Crochet Shorts Pattern: Easy Drawstring Shorts From Two Rectangles
Two rectangles folded into legs, joined at the centre seams, with an elastic or drawstring waist. Crochet shorts made simple, in sizes XS–2XL.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Easy
- Yarn
- DK (#3) cotton, 450–800 yd depending on size
- Hook
- 4.5 mm (7)
- Time
- 8–12 hours
- Finished size
- XS–2XL: fits hips 34–54 in (86–137 cm)
You'll need
- DK weight (#3) cotton or cotton blend — about 450 (500, 560, 630, 700, 800) yd
- 4.5 mm (7) hook
- 1-in (2.5 cm) elastic (waist minus 2 in) or a crocheted drawstring
- Tapestry needle, safety pin, stitch markers
In this post
Crochet shorts sound hard because of the crotch. They're not — if you use the sewing trick behind pyjama pants. Each leg is a rectangle. Fold it in half, seam the bottom 3 inches into a tube, and set the two legs side by side; the remaining edges become the centre front and centre back seams. A casing at the top takes elastic or a drawstring.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
Gauge and sizing
Gauge: 16 hdc and 12 rows = 4 in (10 cm). Each panel is half your hip measurement plus 2 in of ease.
| Size | Fits hips | Chain | Stitches |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 34 in | 78 | 76 |
| S | 38 in | 86 | 84 |
| M | 42 in | 94 | 92 |
| L | 46 in | 102 | 100 |
| XL | 50 in | 110 | 108 |
| 2XL | 54 in | 118 | 116 |
The pattern
Leg panels (make 2)
- Row 1: Ch the number for your size. Hdc in the 3rd ch from the hook and across. Ch 2 (doesn't count), turn. (76, 84, 92, 100, 108, 116)
- Rows 2–4: Hdc in the third loop only for a ribbed hem. Ch 2, turn.
- Rows 5–48: Hdc across. Ch 2, turn. The panel is about 16 in tall: 3 in of inseam, 11 in of rise and 2 in for the waist casing.
Assembly
- Inseam: Fold each panel in half widthwise (short edges together). Seam the bottom 3 in (9 rows) from the hem up — this is the inside leg.
- Crotch seams: Turn one leg right side out and slide it inside the other (inside out), so the right sides face each other. Line up the unsewn edges and seam them in one continuous U-shape from the centre front waist, down through the crotch and up to the centre back waist.
- Turn out: Pull the inner leg out. You now have shorts.
- Casing: Fold the top 2 in to the inside and whipstitch down, leaving a gap. Thread elastic through, overlap the ends 1 in, sew and close the gap.
- Drawstring option: Ch 160, sl st back along the chain, and thread it through the casing via a small gap at the centre front.
Make it your own
- Longer shorts: add rows at the start (before the inseam) — 12 rows add about 4 in of leg.
- Granny stripes: work the legs in granny stripe for a retro festival look.
- Matching set: pair with our crochet top or bikini top.
Common questions
Are crochet shorts see-through?
Hdc in DK cotton shows a little light. Use a 4 mm hook for more coverage or wear them over swim bottoms.
Why does the back sag?
Rectangle construction has the same rise at front and back. For more coverage behind, add 6 short rows across half of each panel at the top before the casing.
Which seam method is best for shorts?
Mattress stitch or a slip-stitch seam from the wrong side: both are strong and lie flat.
Your first crochet bottoms — exciting! Tag us when you wear them. 🩳
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