tropical beach dress Tropical Beach Dress and Tank Crochet Pattern – Knits 'N Knots Winnipeg

tropical beach dress Tropical Beach Dress and Tank Crochet Pattern – Knits 'N Knots WinnipegThis crochet pattern is an original design from my book Summer Crochet: 19 Delicate Designs with Simple Lace and Timeless Silhouettes, first published in 2025 by Page Street Publishing. Summer Crochet can be found wherever you buy your books, or at these retailers. ABOUT Whether youre looking for a full length maxi dress, a cropped tank top or anything in between, this customizable pattern allows you to create your ideal summer staple. Crocheted in

This crochet pattern is an original design from my book Summer Crochet: 19 Delicate Designs with Simple Lace and Timeless Silhouettes, first published in 2025 by Page Street Publishing.

Summer Crochet can be found wherever you buy your books, or at these retailers.

ABOUT

Whether you’re looking for a full-length maxi dress, a cropped tank top or anything in between, this customizable pattern allows you to create your ideal summer staple. Crocheted in the beloved granny stitch with a playful picot edging, the Tropical Beach Dress mixes a classic fabric with a contemporary fit for a truly resort-worthy piece.

Although originally designed to wear over a bathing suit, the Tropical Beach Dress can also be worn on its own as an everyday piece: Just pop it over a slip dress or your favorite fitted tank and biker shorts. Instructions are included to make either a dress or a tank top, with unique shaping instructions for each design.

This pattern is fully written + charted.

More Content: For more information and tester photos, visit knitsnknots.ca/tropical-beach-dress.

MATERIALS

Yarn: 

Fingering—WeCrochet Comfy™ Fingering in colorway “Ivory”

• 75% Pima cotton, 25% acrylic
• 218 yds (199 m) per 1.8 oz (50 g) skein
• Find this yarn on crochet.com or yarnsub.com to find comparable substitutes available in your region.

Yardage Required* (Dress): 9 (9, 10, 11, 12) (13, 14, 16, 17) skeins or approximately 1750 (1850, 2050, 2250, 2450) (2700, 2975, 3275, 3575) yds (1600 [1692, 1875, 2057, 2240] [2469, 2720, 2995, 3269] m)

*Note that this yardage is based on the dress length provided in the sizing chart; exact yardage will vary based on your desired dress length and amount of increasing in the skirt.

Yardage Required (Tank Top): 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) (6, 7, 7, 8) skeins or 750 (825, 925, 1000, 1100) (1200, 1325, 1450, 1600) yds (686 [754, 846, 914, 1006] [1097, 1212, 1326, 1463] m)

Note that if you use a contrasting color for the picot edging, you will need approximately 35 to 40 yds (32–37 m) of your chosen contrasting color.

Yarn Substitution: Visit knitsnknots.ca/tropical-beach-dress for an extensive list of yarn substitutes and yarns used during pattern testing. Substitute WeCrochet Comfy Fingering with any similar fingering-weight (category #1) yarn that matches gauge. Note that fingering weight is often referred to as “4-ply” in the U.K. and Australia.

Yarn Tip: If you love the bright, classic look of a granny square, try using a multicolored, self-striping yarn. Be mindful that the yoke of the dress (the section between the shoulders and the underarms) is worked flat, while the remainder of the dress/tank is worked in a continuous spiral. Use a contrasting color for the picot edging for a bold two-tone look!

Hook: Size U.S. D/3 (3.25 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge

Notions: Tapestry needle, 2 locking stitch markers for hip increases

GAUGE

4 x 4” (10 x 10 cm) = 6 cluster repeats and 10 rows in the granny stitch, where one cluster plus one chain together count as one repeat, blocked

See full gauge swatch instructions at knitsnknots.ca/tropical-beach-dress. 

SIZING + FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

See listing photos for full sizing chart and finished measurements.

TERMS + ABBREVIATIONS USED

Written in U.S. Crochet Terms

ch(s): chain(s)

ch-sp(s): chain space(s)

cluster: this refers to a group of 3 double crochets worked into the same space

dc: double crochet (tr in U.K. terms)

hdc: half double crochet (htc in U.K. terms)

rep: repeat

RS: right side

rnd(s): round(s)

sc: single crochet (dc in U.K. terms)

sk: skip

sl st(s): slip stitch(es)

sp(s): space(s)

st(s): stitch(es)

PATTERN NOTES

Skill Level: Intermediate

Sizing: This pattern is written in nine sizes as follows: XS (S, M, L, XL) (2X, 3X, 4X, 5X). Make sure to follow the numbers for your size only. An “x” indicates the instruction is not applicable to your size.

Stitch Counts: Stitch counts are listed after each row/round. If no stitch count is given, there has been no change since the previous row/round. If only one number is provided, it applies to all sizes.

Reversible: There is no right side or wrong side to this fabric; both sides are identical. You choose which side to wear as the “right side.”

Turning Chain: The turning chain counts as the first stitch throughout the pattern. A ch-3 counts as 1 dc; a ch-4 counts as 1 dc + 1 ch.

Dress Increases: There are instructions to add optional increases once your length reaches the small of your waist, to give your dress an A-line shape and create enough space around your legs to allow you to walk comfortably. This is particularly important if you are making a dress (as opposed to a tank top), especially for the smaller sizes. If you find that the circumference at your waist will give you enough walking space (this may be the case for some of the larger sizes), you may choose to work fewer increases or omit the increases altogether, depending on the length of your dress and your desired fit.

Stretching Over Time: If you plan on making a maxi dress, be aware that your fabric is likely to stretch in length over time with wear. It is recommended to make your dress several inches (several cm) shorter than your desired finished length to anticipate this stretching so that it doesn’t extend past your feet!

Construction: This dress is worked seamlessly from the top down, beginning with the front panel at the tops of the shoulders. First, two identical straps are worked separately, each with increases to shape the neckline and armhole openings, then connected to become one front panel. The back panel is worked from the top down directly onto the front panel straps. Next, your two panels are joined at the underarms, and the remainder of this dress (or tank) is crocheted in the round (in a spiral) while increasing the skirt until reaching your desired length.

More Content: For more information and tester photos, visit knitsnknots.ca/tropical-beach-dress.

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 WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE:

Immediately after purchase, you will instantly receive a digital download of the PDF pattern. Please include your email when prompted (be sure it's spelled correctly). Please send me an email if you don’t receive the download link!

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