Fun in the Sun Cover-Up by Marly Bird

Unique crocheted blocks form a comfortable and fresh fabric perfect for fun in the sun. The brilliant shape of this simple design allows this cover-up to transform from a garment to a blanket, meaning you have one less thing to tote around.

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Fun in the Sun Cover-up:

The Fun in the Sun cover-up is a great project to start now to have ready for the summer. Made from a cotton and wool yarn, Green Mountain Spinnery Comfort Cotton, it is the perfect layer to add a little warmth when on the beach. Working with cotton for a garment, you will find that the finished piece can be heavy and stretch while worn. The wool in this yarn blend helps to keep the structure of the garment. Cotton is a great summer fabric and the Fun in the Sun Cover-up could be made completely in cotton, but be sure you swatch to see how much it will stretch.

Written with a chart this pattern helps you see every detail of what you are making. Written in one size to fit as a draping layering pice, you can adjust the size easily. Due to the simple construction as a rectangle you can easily add more motifs to make it larger, or take away motifs to make a smaller version. Motifs may seem daunting because of having to join the motifs at the end. In this pattern I use the join as you go method to combat that task. I love joining my motifs as I work a project so that once they are all constructed the project is almost complete.

Gauge is important:

As in all of the other garments that I make, I highly suggest making a hanging gauge swatch before you get started. This is important to see how gravity will alter the size of your cardigan after wearing it. Starting with a swatch will also save you the headache of making the wrong size before you even start.

To make a hanging gauge swatch I start by making a swatch of the motifs. Typically I would say to make a 6 inch swatch, but in this case I would put together a few motifs to get a better feel of what will happen at the joins as well as the overall motif as it hangs. Then I hang the swatch to a hanger or clothesline and add additional clothes pins to the bottom to simulate gravity.

Take a before and after measurement of your swatch to see what happens to it. 

Purchase the Pattern:

Ravelry Projects:

Be sure to add this pattern to your Ravelry Favorites and show me your version of the Fun in the Sun Cover-Up as you finish.

5 FREE Summer Fun Crochet Patterns:

1. FREE Crochet Summertime Shawl
2. FREE Lacy Crochet Summertime Wrap
3. One Ball FREE Crochet Summertime Shawl
4. FREE Crochet Summertime Tops
5. FREE Crochet Summertime Hats

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cover-up in just cotton?

Honestly, you could make the Fun in the Sun Cover-Up completely in cotton… but you’ll definitely want to swatch first! Cotton can get pretty heavy and stretch a lot when worn as a garment. The wool in the recommended yarn blend really helps with structure, so keep that in mind!

How do I make sure my cover-up is the right size?

Yes! Gauge is super important… especially for garments. I really suggest making a hanging gauge swatch using a few motifs to see how they’ll join and how gravity affects them. Hang it up with some clips on the bottom to mimic the weight, then measure before and after!

This pattern uses motifs… is it hard to join them?

So here’s the thing… I know motifs can seem a little daunting because of joining them, but this pattern uses the “join as you go” method! It makes it so much easier because once all your motifs are done, your project is practically finished. I just love it!

Can I change the size of the cover-up?

Absolutely! The pattern is written for one size to be a lovely draping piece, but it’s super easy to adjust. Since it’s basically a rectangle, you can just add more motifs to make it bigger or take a few away for a smaller version.

What yarn do you recommend for the Fun in the Sun Cover-Up?

Well, I used Green Mountain Spinnery Comfort Cotton for this one. It’s a great blend of cotton and wool, which gives you that nice summery feel but with enough structure to keep it from stretching out too much. It’s perfect for a little layer on the beach!