Mar
okay so you wanna make a crochet cover up
I made my first one summer 2022 when I was basically living at my friend’s pool and got tired of wearing the same ratty t-shirt over my swimsuit. Like I just started with a basic rectangular shawl pattern but made it longer and honestly it worked out better than expected.
The easiest way to start is with a simple rectangular design because you don’t have to worry about shaping or armholes or any of that stuff. You literally just chain however wide you want it, then work rows back and forth until it’s long enough to wrap around you. I used Red Heart Super Saver in that seafoam color because it was cheap and I wasn’t sure if I’d actually finish it. The cotton blends are better for beach stuff though because acrylic can get kinda hot and sticky when you’re already sweaty from the sun.
picking your yarn and hook size
So for cover ups you want something lightweight and breathable. Lily Sugar n Cream is good if you want cotton and it comes in a million colors. I’ve also used Caron Simply Soft but again that’s acrylic so it’s not my first choice for summer. The lace weight yarns make really pretty delicate cover ups but they take forever and honestly who has that kind of patience when you just wanna get to the pool.
Hook size depends on the yarn but also on how see-through you want it. Bigger hook with thinner yarn gives you a really open lacey look. Smaller hook makes it more solid. I usually go one or two sizes bigger than what the yarn label says because I like the drapey look and also it works up faster that way.
the basic rectangle wrap thing
This is gonna be your easiest option and you can literally make it in like two evenings if you’re not doing anything else. Well maybe three if you’re watching something distracting on TV. I made one while binging that show about the chess player and kept losing count of my stitches.
Chain about 60 inches or however wide you want it when it’s wrapped around you. You can measure by holding the chain around your back and seeing if it covers what you want covered. Then just do rows of double crochet back and forth. That’s it. Double crochet is faster than single crochet and it has a nice open texture that’s good for swimsuit cover ups.
You can do all double crochet or throw in some shell stitches every few rows if you want it fancier. Shell stitch is just like (dc, ch1, dc, ch1, dc) all in the same stitch and it makes a cute scalloped pattern. Skip a few stitches between each shell so it lays flat.
Work until it’s long enough to wrap around you the way you want. Mine ended up being about 30 inches from top to bottom which hit me mid-thigh. Weave in your ends and you’re done. You can add fringe to the ends if you want but I never do because it seems like it would get tangled in everything.
the kimono style one that’s slightly more work
Summer 2024 I made a kimono style one because I saw someone wearing one at the beach and it looked really easy to throw on. It’s basically just a big rectangle that you fold and sew partway up the sides for armholes.
Chain about 80 inches which sounds huge but trust me it needs to be wide. Work in double crochet or your favorite stitch for about 25-30 inches. The width becomes the length when you fold it so think about how long you want the kimono to be.
When you’re done fold it in half widthwise. The fold is the shoulder line. Now measure down about 8-10 inches from the fold on each side and sew or single crochet the sides together from that point down to the bottom edge. Those openings you left are the armholes. The middle section that’s not sewn is where your body goes and the front panels hang open like a cardigan.
You can add a tie belt if you want it to close in front. Just chain a long piece and weave it through some stitches at the waist or sew it on. I used Bernat Handicrafter Cotton for mine and it was actually really nice, held up well to getting wet and sandy and thrown in my beach bag.
the annoying part nobody tells you about
Okay so the thing that really annoyed me about making cover ups is that cotton yarn gets SO HEAVY when you’re working with a big project. Like your arms get tired holding it and it’s awkward to crochet when there’s three feet of fabric bunched up on your lap. I had to take breaks every twenty minutes or my shoulders would start hurting. Also cotton doesn’t have the same stretch as acrylic so if your tension is inconsistent it shows way more.
And blocking. You gotta block cotton or it looks lumpy and weird. I just pin mine out on those foam floor mats and spray it with water then let it dry but it’s an extra step that’s easy to forget about.
the poncho style that’s even easier somehow
This one is almost stupid simple. Make two rectangles the same size, like 20 inches by 30 inches or whatever. Lay them on top of each other and sew them together across the top for about 8 inches in the center. That’s your neck opening. The rest of the top edges stay open for your arms. That’s literally it you have a poncho.
You can make it more interesting by using a variegated yarn. I used some Lion Brand Mandala yarn in the Sprite colorway and it made cool stripes without me having to think about color changes. The weight of that yarn is perfect for cover ups too, not too thick but still has good coverage.
the circle vest thing
I saw this pattern idea online and tried it spring 2023 when I was avoiding doing my taxes. You basically crochet a big circle, like 40-50 inches in diameter. Then you cut a neck hole in the middle… okay not cut because that would unravel everything, but you plan for a neck opening when you’re making it.
Actually you start with a small circle for the neck, maybe 10 inches across. Then you increase a lot to make the circle get bigger fast. The neck opening goes over your head and the circle drapes down around you like a poncho but it’s open on the sides. You can add ties or buttons on the sides if you want it to stay closed but I just let mine hang loose.
The increasing gets confusing if you’re not used to working in the round. Basically every round you need to add stitches evenly spaced or it will ruffle. For double crochet you usually increase 12 stitches per round but honestly I just eyeball it and add increases wherever it starts to cup instead of laying flat.
edging and finishing details
Most of my cover ups I just leave the edges as-is because I’m lazy but if you want them to look more finished you can add a border. Single crochet around all the edges makes them neat. Or do a round of single crochet then a round of reverse single crochet which is also called crab stitch and it makes a nice twisted edge.
Shell stitch edging looks fancy and isn’t hard. Just work (skip 2 stitches, 5 dc in next stitch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch in next stitch) all the way around. It makes scallops.
My cat kept trying to lay on my work while I was doing edging on one of these and getting her fur stuck in the stitches which was super annoying.
the mesh beach dress that takes patience
If you want something more fitted and dress-like you can make a simple shift dress shape. This takes longer because you have to do some basic shaping but it’s not complicated.
Start with a chain that fits around your bust measurement plus a few inches for ease. Join it into a circle and work in the round. Use a mesh stitch pattern so it’s see-through and beach appropriate. The basic mesh is (ch3, skip 2 stitches, dc in next stitch) repeated around. Or do (ch1, skip 1, dc) for smaller holes.
Work straight for a few inches then start increasing gradually for the hips if you want it to fit that way. Or just make it straight all the way down like a tube dress. Add straps by chaining up from the top edge and attaching them where you want them on your shoulders. I’ve never actually finished one of these because I got bored halfway through but the concept is solid.
yarn quantities and planning
For a basic rectangular wrap you probably need 3-5 skeins of worsted weight yarn depending how big you make it. The kimono style takes more like 5-7 skeins because it’s wider. I always buy extra because running out of yarn when you’re almost done is the worst and trying to match dye lots later is impossible.
Cotton is more expensive than acrylic but it’s worth it for beach stuff. You can find Lily Sugar n Cream on sale pretty often. I stock up when it’s like 2 for $5 or whatever. The Peaches and Cream brand is the same thing basically just different label.
For a lighter weight cover up use sport or DK weight yarn and go up a hook size. You’ll need more yardage but the skeins usually have more yardage anyway so it evens out kinda.
random tips that help
Make a gauge swatch if you’re trying to match specific measurements but honestly for cover ups I never do because it doesn’t have to fit exactly. Too big is better than too small anyway.
Cotton tends to grow a bit when you wash it so don’t make it super long thinking it will shrink because it won’t.
If you’re making something with a lot of chain spaces be careful when you’re putting it on over wet hair because it catches everything. Ask me how I know.
White and light colors show through less when they’re wet. Dark colors can get kinda see-through when soaked which defeats the purpose of a cover up. I learned this the hard way with a navy blue one that looked fine dry but got pretty transparent when wet.
what to do when you mess up
If you lose count of your stitches just fudge it and add or skip one. In an open lacey pattern nobody will notice a missing stitch here or there. If you’re doing something with a specific repeat pattern then yeah you gotta keep count but for basic stuff just keep going.
If your edges are wavy you increased too much. If they’re cupping inward you didn’t increase enough. You can block it out but it’s better to fix it as you go by adjusting your increases.
Cotton doesn’t really frog well if you have to rip back because it gets fuzzy and the stitches don’t look as neat when you rework them. Try not to mess up too badly or just embrace the wonky bits as character.
alternatives to full patterns
Honestly you can just grab any rectangular shawl pattern and make it bigger for a cover up. Or take a granny square pattern and make one giant granny square then add straps. I’ve seen people make cover ups from hexagons joined together or even just a bunch of motifs connected with chain spaces between them.
The V-stitch makes a good quick cover up pattern too. That’s just (dc, ch1, dc) in the same stitch then skip one stitch and repeat. It makes a nice texture and works up fast and has decent coverage but still looks beachy.
Some people get really into following specific patterns but I usually just start with a basic shape and make adjustments as I go based on how it’s looking. Like if it seems too short I add more rows, if it’s not wide enough I add more stitches on the next row. That probably drives people who like precise patterns crazy but whatever it works for me.
