Note: This is a rough guide (and one of my first blog posts ever). I have a new shorts design in the works that will be much more detailed and have all the different sizes. Please bear with me!
These shorts are cute, comfortable and fully customizable. If you know how to double crochet, increase and decrease, you can make these shorts. I recommend using the linked double crochet so there are no holes in your project. Once you get used to making double crochet stitches in this way, the pattern is very repetitive and there is minimal counting stitches involved. They are as easy to wear as they are to make and when you put these shorts on, you may not want to take them off.
Let’s get started!
Sizes
Grab a pair of shorts that fit you well and don’t have more than a little stretch and I will walk you through how to crochet a pair of shorts that fits you just as well and is equally flattering. I will put my own numbers in parenthesis to give you a ballpark. 🙂 I wear a jean size 9-11, my measurements are: hips – 36 inches, thighs – 24 inches.
Materials
Lion Brand Feels Like Butta Pale Grey Bonus Skein
Crochet Hook I-9, 5.5 mm
Abbreviations
US Terminology
ch = chain
st = stitch
sk = skip
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
ldc = linked double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
dec = decrease
inc = increase
Notes
The starting chain 3 does not count as a dc. Make sure to work your first ldc of the row in the same space as the starting chain to minimize holes in the edges of your work.
It is better to overestimate the initial chain length than to underestimate. If they end up being a little too big that’s ok because there’s a drawstring! 🙂
Visualizing the Pattern
The front and back pieces of the shorts are crocheted separately and then stitched together. The increases in the last 3 rows of the front panel and the decreases in the back panel will create a little “v” in the center of each piece which will then be stitched together to form the inseam. The legs are then worked separately in the round to the desired length. The drawstring is a simple length of chains. You totally got this!
Front:
Lay your shorts flat to use as a guide. Chain a length that is about 4 inches longer than the waist of the front of your shorts. Chain 3 more for your starting chain (this doesn’t count as a dc) and ldc down the row. (My starting chain was 60 stitches)
Each subsequent row will look like this: ch 3 and turn and ldc down the row.
Continue making rows and comparing the length of your work with the length of your guide shorts. When your work reaches the top of the inseam (where the legs of the shorts meet) you will work 3 more rows as follows:
Ch 3 and turn and ldc until you get to the middle of the row (you can count or fold the work in half and guesstimate), ldc inc in the next two stitches and mark the last stitch (if you don’t have stitch markers you can use a small piece of yarn in a contrasting color or a bobby pin), work the rest of the row in ldc as normal
Ch 3 and turn and ldc across until you crochet in the stitch before your marker, inc, ldc 2, inc (move your marker to the last stitch of this increase), ldc to the end of the row.
Ch 3 and turn and ldc until you crochet in the stitch before your marker, inc, ldc 4, inc (move your marker to the last stitch of this increase), ldc to the end of the row. Cut off yarn (maybe hold off on weaving in ends, just in case you decide to make adjustments later)
Back:
Your starting chain will be the length of the starting chain for the front plus 30. (My starting chain was 90) Chain 3 more for the starting chain (this doesn’t count as a dc) and ldc in each chain across. Put a stitch marker in the middle stitch. Each subsequent row will be worked as follows:
Ch 3, turn, ldc until you crochet in the stitch before your marker, dec, move your stitch marker to the stitch you just made and ldc to the end of the row.
Work the same amount of rows as you did for the front. Don’t cut the yarn. Take out the stitch marker when you are done with all the rows.
Assembling Front and Back:
Turn the back piece upside down so that the “v” of the decreases in the middle matches up with the “v” of the increases on the front piece. Starting with the side where your working yarn is, slip stitch the front and back together. Cut off yarn. Attach a new yarn on the other side and slip stitch the front and back together in the same way. Cut off yarn.
Inseam:
Attach your yarn in the same stitch as the marker on your front piece. Working through loops on both the front and back pieces, ldc in the stitch with the marker and the next 7 stitches for a total of eight. Do not cut yarn.
Leg Holes:
Continue with the same yarn, do not work loops through both pieces anymore, ch 3 (starting chain does not count as dc) ldc around one leg hole and sl st to the first stitch you made. Continue making rows to your desired length. (I only made 2 ldc rows plus one sc row in my contrasting color). Cut yarn, attach new yarn on the other side of the inseam and repeat the process on the other leg hole.
Waist:
Turn your shorts inside out so the seams from the sides and inseam are invisible. Attach your yarn to the waist of the shorts next to one of the side seams, ch 3 (does not count as dc) and ldc around, sl st to the first stitch you made. You can make more rows here if you would like a higher waist. Then do one round with normal dc instead of ldc. Your last round will be sc.
Drawstring:
Chain a length in a contrasting color that is long enough to go around your waist and be tied in a bow (it was about 150 chains for me). Weave the drawstring in and out of the normal dc round.
Thanks for reading my free pattern! Please do not redistribute this pattern as your own, but feel free to sell finished items made from this pattern as long as you credit Nine Inspired as the designer. If you make this pattern please share and tag me on social media so I can see!
