Crochet Cover-up Skirt Tutorial & Pattern: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your New Favorite Beach Essential

There is something wonderfully satisfying about wearing something you made yourself to the beach. A crochet cover-up skirt hits that perfect balance between functional and fashionable — it slips over a swimsuit with ease, lets the breeze through, and looks like something you pulled from a boutique rack. The best part is that it is genuinely achievable for anyone with basic crochet skills, a few hours to spare, and a ball of cotton yarn.

This tutorial walks you through everything: the materials you need, how to measure for the right fit, stitch-by-stitch instructions, and tips for customizing the finished piece. Whether you are heading to the lake, a pool party, or a tropical vacation, this skirt will become one of those projects you make again and again in different colors.

What You Will Need Before You Start

Getting your materials together before you sit down to crochet makes the whole process smoother. Here is what you will need for a standard adult size medium, with notes on adjustments throughout.

Yarn: The most important choice here is fiber. You want 100% cotton or a cotton-blend yarn for a beach cover-up. Cotton is breathable, dries quickly, absorbs dye beautifully, and does not hold onto salt water or chlorine the way acrylic does. Look for a worsted weight cotton yarn — something like Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, Paintbox Simply Cotton Worsted, or Drops Safran works beautifully. You will need approximately 400 to 500 yards for a cover-up that hits at mid-thigh, or 550 to 700 yards if you want it to reach the knee or below.

Hook: A size 5.0mm (US H/8) crochet hook is the right starting point for worsted weight cotton. Cotton tends to be less forgiving than acrylic, so you may find you need to go up to a 5.5mm if your tension runs tight. Always, always swatch first.

Notions: You will need a tape measure, a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and a length of ribbon, elastic, or thick crochet chain for the waistband tie. Stitch markers are helpful for tracking your round counts, especially when you are working in the round.

Gauge: 14 stitches and 8 rows = 4 inches in the main mesh stitch pattern using a 5.0mm hook. Take the time to check your gauge. Because this skirt has to fit around a waist or hip, being even half an inch off per four inches adds up quickly over the full circumference.

Understanding the Construction

Before diving into the instructions, it helps to understand how this skirt is built so that the pattern makes intuitive sense as you work.

This cover-up skirt is worked in the round from the waistband down. You start with a chain foundation that forms the waistband, join it into a ring, and then work downward in rounds using a simple mesh stitch pattern. The mesh creates the beautiful open, lacy texture that lets you see your swimsuit underneath and keeps the skirt lightweight. As you work down, you will add occasional increase rounds that give the skirt a gentle A-line flare, so it moves beautifully when you walk.

The waistband itself is a casing — a folded-over section of tighter stitches — through which you thread an elastic or a ribbon tie. This means the skirt fits a range of sizes and can be worn at the natural waist or pushed down to sit at the hips, depending on your preference.

The stitch pattern used for the body of the skirt is a simple chain-space mesh, sometimes called a filet mesh or open mesh. It is one of the most beginner-friendly lacy patterns out there: chain 2, skip 2, single crochet (or double crochet) into the next stitch, repeat. Once you have worked the first round, the pattern becomes intuitive and you can practically do it while watching a movie.

Sizing Guide

This pattern is written for a size medium with a waist circumference of 28 to 30 inches and a hip circumference of 38 to 40 inches. Adjustments for other sizes are straightforward because the skirt is worked in the round and every adjustment comes down to adding or subtracting chain multiples.

The chain multiple for this pattern is 4. This means your starting chain should always be divisible by 4 for the pattern to work out evenly. Here is a quick sizing reference:

For a small (waist 24 to 26 inches): start with a chain of 88 to 96 stitches.
For a medium (waist 28 to 30 inches): start with a chain of 100 to 108 stitches.
For a large (waist 32 to 34 inches): start with a chain of 112 to 120 stitches.
For an XL (waist 36 to 38 inches): start with a chain of 124 to 136 stitches.

If you plan to wear the skirt at the hips rather than the waist, use your hip measurement as the starting guide instead.

The Pattern: Crochet Mesh Cover-up Skirt

Abbreviations

ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
ch-sp = chain space
rep = repeat
st = stitch
rnd = round

Waistband Casing (Rows 1–4)

Begin with a foundation chain. For a size medium, chain 104. Make sure this chain is not twisted, then join with a slip stitch to the first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, single crochet in each chain around. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. (104 sc)

Round 2: Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. (104 sc)

Round 3: Repeat round 2. (104 sc)

Round 4: This is the fold line for your waistband casing. Single crochet in the back loop only of each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. (104 sc)

Rounds 1 through 4 form a narrow, dense band at the top. When you finish the skirt, you will fold this section in half along the round 4 back-loop row and sew it down on the inside to create the casing for your elastic or ribbon. For now, continue working down.

Transition to Mesh Body

Round 5: Chain 3 (counts as first dc), double crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the chain 3. (104 dc)

This round bridges the tight waistband into the mesh pattern. It also gives you a firm foundation row from which the mesh works beautifully.

Mesh Body (Rounds 6 onward)

The mesh stitch pattern starts here. The formula is: chain 2, skip 2 stitches, double crochet in next stitch, repeat around.

Round 6: Chain 4 (counts as dc + ch 2), skip 2 stitches, dc in next stitch, ch 2, skip 2 stitches, rep from around. Join with a slip stitch to the 2nd chain of the starting chain 4. (You should have approximately 34 ch-2 spaces around.)

Round 7: Slip stitch into the first ch-2 space, chain 4 (counts as dc + ch 2), dc in same ch-sp, ch 2, dc in next ch-sp, rep from around, ch 2, join with a slip stitch to 2nd chain of starting chain 4.

Repeat round 7 for the body of the skirt. This is the repeat you will work over and over. It is simple once you have it in your hands.

Adding Flare: Increase Rounds

Without any increases, this skirt would be a straight tube. To get that beautiful A-line silhouette, you will work increase rounds at regular intervals. Increase rounds add one extra double crochet into a ch-2 space to create an additional “column” of mesh, gradually widening the skirt.

Work increase rounds on the following rounds: round 10, round 14, round 18, and round 22 (if making a longer skirt, continue adding increase rounds every 4 rounds).

Increase Round: Chain 4, dc in same ch-sp (this creates an extra stitch and widens the round), ch 2, dc in next ch-sp, rep from around, end with ch 2, join.

After each increase round, simply continue with the standard round 7 repeat. The mesh naturally accommodates the extra stitches without any awkwardness.

Skirt Length

Continue working the mesh pattern, adding increase rounds every 4 rounds, until the skirt reaches your desired length. Here is a general guide measured from the waistband:

For a mini length (hitting high on the thigh): work until the piece measures approximately 10 to 12 inches from the starting chain.
For a mid-thigh length: work until the piece measures 14 to 16 inches.
For a knee-length cover-up: work until the piece measures 20 to 22 inches.

Because you are working in the round with a consistent mesh stitch, it is very easy to try the skirt on as you go. Simply thread your elastic through the waistband and try it on over your swimsuit to check length. This is one of the great advantages of working top-down.

Finishing the Hem

Once you have reached your desired length, you have a few options for the hem.

The simplest option is a single crochet border: work one round of single crochet evenly spaced into the ch-2 spaces and double crochets of the final round, then finish with a slip stitch and fasten off.

For a slightly more polished look, try a shell stitch border: skip 2 stitches, 5 dc in next stitch, skip 2 stitches, sl st in next stitch, rep from around. This adds a gentle scalloped edge that looks lovely against the mesh body.

For a totally raw, boho look, you can simply fasten off after your last mesh round and let the chain spaces form their own natural hem. This works especially well with cotton yarn, which does not fray.

Finishing the Waistband

Now go back to the waistband section. Fold rounds 1 through 3 to the inside of the skirt, using round 4 (the back-loop round) as the fold line. Using your yarn needle and a length of yarn, whipstitch the bottom edge of round 1 to the inside of the round 5 row. Leave a gap of about 1 inch so you can thread your elastic or ribbon through.

Cut a length of elastic (for a snug waistband) or ribbon (for a tie) that suits your preference. For elastic, cut it to your waist measurement plus 1 inch for overlap. Thread it through the casing using a safety pin, overlap the ends, and sew them together securely. Stitch the gap in the casing closed. For ribbon, simply thread it through and tie it in a bow at the front or side.

Weave in all ends with your yarn needle. Give the skirt a gentle wash in cool water, roll it in a towel to remove excess moisture, and lay it flat to dry.

Tips for Success

Cotton yarn behaves differently from acrylic. It has very little stretch or give, which means your tension needs to be consistent from the start. If you notice your stitches getting tighter as your hands fatigue, take breaks often or consciously ease up.

When working the mesh pattern, keep your chain-2 spaces loose. If they are too tight, the mesh will pucker and lose its airy, open quality. Some crocheters find it helpful to hook around the chain rather than into the top of the chain stitch to keep things open.

If your skirt is flaring more than you would like, reduce the frequency of your increase rounds. If it is barely flaring at all, add increase rounds every 3 rounds instead of every 4. Crochet patterns are always more of a guide than a rule, and this is especially true for garments. The only person this skirt needs to fit is you.

Do not be afraid to mix colors. A two-color skirt where the waistband is in a contrasting shade, or where you switch yarn colors halfway through the body, can be stunning. Cotton yarn joins cleanly, and the color change is simple: at the end of a round, pull up the new color through the final slip stitch of the join and continue. Weave in your ends as you go to save yourself the work at the end.

Customizing Your Cover-up Skirt

One of the best things about a simple pattern like this is how much room there is to make it your own.

You can add fringe at the hem by cutting lengths of yarn, folding them in half, and pulling them through the ch-2 spaces along the final round with a crochet hook. A bit of fringe gives the skirt a boho, festival-ready look that photographs beautifully.

Try experimenting with stitch variations. A shell stitch body instead of the mesh creates a denser, slightly more opaque fabric. A Solomon’s knot pattern creates an even lacier, more ethereal effect. The construction method remains the same — you are simply swapping the stitch repeat.

Consider adding a side slit. If you want a little extra movement and drama, simply work back and forth in rows for the last 6 to 8 inches of the skirt length instead of continuing in the round, leaving the gap where you turned to begin your flat section. The opening will naturally fall at the side.

Care and Storage

Crochet cotton garments last a long time with simple care. Hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent after each beach or pool trip. Rinse thoroughly and reshape while damp — pulling the waistband to its full circumference and smoothing the mesh flat. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric, which can distort the stitches.

Store your cover-up folded loosely or hung on a wide hanger. Unlike knit garments, the crocheted mesh is stable enough that it will not stretch significantly on a hanger, but very long pieces may do better folded.

A Few Final Thoughts

A crochet cover-up skirt is the kind of project that rewards you twice: once when you are making it, because the mesh pattern is satisfying and rhythmic in a way that feels almost meditative, and again every time you wear it. There is a particular pleasure in reaching for something at the beach that you built stitch by stitch.

This pattern is written to be flexible. Use it as a starting point and feel free to deviate whenever the yarn or your instincts call for it. Crochet has always been a craft of improvisation, and a forgiving construction like a wrap skirt is one of the best canvases for learning what you like and how you work.

If you make this skirt, consider keeping notes on your yarn, hook size, and any modifications you made. When you inevitably want to make it again in a different color or length — and you will — those notes will be invaluable.

Happy crocheting, and enjoy every moment at the beach in something you made with your own hands.