Bathing Suit--2 piece, size medium (8-12) depending on yarn used and amount of coverage provided

Materials used: 60 slot cylinder, worsted acrylic yarn in main color and contrasting color for dots, but can be made in one color or painted yarns.  To adapt pattern to other cylinders, determine how many stitches you can use which will allow reversing at the back of the cylinder.  On the 60 slot, it was 42.  You will need to experiment with your yarn to decide how many decreases you will need to get the shaping you want.  It is suggested making a portion on a 60 slot cylinder first in order to get the overall plan of the parts and shaping.  Sewing of four seams about 6" long is required for the bottom section.  All knitting is done on the machine, including I cord.  You will have lots of ends to work back in if you cut your yarn frequently.  Once the initial row of dots is done, I suggest using manual passage of the yarns to make dots since a long tail of yarn can be left hanging down inside the cylinder to omit cutting; pass it up to the next row of dots using one tail on each side of the bra piece.  If you do not use your heel spring, remember to pull your yarn flush with the side of your piece on each pass.  On thick yarns, it is easier to knit without the heel spring.  I did not use it for the bottom half, but I did for the bra top.  If using patterned yarn, skip pattern section describing dots as they do not alter the total number of rows knitted.

Part A: same for all pieces: (best done with heel spring in use)

Using 42 needles (or number specified per pattern section), get mesh going with scrap yarn, then attach good yarn beginning left to right.

Knit 8 rows back and forth.

Move every other stitch to next door needle across cylinder.

Knit one row, checking to make sure a stitch is formed on each empty needle.

Knit total of 8 rows; rehanging row one on row eight.

Knit 2 rows finishing on left side of machine ready to go to the right.

Attach contrasting yarn for dots.  (This can be done manually without cutting your main yarn; the method to do it using machine knitted stitches follows.)

Lift first two needles and then leave next two needles down all across cylinder.

Knit across and back from either direction using contrasting yarn.  Reattach main yarn.  Put all needles back into work.  Knit 2 rows in main color.

Center front or bottom:

Continue from end of part A so you have a total of 24 rows after the dots.

Move first and last stitch over to next door needle and remove outer two needles on EVERY pass until you have 22 remaining in work.  Knit 10 rows on 22 which forms the front crotch.  (For a higher bikini style, you may want to make the crotch longer by a few rows or decrease on one side at a time instead of both.)  Leaving a tail for joining to other crotch piece, knit off on scrap yarn and set aside.

Front sides (will require 2 triangles):

Using 22 needles and the same method as part A until you have the final two rows after the dots knitted.  On EACH following row, decrease by one needle on the RIGHT edge only.  The piece thus formed will be straight on the left side and angular on the right.  Keep eliminating a right side needle on every row until the last needle and pass the end of the yarn through the last stitch.  Set aside.

Replace 22 needles and repeat for other side of front.  On that piece, leave needles in place on the right side and remove from the LEFT only (on every row) so it is a mirror of above piece.

Sew along the straight edge on each side of the front piece to the point where the piece begins to angle, thus enlarging the front for full coverage.  Work in ends.

Center back (butt piece):

Continue from end of part A so you have 48 rows after the dots.  Decrease by one needle on each side of subsequent rows until you have 24 needles remaining in work.  Knit 10 rows.  Decrease one on each edge again.  Knit 4 rows.  Leave a short tail and knit off on scrap yarn.

Kitchener stitch crotch pieces together.

Back sides:

Using 22 needles, knit as in part A.  Decrease at LEADING EDGE (not both sides) on RIGHT side every row  until you are down to last needle.  Do not decrease on return row or left edge.  Run yarn tail through last stitch.  This triangle will be twice as long as the front ones were.  Sew straight edge to side of back piece ending with the last stitch coming in line with the first decrease where you knitted 48 straight rows.  Work in ends.

Knit a corresponding triangle for the other side, reversing the shaping by removing needles only on the leading edge from the left side rather than the right.  Sew to back piece.  Work in ends.

Ties:

Using 3 needles, knit 200 rounds of I cord in each color.  Repeat so you have one set for the front and one for the back.  Thread through top hem, tie in a bow.  While set up for I cord, knit two more that are 175-200 rounds (one in each color) to be used for the bottom edge of the bra section.  You could make these extra-long and simply unravel back to desired length if you don't want to count or if your yarns are different sizes, thus coming out uneven by count.
Work in end pieces of yarn. 

Bra section (cups, knit two):

Knit section A.  Raise 2 needles; knit to right.  Raise 2 needles; knit to left.

Raise 1 needle at leading edge and knit across; repeat total of 20 times ending on left side of cylinder.  Push down the needles on the right side that are up; knit across.  Push down remaining needles (on the left); knit across.  *Starting on the two needles after the end three, work two stitches of contrasting yarn, skip two, work two more in contrasting yarn.  Reverse and knit those two pairs again to form side dots.  Repeat at other end of piece. Pull end stitch over next door needle on each end and remove those two needles.  Knit over and back.  Repeat * five times removing needles as you go.  If you lose track, count the needles you have removed as you will have a little pile of ten.

#Pull up 3 needles, then alternate 2 down and 2 up across cylinder leaving last 3 up, thus forming SIX dots.  Knit over and back in contrast yarn.

Knit across in main yarn; decrease one on each side for return pass.

Repeat from # with the next section forming FIVE dots.  Repeat from # with the next section forming FOUR dots.  Repeat from # with next section forming THREE.  Repeat from # with next section forming TWO dots.  Repeat from # with last forming of ONE dot.  Knit two rows on the six remaining needles.  Remove three stitches onto a safety pin and drop down inside cylinder out of your way.  Remove those 3 needles.  Knit I cord on 3 needles to suitable length for straps (about 75 rounds).  Using contrast yarn, rehang the 3 stitches from the safety pin and knit on 3 needles to same length as other cord.  Repeat whole thing for other side of bra top.  Work in end yarns.  Thread double I cord (one in main color and one in contrasting color) through bottom hem of bra top.  It can be threaded to tie in front or in back.  (I prefer front for easy adjustment and so as not to lie on a lump if sunning.)

If you wish to line the crotch area of your suit, use the bottom as a "pattern" and trace onto lining fabric leaving 1/2" to turn back.  Stitch in place with a running stitch.  You may also want to put elastic along the edges of the legs if you feel it is needed.  Suit can be knitted without dots of course using same shaping pattern.  Add any trims to individualize your item.