May 2020
This pattern is a bit different from my usual in that it is written “recipe”- style instead of being written by size. I designed these to be super customized to my ideal fit – mid-rise, a little extra room in the booty, and enough leg length to feel comfortably covered. They have a good bit of stretch, and the drawstring adds the perfect cinch to help them stay in place – plus, it looks cute and makes them look a little more complete.
The pattern and counts listed below are for shorts in the size I made for myself, but all parts also have instructions for customizing these shorts to be your perfect fit.
Stitches Used:
- Chain
- Single Crochet (SC)
- Single Crochet in the Back Loop Only (SCBLO)
- Half Double Crochet (HDC)
- Picot Stitch — I did a modified version to get a more dramatic shape, but this is optional, I used it for the leg opening edging to get a sort of ruffled, “pom pom” esque edge, and it is a really simple stitch – simply SC, ch 3, and then SC (or Slip Stitch for the traditional method) into the same space as the first SC. There are also tons of tutorials on working this type of stitch.
- Slip Stitch (Sl St)
Supplies Needed:
- 185 yards of heavy worsted or light bulky yarn (for the size listed below approximately a medium/large size). I used 2 “hanks” of Caron X Pantone, plus an additional 50ish yards of a yarn I had in my stash.
- 6mm/ “J” Crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
Notes:
Gauge: 12 stitches x 12 rows in HDC = 4″
The yarn requirements listed are for the shorts as made below. If you make changes, you’ll need to adjust your yarn yardage accordingly.
Finished dimensions of the shorts as written:
All measurements are unstretched (beyond the stretch of trying the shorts on and then letting them relax back to shape)
Waist circumference: approx. 31″
Hips/booty circumference: approx. 34″
Leg opening circumference: approx. 24″
Finished length (top of waistband to leg edging): approx 11″ (the back is slightly longer (around 11.5″)
Length from top of waistband to split for leg openings: approx 9″
Inseam length (leg length): approx 3″
In street clothes, I wear roughly a size 4 (which is basically meaningless and totally varies but gives an approximation) usually a size medium or large shorts/bottoms depending on the cut.
These shorts are worked in joined, turned, rounds. Turning is part of what gives the horizontal slightly “ribbed” look. It also helps keep your seam nice and straight and hidden.
The back of the shorts will have all of the increases in the pattern. The join seam is actually the side seam of one side of the shorts. The front should not ever show the increases, even when you get to the leg openings. The increases begin in round 6, and then are at 7, 9, 10, 12 and 14. They are also in the leg openings in rounds 1, 2, and 4. They are optional if you don’t need the extra room in the booty or leg area, or they can be spaced differently if you need more or less room in particular areas (i.e. booty or leg openings).
I tried on the shorts consistently as I made them to make sure they were fitting the way I wanted, so I would recommend wearing a pair of leggings while working on these so you can slip them on at each stage. I would also read the entire pattern first before you start so that you can be sure you have the proper plan and try them on frequently!
Pattern Instructions:
Waistband ribbing:
Foundation/Row 1: Ch 7, in the second chain from the hook, 1 SCBLO. SCBLO in each remaining stitch. Ch 1, Turn.
Row 2 – 87: 1 SCBLO in each stitch down the row, Ch 1, Turn.
I repeated for a total of 87 rows, but this should be as many rows as it takes for the waistband to comfortably fit around your waist (very lightly stretched) at your desired waistband height. Keep in mind, this also needs to have enough stretch to fit up over your hips/booty.
You could also do a slip stitch ribbing for the waistband, as that will make it stretchier. It will change the row counts, but just aim to have it fit your waist comfortably, and then space the stitches for the first round of the body evenly.
To finish the waistband, fold in half and join the short ends of waistband using slip stitches.
Shorts Body:
*Note* – the body of the shorts is worked in turned, joined rounds.
Round 1: Without breaking yarn, ch 2, turn the waistband so you are working into the sides of the rows (down/around the length of the ribbing) and place 1 HDC in the end of each row. Make sure you don’t crochet too tightly because you’ll want to have plenty of stretch. Join with a slip stitch, and then cut your yarn, leaving enough of a tail to join the next color with a slip stitch, and then add the next color. If you are making solid color shorts, ignore this step each time it comes up – and simply continue around. Ch 2, turn. (87 stitches)
With new color work rounds 2 – 7.
Round 2 – 5: Place 1 HDC in each stitch around, Join with sl st, ch 2 and turn. (87 stitches) You can repeat these rows as many times as you’d like to get to your desired waist height (repeat more for a high rise look). The first increases begin to shape the booty so don’t start them until you need the room.
Round 6: HDC 13 (1 HDC in each of the next 13 stitches), 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 10, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 57. Join with Sl St. Ch 2, Turn. (91 stitches).
This adds a total of 4 stitches in this round – basically 2 increases in each “half” of the back side of the shorts.
You can space these out however fits your body the best, just leave at least a couple of stitches between the increases in the same half to prevent too much ruffling.
Round 7: HDC 54 (1 HDC in each of the next 54 stitches), 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 7, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 7, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 7, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 12, Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (95 stitches) This again adds 4 stitches to this round. (If you are changing colors in this size, do so here)
Round 8: 1 HDC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (95 stitches). You can also add more increases here if you need or want to make it looser.
Round 9: HDC 59 (1 HDC in each of the next 59 stitches), 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 13, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in next stitch, HDC 15. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (99 stitches)
Round 10: HDC 5, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 32, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 2, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 54. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (103 stitches)
Round 11: 1 HDC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (103 stitches). You can also add more increases here if you need or want to make it looser.
Round 12: HDC 9, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 8, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 12, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 8, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 62. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (107 stitches). (If you are changing colors in this size, do so here)
Round 13: 1 HDC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (107 stitches). You can also add more increases here if you need or want to make it looser.
Round 14: HDC 10, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 8, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 13, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 8, 2 HDC in the next stitch, HDC 61. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. (112 stitches)
Round 15 – 19: 1 HDC in each stitch around. You can also add additional rows or increases here to get your perfect fit! You’ll also need to change colors somewhere in here if you are doing so.
After round 19, I recommend trying them on again and making sure that they fit how you want them to with that being the beginning of the split to form the “crotch” of the shorts and the beginning of the leg openings.
This is where it might be a little confusing. In order to create the leg holes, you should fold the shorts with the join seam as a “side seam” and then mark the stitch that is the point of the other “side seam” (it is not a seam yet, but it will be down the leg). Then find the middle of the front section and mark that stitch. Do the same on the back section (the portion where you have done all of the increases).
Once you have the middles marked you can begin the splitting process. I added one extra “row” on the back portion of each leg because I wanted more coverage in that area, but it may sound a bit confusing. As you work through it, hopefully things will make more sense.
Crotch Split/Round 20: Beginning at the side “join seam” where your yarn is attached, HDC to the last stitch before the marked middle stitch of the back panel. 1 SC in marked stitch, ch 1, turn, work 1 SC in top of the SC, then 1 HDC to last stitch before join, SC in the top of the ch 2, 1 HDC around to the marked middle stitch of the front section. Loosely ch 5, being careful not to twist, join with Sl St to the top of the SC from the marked stitch of back panel, Sl st into the side of the SC from the first part of the row. 1 SC into the stitch next to the marked stitch in the original row, 1 HDC in each stitch around to the last one before the marked “side” stitch, 1 SC in marked side stitch. Ch 1, turn, 1 SC in top of previous SC, 1 HDC in each stitch to the middle/SC of the previous row. Very loosely slip stitch back down the back hump of the chained stitches to the front panel. 1 HDC in each remaining stitch to the new side seam, join with Sl St.
Once you have that row joined, I recommend trying on the shorts again to make sure that they will fit comfortably. It is much better to rip out the second leg opening to make a longer crotch seam now than in a few rows.
Leg Rounds:
The leg rounds were worked separately (finishing one leg/main leg color first) but as exact duplicates. This is also where I changed to the last additional color.
Round 1: Ch 2, 1 HDC in each stitch around until second to last stitch, 2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in last stitch, join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn.
Round 2: 1 HDC in each stitch around to the middle (ish) of the back section of the leg hole, 2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC around to end, join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn.
Round 3: 1 HDC in each stitch around, join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn.
Round 4: Repeat row 2 (HDC to middleish of back panel, inc, HDC to end). Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn.
This is where I changed to my accent color again (the same as the waistband if you are following my striping/color changes).
Round 5 – 6: 1 HDC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St, Ch 2, turn. You can also add increases here if you need more room in the legs.
Optional accent round! You can do whatever edging you want here or just a standard row, but I did a modified picot edging to get the cute fluttery “pom pom” esque effect.
Round 7: Ch 1, SC, ch 3, and then SC (or Slip Stitch for the traditional method) into the same space as the first SC. 1 SC in next stitch, repeat picot, with 1 SC in between as a spacer.
Repeat rounds 1 – 7 on the other side!
Drawstring – I did a chain that was nice and long when wrapped around my waist at the height of the shorts waistband, and then worked 1 SC in the back bump of each chain. You can make the drawstring with whatever method you prefer.
Thread the drawstring through the waistband at the mid-point, and then you are good to go!
If you have any questions about this pattern feel free to comment below, email me at abby@skeinsandstitchesco.com or DM me on instagram (@skeinsandstitchesco). I would love to see your finished product if you make these shorts so please tag me or use #crochetstriashorts or #skeinsandstitchesco
