and use it when the sewing tutorials ask for seams. Although this method is perfectly possible. I do recommend securing it with a hand stitch to make it more durable.

But if you do have a sewing machine then instead of using the overlock seam…

How much fabric do you need for a bikini?

The best fabric for this pattern is swimwear fabric or Lycra, a swimwear lining (they come in black, white, and beige colors), foam cups, 1 yard of a ⅜” wide elastic, and a Serger or a sewing machine.

How to make a bikini top pattern?

Now you can get the printable instructions too! Get them at the bottom of the post.

How to Sew a Bikini Top Tutorial Step by Step.

1. Cut your fabric

Fold your fabric in half and cut two layers of the triangle top and the straps. 

Cut two extra layers of the lining. 

If you are going to use removable cups, cut a corner of the lining hem in the center of both pieces.

2. Serge the lining

This step is for the ones that choose to make the removable cup version of this bikini top. 

Serge the opening corners of the lining. 

You can also make a zigzag stitch here. 

Then pin your lining to the wrong side of the fabric of the main pieces.

3. Attach elastic to the sides

Serge or zigzag a ⅜” wide elastic on both sides of the triangle top. 

Make sure you are grabbing both layers of swimsuit fabric and lining.

You can stretch the elastic as you sew it a little bit for a better final fitting.

3. Close the straps

Using your serger or a zigzag stitch close the straps by folding them in half vertically. 

Fix your settings to take only ¼” from the raw edges. 

Then with the help of a loop turner, turn all the straps inside out. 

If you like, you can give them a little press, but it is not that necessary.

5. Attach the straps.

Fold ¼” of the triangle top and pin just on the center of it the straps for the neck.

Repeat with the other piece.

Cover the strap with the elastic sides of the bikini top one over the other.

Make a hand-basting stitch so they keep it in its place.

And then, fold and pin the elastic sides to the wrong side of the fabric and make a zig-zag stitch from the top of the triangle to the bottom to secure the elastics in place.

6. Sew the hem.

Fold the bottom hem of the top by ½” and sew it with a straight line. 

If you are having problems with your stitches of the knit fabric check out the tutorial on how to sew knit fabric without puckering on a home sewing machine.

7. Insert the chest strap.

With the help of a loop-turner insert the chest strap through both of the hems of your bikini top pattern and make knots at the end of each side of the strap.

8. Insert the foam cups.

At this point, you can insert the foam cups if you like through the corner hole we left on each center of the triangle top.

And voila!! There you have it! As easy as pie!

Triangle Bikini Top Pattern. Instant Download.

To download our bikini top pattern in all the sizes available go to the page of the Golden Bikini Top Pattern at our shop.

I am sure you are going to love this bikini top pattern and tutorial as much as my family and I did. (When I saw how fast I could do’em I just went crazy making a lot of them for my mother and my sister).

I hope you enjoyed this pattern. Please let me know everything about it in the comments and don’t forget to share your pictures on your social media.

Happy Sewing!!

Don’t forget to tag me on the pictures of your projects, I love to see your amazing creations and meet sewing folks like me!

How to make a Bikini Top

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Intermediate

How to make a Bikini Top Sewing Pattern following this easy step-by-step sewing tutorial.

Print

Materials

• Golden Bikini Top Sewing Pattern
• Swimmwear Fabric
• Foam Cups
• 3/8" braided elastic
• Thread

Tools

• Sewing Macine
• Serger
• Sewing Scissors
• Sewing Pins or Clips

Instructions

1. Cut your fabric

Fold the fabric in half and cut two layers of triangle top and straps and two layers of lining.

2. Serge the lining

Serge the open corners of the siding, then pin the lining to the wrong side of the fabric of the main pieces.

3. Attach elastic to the sides

Serge or zigzag a ⅜” wide elastic on both sides of the top of the triangle.

4. Close the straps

Using your serger, close the straps by folding them in half vertically, arrange your setup to take only ¼” of the raw edges, then turn all straps inside out.

5. Attach the straps.

Fold ¼” from the top of the triangle and pin, through the bikini top, cover the strap with the elastic sides, hand basting stitch to hold them in place, and then, fold and zig-zag stitch from top to bottom to secure the elastics.

6. Sew the hem.

Fold the bottom hem of the top by ½” and sew it with a straight line.

7. Insert the chest strap.

With the help of a loop spinner, insert the chest strap through both hems and tie knots at the end of each side of the strap.

8. Insert foam cups.

At this point, you can insert the foam cups if you wish.

Notes

If you don't like foam cups you can skip the step where you cut an opening in the lining.