Crochet Shorts Tutorial: Make Comfy Summer Shorts

If you’ve been crocheting for a while and you’re looking for a project that actually gets worn, crochet shorts might be exactly what your hook has been waiting for. Summer shorts worked up in breathable yarn are one of those satisfying garments that sit at the crossroads of practical and adorable. They’re customizable, relatively quick once you get the hang of the construction, and they make a statement that store-bought clothes simply can’t match.

This tutorial will walk you through everything you need to know to make your own crochet shorts from scratch — including yarn selection, sizing, stitch patterns, shaping techniques, and finishing tips. Whether you’re making them for the beach, a festival, or just lounging around the house, this guide has you covered.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Before diving into the pattern itself, let’s talk materials. Getting your supplies right will make the whole process smoother and give you a finished product you’re proud to wear.

Yarn: For summer shorts, you want something lightweight and breathable. Cotton yarn is the gold standard for warm-weather garments. It has great stitch definition, holds its shape well, and washes easily. Look for a DK weight or worsted weight cotton depending on how structured you want your shorts to be. Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, We Are Knitters The Cotton, and Paintbox Simply DK Cotton are all fantastic options. If you want a bit of stretch — which is really helpful for garments — consider a cotton-acrylic blend or a yarn with a small percentage of elastane. Avoid wool or wool blends for this project since they tend to be warm and don’t breathe as well in the heat.

Hook Size: Your hook size will depend on your yarn weight, but for DK cotton you’ll typically use a 4.0mm or 4.5mm hook, and for worsted weight you might go up to a 5.0mm or 5.5mm. Always, always make a gauge swatch. Crochet garments that don’t fit are discouraging, and a 15-minute swatch saves hours of regret.

Elastic for the Waistband: You’ll need a length of 1-inch (2.5cm) wide elastic for the waistband. The length should match your actual waist or hip measurement (wherever you plan to wear the shorts), minus about an inch for a comfortable stretch fit.

Tapestry Needle: For weaving in ends and seaming.

Stitch Markers: These are lifesavers when working in the round.

Measuring Tape: Essential for sizing.

Scissors: The obvious one.

Understanding Gauge and Sizing

Gauge is the number of stitches and rows you get per inch or per 4 inches, and it determines whether your shorts will fit. For this tutorial, we’re aiming for a gauge of approximately 16 stitches and 18 rows over 4 inches in half double crochet using DK cotton and a 4.5mm hook. Your tension may vary, which is completely normal — just adjust your hook size accordingly.

To make your gauge swatch, chain 22 and work half double crochet (hdc) in rows for about 5 inches. Lay it flat without stretching, and count your stitches and rows over the center 4 inches. If you have too many stitches per inch, go up a hook size. If you have too few, go down a hook size.

For sizing, this pattern uses the hip measurement as the primary guide since shorts need to fit over your hips first and foremost. Here’s a general sizing chart:

Small fits hips 34–36 inches, with a finished garment measurement of about 36–37 inches (including ease). Medium fits hips 37–39 inches, finished at approximately 40 inches. Large fits hips 40–42 inches, finished at approximately 43 inches. XL fits hips 43–45 inches, finished at approximately 46 inches. XXL fits hips 46–48 inches, finished at approximately 49 inches.

Crochet garments typically need 2–4 inches of positive ease (meaning the finished garment is larger than your body measurement) so they hang and move comfortably. For shorts, aim for at least 2 inches of ease.

Construction Overview

These shorts are worked in two separate leg pieces that are joined at the crotch, then worked upward together to create the waistband. This construction method is clean, customizable, and gives you easy control over the inseam length. You can make them as short as you like — think micro shorts with a 1-inch inseam — or bring them down toward the mid-thigh with a 4 or 5-inch inseam.

The stitch used throughout the body is half double crochet (hdc), which creates a fabric that’s dense enough to hold its shape but flexible enough to move with your body. If you’re comfortable with more texture, you can substitute moss stitch or even a simple lace pattern, though those adjustments may require recalculating your stitch count.

Step-by-Step Crochet Shorts Pattern

Step 1 — Create the First Leg

Start by calculating how many stitches you need for one leg. The circumference of each leg opening should be about half your hip measurement, plus a few extra stitches for ease. For a Medium (40-inch finished hip), you’ll cast on for a leg circumference of about 22–24 inches.

Chain 88 (for Medium size). This number should be divisible by 2 for the stitch pattern to work evenly. Join with a slip stitch to form a ring, being careful not to twist your chain.

Round 1: Chain 2 (does not count as a stitch throughout this pattern), hdc in each chain across, join with a slip stitch to the first hdc. You should have 88 hdc.

Round 2 through Round 6: Chain 2, hdc in each stitch around, join. (5 rounds total of plain hdc)

These first rounds create the leg hem. You can edge this later with a round of single crochet if you want a cleaner finish, or leave the natural hdc edge as is for a relaxed look.

After completing Round 6, you’ll begin shaping the leg to taper it slightly toward the crotch. This gives the shorts a nicer fit and prevents the fabric from bunching at the inner thigh.

Round 7: Chain 2, hdc in first 20 stitches, hdc2tog (decrease), hdc in next 44 stitches, hdc2tog, hdc in remaining stitches, join. (86 stitches)

Round 8 through Round 11: Work even in hdc, no decreases.

Round 12: Repeat the decrease round as in Round 7 if desired. For shorter inseam, you may skip this round entirely.

Continue working even in hdc until your leg measures your desired inseam length from the bottom edge. For a 2-inch inseam, this is typically 8–10 rounds depending on your row gauge. For a 4-inch inseam, you’ll work 16–20 rounds.

When you’ve reached your desired length, fasten off and leave a long tail for seaming.

Step 2 — Create the Second Leg

Repeat the exact same process for the second leg. When complete, do not fasten off — leave your working yarn attached and your hook in the last loop.

Step 3 — Join the Legs at the Crotch

This is the key construction step that transforms two tubes into a pair of shorts. Place both leg pieces side by side with their right sides facing outward, and decide which side will be the front crotch.

With your hook still in the working loop of the second leg, chain 4 (this creates the crotch bridge), then join with a slip stitch to the first stitch of the first leg. This chain essentially spans the gap between the two legs at the crotch point.

Next round: Chain 2, hdc across all stitches of the first leg (approximately 84 stitches after your decreases), hdc across the 4 chain stitches at the back crotch, hdc across all stitches of the second leg, hdc across the 4 chain stitches at the front crotch, join. You should now have somewhere between 176 and 180 stitches in a single round.

If this sounds like a lot of stitches, that’s because it is — you’re essentially working around the full hip circumference now. Count carefully before joining to make sure you have an even number.

Step 4 — Work the Body

From this joining round upward, you’re working around the full circumference of the shorts body. This is where the waistband will eventually sit.

Rounds 1 through 4 after joining: Work even in hdc around, joining each round with a slip stitch.

Round 5: Begin waistband shaping if desired. Many crocheters prefer to add a very slight waist taper here by placing 2 decreases (hdc2tog) spaced evenly around the body. For a more relaxed, straight-cut silhouette with an elastic waistband, you can skip the shaping entirely and work straight up.

Continue working even until the shorts body measures about 3–4 inches from the crotch join. This creates a comfortable rise that sits at or just below the natural waist when combined with the elastic casing.

Step 5 — Build the Waistband Casing

The waistband is a simple folded casing that holds a piece of elastic. It’s one of the most practical finishing touches you can add to any crocheted garment.

To begin the casing, switch to single crochet for the next 8 rounds. Single crochet creates a denser, firmer fabric that’s ideal for a waistband — it grips the elastic and holds its shape much better than hdc.

Work 8 rounds of single crochet even around the top of the shorts. Fasten off, leaving a very long tail (you’ll need it for seaming the casing closed).

Fold the 8 rounds of single crochet over toward the inside of the shorts. Thread your tapestry needle with the long tail and whipstitch the bottom edge of the folded casing to the first round of single crochet on the body of the shorts, leaving a 2-inch gap for inserting the elastic.

Cut your elastic to your waist or hip measurement minus 1 inch. Thread the elastic through the casing using a safety pin attached to one end. Once it’s fed all the way through, overlap the ends by about half an inch and sew them together securely with a needle and thread. Tuck the joined elastic inside the casing and seam the gap closed with your tapestry needle.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about making your own crochet shorts is that the basic construction is just a starting point. Here are some ways to make yours unique.

Add a Lace Trim to the Leg Openings: After finishing the legs, add 2–3 rounds of a simple shell stitch or fan stitch around the bottom of each leg. Chain 2, work 4 double crochets in the same stitch, skip 2 stitches, slip stitch, repeat around for a gentle scalloped edge.

Try a Two-Color Design: Work the legs in one color and the body in a second coordinating color for a fun color block look. Cotton yarns in pastel or earthy tones look especially beautiful paired together.

Add a Drawstring: Instead of (or in addition to) elastic, crochet a simple chain or twisted cord in a contrasting color and thread it through a row of evenly spaced chain-1 spaces near the top of the waistband. Tie it in a bow at the front for a cute, adjustable fit.

Work a Textured Stitch: Once you’re comfortable with the basic construction, try swapping the body stitch for moss stitch (alternating single crochet and chain 1 stitches) or a simple waffle stitch. These add visual interest without significantly changing the structure.

Create a Ruffled Hem: For a beachy, playful look, finish each leg opening with an increase round. Hdc twice in every other stitch around the leg opening to create a natural ruffle that flutters when you move.

Tips for Getting the Best Fit

Fitting crocheted garments can feel tricky, but a few habits will set you up for success every time.

Try the shorts on regularly as you work. Crochet is wonderfully forgiving — you can unravel and rework as needed, and doing a quick try-on after the join round will tell you a lot about whether your sizing is on track.

Block your finished shorts before wearing. For cotton yarns, wet blocking (soaking in cool water, pressing gently to remove excess water without wringing, then laying flat to dry) evens out your stitches dramatically and softens the fabric. The shorts will feel and look much more polished after blocking.

If the shorts feel a little snug at the hips after blocking, don’t panic. Wet cotton crochet fabric has more stretch than dry, so you may find the fit improves significantly after the first wash and wear.

For plus sizes, add stitches in multiples of 2 to each leg, and add extra chain stitches to your crotch bridge accordingly. The crotch shaping may also benefit from being worked over 2–3 rounds rather than a single chain bridge to give more room and comfort through the seat.

If the shorts are too long for your taste, simply work fewer rounds before reaching the waistband section. This pattern is endlessly adjustable.

Caring for Your Crochet Shorts

Cotton garments are generally very easy to care for. Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and lay flat to dry — this preserves both the shape and the color. Avoid the dryer for knit and crochet garments, as high heat can cause cotton to shrink slightly over time.

If your shorts pill or fuzz after a few wears (this can happen with blended yarns), a sweater stone or fabric shaver will restore them beautifully.

Store them folded rather than hung, especially if they have elastic in the waistband, to prevent the casing from stretching out of shape over time.

Final Thoughts

Making your own crochet shorts is one of those projects that feels a little ambitious until you’re actually doing it — and then it feels completely achievable. The construction is logical, the stitching is repetitive in the best possible way, and the result is a wearable garment that you made entirely with your hands and a hook.

The most important thing to remember is that gauge matters for garments in a way it doesn’t for dishcloths or scarves. Take the time for that swatch. Try things on. Make small adjustments. Crochet is endlessly forgiving, and even if your first pair isn’t perfect, the second one will be better and you’ll have learned something along the way.

Whether you make them in crisp white cotton for beach days, earthy terracotta for a bohemian vibe, or a bright citrus color that screams summer, these shorts are going to be something you reach for again and again. Now grab your hook, pick your favorite cotton yarn, and get started — summer waits for no one.