Its just done in a round, leaving slits for the arms & folding over one end for neckline collar.
There is a pattern for something similar to what you are describing in Doris Chan's Amazing Crochet Lace book.
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/projects/july99_crochet_1.html
see if this would help
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=99&d_id=3&lang=en
look at this, the pattern is below photo
Okay, one more. This one is a rectangle, I am going to try this one, click below for the other photo and you can see it better.
http://store.whitebirches.com/crochet/detail.html?prod_id=74590
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