Rainbow Beach Crochet Coverup
It had been a while since Jason and I went on a tropical vacation. So when we were invited to travel with my sister, her partner, and a group of friends to Barbados we jumped at the chance.
Heck yes, we wanted to be in warm, delicious weather with turquoise waters and pink sand beaches!
Not to mention the food. THE FOOD. I cannot think of a single bad meal I ate in Barbados. Everything was heavenly. The food, the drinks, the chill vibes. Just amazing.
But, before even deciding what I would pack for our trip, I knew I had to crochet something and it would absolutely have to be a crochet beach coverup.
Rainbow Crochet Beach Coverup
Materials
Aunt Lydia’s crochet thread size 10, approximately 255 grams or about 4 spools of thread
3.50mm crochet hook
Small yarn needle
Stitch marker
Scissors
Measuring tape
Notebook or note app to take down your measurements
Abbreviations (US Terminology)
ch - chain
st - stitch(es)
dc - double crochet
fdc -foundation double crochet
sk - skip
rep - repeat
Designing the Beach Coverup
I wanted a loose-fitting robe-like beach coverup I could wrap around and close with buttons down the side. I designed this pattern to be flowy, comfortable, and easy to crochet. There is no shaping involved and the entire garment is a rectangle with splits for armholes.
Measuring
Adjust the sizing to your measurements but for reference, I’m about 5’6” tall and the widest part around my hips is 40”. The beach coverup fits from my shoulder to just below my knees.
Here are the measurements for my finished beach coverup:
The back panel is approximately 22” across.
The front top panel is approximately 18” across.
The front under panel is approximately 10” across.
Each underarm section is approximately 1” across.
The final size of the coverup is approximately 37” from shoulder to hem and approximately 52” across.
Pattern Notes
The pattern is worked using filet crochet, which uses multiples of 3 + 1.
The starting chain does not count as a stitch.
The pattern begins with the front top panel working lengthwise from shoulder to hem.
When completing the last row before starting the first armhole, end the row on the bottom hem in order to work back up toward the underarm. Or, if you end your last row on the shoulder hem then pick up a stitch where you want the underarm section to start.
Work two short rows to create the side underarm sections.
To return to long rows, make the number of chains needed to meet the number of stitches required for the entire length of the coverup.
Total Number of Rows: 142
I used multiple colors because I am challenging myself to use yarn and thread from my existing yarn stash before I buy any more yarn but you can create this coverup in a solid color if you prefer.
Alternatively, you can simply crochet three separate rectangles and sew them together at the shoulders and side seams.
Top Front Panel
Row 1: I’m starting with fdc of 240 sts. This would translate to 243 chains followed by a dc in the 4 ch from hook.
Row 2: ch 2, dc in the first 2 sts, * ch 2, sk 2, dc in next st, rep from * end with ch 2, sk 2, dc in last 2 sts, turn (78 filet crochet spaces)
Repeat Row 2 until you are ready to split for the armhole (ie. 18”/48 rows).
Armhole #1
Determine where you want the underarm to start and place a marker. For this coverup, I placed a stitch marker approximately 25 inches, or 56 stitches from the shoulder hem. I then picked up a stitch in the chain before the marked stitch and worked in the established pattern.
Turn your work and work back toward the top. You now have two short rows for the underarm section.
Back Panel
Filet crochet across to the end of the row, then chain to reach the total length of the coverup. In my case, after completing the 56 stitches from the short row, I chained 73, then double crochet into the 3rd chain from the hook and continued in the established pattern.
Note: Since the short row included the two double crochet stitches at the beginning and end of the row, I skipped one of the two double crochet stitches and continued to the next stitch (as pictured below).
For the back, I worked a total of 63 rows before creating the second armhole.
Armhole #2
Repeat the same steps as the first Armhole.
Front Under Panel
Repeat the same steps as the Back Panel to return to long rows.
For the under panel, I worked a total of 27 rows.
Panel Border
To add a border I worked two double crochets into each chain space and a double crochet stitch into each double crochet across. Since the first front panel started with foundation double crochet I did not need to add a border to that panel.
Cut the yarn and weave in the ends.
Assembling the Beach Coverup
To finish constructing the coverup, I lined up the front panel armhole edges with the back panel armhole edges and used an embroidery needle to sew the shoulder seams together. With the front under panel I sewed the width of the panel, while with the top panel I sewed approximately 9” across from the armhole edge. This would allow me to have an opening for the coverup.
Select buttons that fit through the filet crochet stitches as these will serve as your buttonholes.
Sew the buttons to the front under panel, evenly spaced apart. I used 8 buttons and left about 2” between the buttons.
And this crochet beach coverup is complete! Show off your new coverup at the beach or pool or use it as everyday wear with a tank top and leggings underneath.
If you make this rainbow crochet beach coverup I would love to see your creation, just tag me on Instagram @popsdemilk_crochet
Looking for more crochet tops? Check these out:
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This pattern is for personal use only. The pattern and its photos may not be reproduced, distributed or resold, translated, published, altered, shared or posted in any way over the internet or offline.
You may sell finished items made from this pattern as long as it is handmade by you, not mass produced, giving the credit to Pops de Milk / Patricia Castillo as the designer. If you have any questions, you can email me at patricia@popsdemilk.com