Free Crochet Pattern for the Easy, Breezy Swim Cover

***You can find the PDF version of this pattern in my shop by clicking HERE. Great for easy printing!***

Guys. It's almost pool season... And that makes me so happy!! There's nothing like a summer day spent in the pool, orrrrr even better at the beach (I wish-- Kansas is like the opposite of beach lol). So to celebrate this great warm season, I've got a cool and crazy-easy swimsuit cover for you in this post!

So when I say easy, I mean e a s y. This design is similar to the Cross My Heart Sweater-- which was worked in one piece. There are zero increases and decreases, so you're essentially just working one big rectangle with a hole in the middle. Score!

For this coverup, I thought it'd be cute to have an exaggerated hi-lo back, meaning the back side of the piece is longer--and I really love this detail. As far as sizes go, there are three sizes: s/m, l/xl, and plus size. This coverup is very forgiving, and is designed to be a bit oversized-- then when you cinch it up around the waist with your crocheted i-cord you get a more complete, cute look. 

Since this piece is so simple, it's incredibly easy to customize. You can make it shorter or longer depending on your height, or even add or take away rows if you'd like a customized size. You could even add some fringe or little tassels along the bottom for more of a "boho" feel. :) I hope you get to make one of these this summer, you'll be looking cyuuuutte in it, I'll tell ya that!!

Here's a fun and totally awkward pic of me holding the coverup before assembled. It's just one big rectangle-- taller than me!

What you'll need:

-worsted weight cotton yarn (see sizing for yardage, I used Hobby Lobby's I Love This Cotton! yarn in color "Warm Blush" *linked here*, this is a great yarn for this project, incredibly soft and lightweight)

-i hook (5.5 mm), or hook needed to obtain gauge

-yarn needle

-measuring tape

Sizing:

Pattern is written for three sizes (since it's so forgiving):

SMALL/MEDIUM

Approx. 44" bust, 29" front length, 35" back length, 850 yards of yarn

LARGE/XTRA LARGE

Approx. 50" bust, 30" front length, 36" back length, 950 yards of yarn

PLUS SIZE

Approx. 56" bust, 31" front length, 37" back length, 1050 yards of yarn

Gauge:

14 double crochet by 8 rows equals a four-inch square

Abbreviations:

ch=chain, st(s)=stitch(es), sc=single crochet, sk=skip, sp=space, dc=double crochet, dtr=double treble crochet (see below for how to), beg=beginning

Stitch Explanations:

double treble crochet: yarn over THREE times, insert hook in stitch, draw yarn back through, [yarn over and draw through 2 loops] 4 times **see a video and illustration HERE for added assistance

puff stitch: 1) yarn over, insert hook in the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn back through 2)Repeat the previous step three times- you will have nine loops on the hook. 3) Yarn over and pull through all nine loops

Notes:

-chains at the beginning of the rows do not count as stitches UNLESS noted in the pattern

-coverup is worked in one piece, from side to side as you create a neck hole in the middle

-the length of the coverup can be customized to your liking by adding or taking away stitches in multiples of two-- this will obviously change the stitch counts. I'm about 5'5 wearing a SMALL/MEDIUM, and the front hit me on my upper thigh and the back side just above the knee

-I would highly suggest checking gauge, especially if you're using a different yarn. I'd hate for you to work a whole garment only to find out you crochet differently than me!

-I worked stitches into the "ch 1" sp's, because it was faster, you could work either in the spaces or the stitches, whichever works!

-you may need to block or iron your coverup when done

***below are photos that are referenced to in the pattern:

Slideshow A:

Slideshow B:

Photo C:

***REVISED!** I changed the photo below on 6/21/18... I realized I pointed out the incorrect stitch to work the first sc into. I am so sorry for the trouble!!

Photo D:

Video E

Pattern:

SMALL/MEDIUM

Row 1) ch 221, sc in 2nd ch from and across row (220 total sts, and for the rest of rows)

Row 2) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] across row

Row 3) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Row 4) ch 5 (5th ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dtr, [ch 1, sk st, dtr] across row

Row 5) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 5th ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 6-7) Repeat rows 4-5

Rows 8-9) Repeat rows 2-3

Row 10) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, puff st, [ch 1, sk st, puff st] across row (you won't ch 1 at the end of the row) **see slideshow A in the notes section for visual assistance

Row 11) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, puff st into next "ch 1" sp, and across **see photo slideshow B in the notes section for where to work puff sts (last puff st is worked into the "ch 1" sp created by the 3rd beg ch from previous row, and don't ch 1 at the end of the row, just like in the previous row)

Row 12) ch 1, turn, sc across row **see Photo C in notes for where to work first sc (work last sc into 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 13-23) Repeat rows 2-12

Row 24) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] 54 times (55 total dc's worked so far), ch 39, sk 39 sts (making sure not to twist ch), dc, [ch 1, sk st, dc] across the remainder of the row (doing [ ] 35 times) **the neck hole will be closer to one side than the other

**just a tip: the second half of the coverup at this point is a mirror image of the first half you just worked. AKA you're working the first half of the coverup, backwards**

Row 25) ch 1, turn, sc across row-- working into the ch's that made the neck hole (work the last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 26-28) Repeat rows 10-12

Rows 29-39) Repeat rows 2-12

Rows 40-47) Repeat rows 2-9

-do not finish off, you are now going to work sc's along the side of your work to make the edge look neater (this will eventually be the bottom of your coverup).

Like Photo D explains in the notes section, you will work sc's along the side of your work from where you left off in row 47. Working the sc's into the very edge.

Once you're finished working sc's down the side, you will finish off. Then you will draw up your yarn on the other unworked side and work sc's all along that side too.

Finish off and weave in all ends.

For the belt/tie you will crochet an i-cord of 54 inches, view Video E in the notes section for how to make an i-cord.

At this point you are ready for assembly....

LARGE/X LARGE

Row 1) ch 229, sc in 2nd ch from and across row (228 total sts, and for the rest of rows)

Row 2) ch 5 (5th ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dtr, [ch 1, sk st, dtr] across row

Row 3) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 5th ch from beg of previous row)

Row 4) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] across row

Row 5) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 6-7) Repeat rows 2-3

Rows 8-9) Repeat rows 2-3

Rows 10-11) Repeat rows 4-5

Row 12) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, puff st, [ch 1, sk st, puff st] across row (you won't ch 1 at the end of the row) **see slideshow A in the notes section for visual assistance

Row 13) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, puff st into next "ch 1" sp, and across **see slideshow B in the notes section for where to work puff sts (last puff st is worked into the "ch 1" sp created by the 3rd beg ch from previous row, and don't ch 1 at the end of the row, just like in the previous row)

Row 14) ch 1, turn, sc across row **see Photo C in notes for where to work first sc

Rows 15-25) Repeat rows 4-14

Row 26) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] 55 times (56 total dc's worked so far), ch 43, sk 43 sts (making sure not to twist ch), dc, [ch 1, sk st, dc] across the remainder of the row (doing [ ] 36 times) **the neck hole will be closer to one side than the other

**just a tip: the second half of the coverup at this point is a mirror image of the first half you just worked. AKA  you're working the first half of the coverup, backwards**

Row 27) ch 1, turn, sc across row-- working into the ch's that made the neck hole (work the last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 28-30) Repeat rows 12-14

Rows 31-41) Repeat rows 4-14

Rows 42-49) Repeat rows 4-11

Rows 50-51) Repeat rows 2-3

-do not finish off, you are now going to work sc's along the side of your work to make the edge look neater (this will eventually be the bottom of your coverup).

Like Photo D explains in the notes section, you will work sc's along the side of your work from where you left off in row 51. Working the sc's into the very edge-- this is so your edge will have a nicer finish. 

Once you're finished working sc's down the side, you will finish off. Then you will draw up your yarn on the other unworked side and work sc's all along that side too.

Finish off and weave in all ends.

For the belt/tie you will crochet an i cord of 58 inches, view Video E in the notes section for how to make an i-cord.

At this point you are ready for assembly....

PLUS SIZE

Row 1) ch 237, sc in 2nd ch from and across row (236 total sts, and for the rest of rows)

Row 2) ch 5 (5th ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dtr, [ch 1, sk st, dtr] across row

Row 3) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 5th ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 4-5) Repeat rows 2-3

Row 6) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] across row

Row 7) ch 1, turn, sc across row (work last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 8-13) Repeat rows 2-7

Row 14)  ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, puff st, [ch 1, sk st, puff st] across row (you won't ch 1 at the end of the row) **see slideshow A in the notes section for visual assistance

Row 15) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as a "ch 1" sp), turn, puff st into next "ch 1" sp, and across **see slideshow B in the notes section for where to work puff sts (last puff st is worked into the "ch 1" sp created by the 3rd beg ch from previous row, and don't ch 1 at the end of the row, just like in the previous row)

Row 16) ch 1, turn, sc across row **see Photo C in notes for where to work first sc

Rows 17-27) Repeat rows 6-16

Row 28) ch 3 (3rd ch counts as "ch 1" sp), turn, sk first st, dc [ch 1, sk st, dc] 56 times (57 total dc's worked so far), ch 47, sk 47 sts (making sure not to twist ch), dc, [ch 1, sk st, dc] across the remainder of the row (doing [ ] 37 times) **the neck hole will be closer to one side than the other

Row 29) ch 1, turn, sc across row-- working into the ch's that made the neck hole (work the last sc into the 3rd ch from beg of previous row)

Rows 30-32) Repeat rows 14-16

Rows 33-43) Repeat rows 6-16

Rows 44-51) Repeat rows 6-13

Rows 52-55) Repeat rows 2-5

-do not finish off, you are now going to work sc's along the side of your work to make the edge look neater (this will eventually be the bottom of your coverup).

Like Photo D explains in the notes section, you will work sc's along the side of your work from where you left off in row 55. Working the sc's into the very edge.

Once you work sc's all the way across to the other side, you will finish off. Then you will draw up your yarn on the other unworked side and work sc's all along that side too.

Finish off and weave in all ends.

For the belt/tie you will crochet an i cord of 62 inches, view Video E in the notes section for how to make an i-cord.

At this point you are ready for assembly....

Assembly:

To begin your assembly, you will fold the piece in half, short sides together. You will make the back side of the coverup six inches longer than the front side (see photo above). You can tell the front and back sides of the coverup apart by how long of a distance there is between the neck and the bottom: the front side has a shorter distance than the back.  You could safety pin them together to secure if you'd prefer before sewing.

Now you are ready to sew the sides, grab your needle and long strand of yarn. Line your measuring tape up against the side of your folded coverup, just like in the photo above. The photo indicates where the different sizes will sew according to color... 

-for size S/M (RED): you will sew beginning 10 inches from the top of the coverup, and down 10 inches, AKA you are sewing from inches 10 to 20

-for size L/XL (BLUE): you will sew beginning 11 inches from the top of the coverup, and down 10 inches, AKA you are sewing from inches 11 to 21

-for size PLUS (GREEN): you will sew beginning 12 inches from the top of the coverup, and down 10 inches, AKA you are sewing from inches 12 to 22

Do this for both sides of the coverup..

After you're done sewing you'll just weave your i-cord belt in and out of the rows where the coverup hits the small of your waist-- I chose to weave it in about 6 inches from the bottom of the neck opening.

At this point you could either add fringe/tassels if your heart desired. And you may need to iron/block your piece for it to lay nice and flat. 

Had to get a pic with a cute baby and a popsicle!

And just like that, you've completed the cutest lil' swim coverup! What a easy and fun project for summer. If you make your own, you've GOTTA share a pic with me over on Instagram! I'd love to swoon over it :) Take care, and happy hookin'!

-Meg

Crochet Pattern + Tutorial for Crocheted Recipe Towels

I've always thought the towels I've seen online were so cool--the ones with recipes transferred onto them, and that they'd be a great Mother's Day gift one day. But then it dawned on me they'd make an AWESOME gift if I took it one step further and crocheted on the top of it. And even MORE awesome if I wrote a post/pattern on it! So that's what this post will cover... both how to transfer those favorite recipes to a flour sack towel, and how to crochet on the top of the them. With Mother's Day next weekend, this pattern would be the best last-minute DIY gift for good old mom. :)

This project does require a little stealthiness... you'll have to rummage through your mom's favorite recipe cards (I guess that's if you don't have your own copy, and as I was visiting my mom last month, I thought I'd see if I could find one of hers). She has this Sour Cream Banana Cake recipe I believe is from her mom, my grandma... and it is THE bomb. We'd always ask for that cake on our birthdays, and have it topped with cream cheese icing, oh man. Droolin'...

Someone suggested on Instagram that it would be cool to wrap the towel around a mason jar containing all the dry ingredients of the recipe-- which I thought was a great idea! 

For this post I'll start out with how to transfer the recipe onto the towel and then the pattern for the crocheted top will follow after that, towards the bottom. I hope you get to make one of these fun little towels!

What you'll need:

-handwritten recipe
-28" by 29" flour sack towels (I found mine at Walmart, these are also in craft stores in the embroidery section.)
-fabric transfer paper (It's important to use the "Light" kind, if you're transferring onto a white towel, I found mine at Walmart, Avery brand. You can also purchase on Amazon here)
-inkjet printer (laser printer will not work) & scanner
-computer, with photo editing program (I used Adobe Photoshop, which has a free trial version I believe, or you could use a free online program like Pixlr  )
-iron
-sewing pins
-ruler and pencil
-worsted weight (4) cotton yarn
-size b hook (2.25 mm)
-size i hook (5.5 mm)
-yarn needle
- 1"- 1.25" button
-thread and needle (for sewing button)

Transferring the Recipe:

To begin, scan in your recipe and save it to your computer.

Above is what my recipe looked like scanned in. It had pencils marks on it, as well as other marks and creases that I didn't want to show up on the towel so I edited it in Photoshop. Editing it will also make the recipe more contrasted and look more clear when ironed on.

To begin I adjusted the "levels" of the recipe. In the image above you can see the two pink arrows-- these are the two tools that make the "whites" more white and the "blacks" more black. You can start by clicking the white dropper-- the one on the far right. Next you will click in your recipe, an area that is supposed to be "true white", like the background. Once you click on the spot that's supposed to be white, it'll adjust your image for you and the background should appear more white. It works the same for the black dropper, just click a point in the text to make the writing look darker and "stick out" more.

Once you get your background to a good color, and the text to the darkness you'd like, then it's time to touch up your recipe. This can get as detailed as you'd like it to. I chose to remove all the blemishes and pencil marks, along with the outside edges of the recipe (I did decide to leave the lines). It would probably still look cool with all the blemishes too, it would give it some character! It would probably be smart to make the image black and white (desaturated), but then again, if you wanted it to be colored more power to you!

To remove the blemishes and edges I used the "clone brush tool" and the "brush tool"-- both are pointed to in pink in the image above. First I used the clone tool, this tool basically picks up an area of your image and covers a different area with it-- kinda like a touch-up. To use this tool I held the option key (alt key for Windows computers), and clicked on the area I wanted the blemished part to look like, usually an area very close to the blemish. Then you'll just click on the blemish until it looks natural. If you'd like a more in-depth tutorial for how to use the clone stamp brush, you can view this video.

Once I had all the blemishes touched up, I used the paint brush-- set to true white (#FFFFFF). Then I just painted all around the background of the recipe to make it all one color--white. Like I said above, it's not 100% necessary to have the background look perfect, it's just something I wanted to do.

After you're finished making your recipe look the way you'd like it to, it's time to flip it. *This is important when ironing on your recipe because if you don't, it will come out backwards. To do this in Photoshop, you'll click "Image", "Image Rotation", and "Flip Canvas Horizontal". 

You will also want to decide how big you would like the recipe to be on your towel. For this pattern and the way I fold the towel for it, the maximum width for the recipe would be 8.5 inches. I chose to resize my recipe to 6 inches wide.

Next I created a new document, one that is 8.5 inches by 11 inches and 300 pixels per inch resolution (white background). This is for printing the recipe on your transfer paper and is the size of the piece of paper. Once your new document is open you will copy and paste your recipe onto it. 

To do this is Photoshop you'll select all of your recipe (command + A), copy (command + C), then go over to your new document and paste (command + V). I chose to paste the recipe twice into the new document just in case, plus it would waste less paper. If you're making more than one recipe towel, you could put different recipes on one page.

Next you'll insert your transfer paper into the printer and print your recipes. Your paper may have special instructions that you need to follow on printing, just be sure to read up on those just in case.

Then you'll grab your towel. I chose to wash and dry my towel before transferring. It didn't say it was necessary, but I just thought I would. In the image above you can see the towel folded up-- I was planning where I'd place the recipe. To fold the towel, first you'll fold in half, and then into thirds. I chose to iron my towel before transferring the recipe because it was pretty wrinkled up. You'll want it to be nice and flat for the image to go on well.

Grab your recipes, then cut them out. I cut pretty close to the edges. 

Now you're ready to iron on your recipe. I unfolded the "thirds" folds and then placed my recipe faced-down in the center, a little towards the top (totally up to you where you want it to be!). 

The directions on the transfer paper said not to use a ironing board, so I just used a countertop. It also instructed to use the "cotton" setting on your iron. 

My transfer paper directions specified to not use water in the iron and to apply pressure slowly from left to right then top to bottom, and over the edges. I ironed for about 2 minutes, then let it cool for a couple of minutes. 

After the towel is cool, slowly peel the corner backing off the recipe away from the towel. I'm not gonna lie, I was kind of surprised mine worked out perfectly the first time.

This concludes the tutorial for how to transfer the recipe to the towel!

Crochet Pattern

Notes:

-ch's at the beginning of the rows do not count as sts

-it's not incredibly important to have a specific amount of stitches-- just that you try to work your stitches into the towel 1/4 apart. 

-you will start out with the 2.25 mm hook for the first row, and then you will switch to the 5.5 mm hook for the remainder of the towel. This is because the 2.25 mm hook allows you to work into the towel because it's so little. You could also sew a blanket stitch along the top and work stitches into that, or you could use a skip stitch blade-- just some additional options.

Abbreviations:

ch=chain, sc=single crochet, st(s)=stitch(es), hdc=half double crochet, hdc2tog=half double crochet two together (or hdc decrease), sk=skip, BLO=back loop only

Row 1) To crochet the top, you'll fold up your towel back into the "thirds" and pin the top folds all together with sewing pins.

Next I drew a line across the very top of the towel with a pencil about 1/4 of an inch down from the top. This will be a guideline for the first row of stitches to be worked into the towel.

Now you're ready to work stitches into the towel. Grab your 2.25 mm hook and yarn, and insert the hook into the very edge of the towel (on the line you drew) and grab your yarn on the back side. It helped me to work my hook into one layer at a time, and to wiggle it while pushing into the fabric. 

Bring your yarn back through, and sc. Then ch 1.

Insert your hook 1/4 away from the previous spot you inserted, and do the same thing-- sc, ch 1. Repeat this all the way across the top, when you work the last sc -- don't ch 1 at the very end.

The image above shows the first row worked. Now you will switch to your i hook (5.5 mm).

Row 2) ch 1, turn, work hdc's into the "ch 1" spaces across the row 

Row 3) ch 1, turn, all BLO: hdc2tog, hdc2tog, hdc across row until there are four stitches left, hdc2tog, hdc2tog 

Row 4) ch 1, turn, all BLO: hdc across row

Row 5) repeat instructions from"row 3"

Row 6) repeat instructions from "row 4" 

Row 7) repeat instructions from "row 3"

Row 8) repeat instructions from "row 4" 

Row 9) repeat instructions from "row 3"

Rows 10-15) repeat instructions from "row 4"

Row 16) ch 1, turn, all BLO: hdc until you reach two middle stitches, ch 2, sk those two middle sts, hdc into remainder of sts

Row 17) ch 1, turn, all BLO: hdc2tog, hdc2tog, hdc until there are four stitches left (working hdc's into previous row's ch's) hdc2tog, hdc2tog

Row 18) ch 1, turn, all BLO: hdc across row

Finish off, weave in ends

Now you're ready to sew on the button...

Place the button on the front side of the towel so it matches up with the hole you created in the crochet topper. I ended up placing mine about row 4.

Sew on your button with needle and thread.

At this point I decided I wanted the edge to look a little neater, so I drew up my yarn with my 5.5 mm hook and worked sc's around the entire edge of the crocheted topper.

I thought the sc edge looked so much nicer! Finish off and weave in all the ends.

That concludes the Crocheted Recipe Towel tutorial! What a neat little project that is truly so special-- especially if the recipe is a family favorite. I hope this tutorial was helpful, and that you enjoy making these gems as much as I did. If you end up making one, please do share with me over on Instagram , I'd love to admire it! :) 

Happy hooking!
Meg