1937 Cross-Back Knitted Bathing Suit Pattern – 1930s Swimwear, Bust 32

The cross-over back is the standout detail on this 1937 knitted bathing suit, with wide shoulder straps crossing neatly at the back and fitted trunk-style legs giving it that unmistakable 1930s beachwear shape. Knitted bathing and sun suits were very much part of 1930s seaside fashion, with low and open backs particularly associated with sunbathing as well as swimming.

The original pattern used W.B. ‘Miss England’ knitting wool. I haven’t been able to find reliable information about this particular yarn, but from the needle size and tension it was probably somewhere around a modern 3-ply to 4-ply weight. I would strongly recommend working a tension square with some oddments before buying yarn, rather than relying on the suggested modern equivalent.

You will need approximately 8 oz (230 g) of yarn and a pair of UK No. 10 (3.25 mm) knitting needles. The tension is approximately 8 stitches to 1 inch (2.5 cm).

Designed to fit a 32 in (81 cm) bust.

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