The Low Tide Cover-Up is a lightweight, beach-ready layer. Worked flat in simple knit and yarn over stitches—no purling required—this piece has a breezy, open texture perfect for tossing on over a swimsuit. The front and back are joined with clean seams and finished with side vents for comfortable movement. Finishing fringe adds just the right amount of playful detail, echoing the relaxed rhythm of waves at low tide.
Time: Three weeks
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: S (M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL),
Width: 18 (19.75, 21.75, 23.25, 25.5, 28)” [46 (50, 55, 59, 65, 71) cm].
Height: 31 (32, 32.75, 33.5, 34.25, 35)” [79 (81, 83, 85, 87, 89) cm].
Shown in size M
Gauge: 25 sts and 36 rows = 4” [10 cm] in pattern after wet blocking.
Materials
Yarn: Scheepjes Catona (100% cotton; 136 yards [125 meters]/50 grams): Color 400 Petrol Blue (10 (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) balls, 500 (550, 600, 650, 700, 750) g).
Hook/Needles: US size 4” (3.5 mm) circular 32 – 39” [80-100cm] or single-pointed needles (as you prefer), US size 6” (4 mm) crochet hook for joining fringe.
Notions: tapestry needle.
Pattern Notes
Beach Cover is worked back and forth from the bottom up. The front and back are grafted along the shoulder and joined with a mattress stitch along the sides, leaving vents at the bottom of the garment. This pattern only uses knit and yarn over stitches; no purling needed!
Pattern
Back
CO 115 (129, 141, 151, 165, 181) sts. Work in pattern from chart, repeating 2 sts pattern of the chart 55 (62, 68, 73, 80, 88) times.
Repeat rows 1-4 of the chart until the piece measures 25.25 (25.5, 26, 26.5, 26.75, 27.25)” [64 (65, 66, 67, 68, 69) cm].
In the next 2 rows BO 6 (6, 8, 8, 10, 12) sts at the beginning of each row for the armholes. (103 (117, 125, 135, 145, 157) sts)
Work in pattern from the chart until the piece measures 5 (5.5, 6, 6.25, 6.75, 7)” [13 (14, 15, 16, 17, 18) cm] from the armholes. In the next row BO for the neckline as follows:
Next row: Work 30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts in pattern from chart, join the second ball of yarn, BO 43 (43, 45, 45, 51, 55) sts, work the last 30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts in pattern from chart. (30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts each shoulder)
Finish each shoulder separately. Work 4 rows in pattern from chart, then 1 row in St st. Put the live stitches on the stitch holder.
Front
Work the same as for the back until you have completed the armhole decreases.
Work in pattern from the chart until the piece measures 3.5” [9 cm] from the armholes for all sizes. In the next row BO for the neckline as follows:
Next row: Work 30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts in pattern from chart, join the second ball of yarn, BO 43 (43, 45, 45, 51, 55) sts, work the last 30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts in pattern from chart. (30 (37, 40, 45, 47, 51) sts each shoulder)
Finish each shoulder separately.
Work until the piece measures 2.25 (2.75, 3.25, 3.5, 4, 4.25)” [6 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) cm] from the neckline BO. Work 1 row in St st.
Assembly
Place right shoulder sts from the Front and the Back pieces on 2 working needles with WS facing each other. Join the shoulder sts using a Kitchener stitch. Join the left shoulder sts in the same way.
Using a mattress stitch, join the pieces from the armholes down along the sides, leaving the bottom 6-8” [15-20 cm] open for side vents, if desired.
Finishing
Weave in yarn ends. Block to the measurements.
For the fringe, cut several pieces of yarn 12” [30 cm] long (or twice the desired lengths of the fringe). Take 3-4 pieces of yarn and fold them in half. Insert crochet hook into the holes of the bottom edge, pull the folded end of the yarn through the stitch to create a loop, pull the loose ends of the yarn through the loop and tighten to secure the fringe.
Attach fringes every 1-1.5” [2-3 cm] of the bottom edge of the Beach Cover.
Chart
Row 1 (RS): Sl1p, knit to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.
Row 2 (WS): Sl1p, k1, k2tog across to last 3 sts, k1, sl1p, k1.
Row 3: Sl1p, k2, (M1L, k1) to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.
Row 4: Sl1p, k2, (yo, k2tog) to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.
Row 5: Sl1p, knit to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.
Row 6: Sl1p, k1, k2tog across to last 3 sts, k1, sl1p, k1.
Row 7: Sl1p, k2, (M1R, k1) to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.
Row 8: Sl1p, k2, (yo, k2tog) to last 2 sts, sl1p, k1.