It’s festival season and my latest creation is a 1970s-inspired waistcoat. This style is very much in at the moment – and you can use whatever colours you like!
The waistcoat has been made using cotton sport-weight yarn and a 4 mm hook. In all, the item is made using 24 unique individually made granny squares, each using 8 different colours.
Update — September 2026: I originally shared this project in 2020, when the Seaside Wrap pattern was available free. The pattern is no longer available free, but I’ve kept this post as part of my crochet archive and to share my version of the wrap.
I came across this beautiful boho-inspired wrap and decided to make my own version. I used a different yarn and hook size, which explains the difference in size from the original — but I loved how it turned out!
As you can see, it can be worn 2-ways:
1 – over the shoulders as a wrap,
2 – as a skirt-wrap – perfect for the beach.
The original design is the Seaside Wrap. The pattern is no longer available free, but you can still find the pattern page on Ravelry here: Seaside Wrap pattern
Hope this gives you a little inspiration for your own summer crochet projects. 😊
Update – September 2026: The original graph pattern I used for this project is no longer available at the link included when I first wrote this post in 2020.
The beach dress was originally based on a Katia graph pattern for a size 8–10 dress. As I found the graph quite difficult to follow, I worked through it and prepared the written, row-by-row version below while making my own dress.
I also experimented with making the dress as one continuous piece rather than creating separate front and back pieces, but after quite a bit of frogging 😊 I found that working the two pieces separately was much easier for maintaining the symmetry. That’s the version I’ve written out below.
I also changed the straps, making fixed straps for my version.
The original Katia graph is no longer available at the link I originally shared, so I’ve removed the broken link. I’ve kept my written version here as part of the Manjri’s Place crochet archive.
Enjoy! 🧶
Crochet hook size used: 3mm and 4mm
Yarn: Katia Jaipur cake
Stitches:
CH – chain stitch SC – single crochet DC – double crochet DC3tog – DC 3 together
We will be making the front and back of the dress (which are identical) separately and then stitch them together at the end.
In addition, the pattern calls for making 4 straps and then stitching them to the back and front pieces.
STRAPS (make 4) Using the 4mm crochet hook and 3 strands of yarn, work a strip of chain stitch measuring 40cm long. Cut the yarn and fasten off.
BACK Using 3mm crochet hook, CH 83.
Row 1: CH 3, DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3, 2nd DC is made in CH 5 from hook) , 38 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 38 DC, DC3tog
Row 2 – 4: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 38 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 38 DC, DC3tog
Row 5: CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 20], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 20], SC.
Row 6 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 20], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 21].
Row 7: CH 3, 42 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 43 DC
Row 8: CH 3, 44 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 45 DC
Row 9: CH 3, 46 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 47 DC
Row 10: CH 3, 48 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 49 DC
Row 11: CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 25], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 25], SC.
Row 12 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 25], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 26].
Row 13: CH 3, 52 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 53 DC
Row 14: CH 3, 54 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 55 DC
Row 15: CH 3, 56 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 57 DC
Row 16: CH 3, 58 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 59 DC
Row 17: CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 30], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 30], SC.
Row 18 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 30], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 31].
Row 19: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 61 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 60 DC, DC3tog
Row 20: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 60 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 61 DC, DC3tog
Row 21: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 61 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 60 DC, DC3tog
Row 22: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 60 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 61 DC, DC3tog
Row 23 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 31], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 31], SC.
Row 24 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 31], (SC, CH, SC) in next SC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 31], SC.
Row 25: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 63 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 62 DC, DC3tog
Row 26: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 62 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 63 DC, DC3tog
Row 27: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 63 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 62 DC, DC3tog
Row 28: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 62 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 63 DC, DC3tog
Row 29 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 32], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 32], SC.
Row 30 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 32], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 32], SC.
Row 31: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 65 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 64 DC, DC3tog
Row 32: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 64 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 65 DC, DC3tog
Row 33: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 65 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 64 DC, DC3tog
Row 34: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 64 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 65 DC, DC3tog
Row 35 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 33], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 33], SC.
Row 36 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 33], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 34].
Row 37: CH 3, 68 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 69 DC
Row 38: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 68 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 68 DC, DC3tog
Row 39: CH 3, 70 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 71 DC
Row 40: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 70 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 70 DC, DC3tog
Row 41 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 36], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 36], SC.
Row 42 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 36], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 36].
Row 43: CH 3, 74 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 75 DC
Row 44: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 74 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 74 DC, DC3tog
Row 45: CH 3, 76 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 77 DC
Row 46: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 76 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 76 DC, DC3tog
Row 47 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 39], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 39], SC.
Row 48 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 39], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 40].
Row 49 – 52: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 78 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 78 DC, DC3tog
Row 53 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 40], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 40], SC.
Row 54 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 40], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 41].
Row 55: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 80 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 80 DC, DC3tog
Row 56 – 58: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 80 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 80 DC, DC3tog
Row 59 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 41], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 41], SC.
Row 60 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 41], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 42].
Row 61: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 82 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 82 DC, DC3tog
Row 62 – 64: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 82 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 82 DC, DC3tog
Row 65 : CH, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 42], (SC, CH, SC) in next DC, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 42], SC.
Row 66 : CH, SC, [(SC, CH, skip DC) x 42], (SC, CH, SC) in next CH, [(CH, skip DC, SC) X 43].
Row 67: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 84 DC, 5 DC in next CH, 84 DC, DC3tog
Row 68 – 70: DC3tog (1st DC is CH 3) , 84 DC, 5 DC in next DC, 84 DC, DC3tog
FRONT Work the same as the Back.
FINISHING Sew on straps: Attach one strap to each end of the starting row of Front and Back pieces. Sew the sides: align the back and front pieces and sew from end (row 70) up until row 16.
Summer is round the corner — so here is my first creation for summer: a stylish multi-coloured beach dress. It’s made using Katia Jaipur Cake cotton yarn.
The original design was based on a pattern published by Katia. The original pattern link is no longer available, but I later prepared my own written version, including the modifications I made:
This beach-themed bag reminds me of the sun and sea, with its 3D starfish and conch shells as decorations. I was inspired by Maltese summers and the beaches of Malta.
I made it using the same base pattern that I published earlier for my Boho Tote Bag →.
The starfish and conch shells were adapted from the Sea Shell Motifs / Garland pattern by Lynne Samaan, which you can find here: