Bella Crochet Shorts Pattern Free

Learn how to crochet shorts with this free pattern that is size from XS through to 5XL. These crochet shorts feature the Flame stitch in a striking side stripe and a lacy edge. Follow along with the full shorts pattern tutorial or view the written pattern to make your own own style.

Bella Crochet Shorts | Free Crochet Pattern

his free crochet shorts pattern will show you how to crochet shorts that fit – sized from XS through to 5XL, you can make the leg section as long as you’d like to wear them AND those legs can be either solid or lacy – the choice is yours!

The pattern combines the much loved double crochet stitch with the flame stitch to create a lacy look down each side and around the bottom of the leg of the shorts.

The pattern is worked in 3 sections:

waistband
body of shorts

Legs

and there are 2 video tutorials to help you complete this pattern with confidence; even if you’ve never crocheted something to wear, this is an easy project that’s quick to complete.

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Corresponding Bralette Pattern

You can find the corresponding Bralette pattern for the Bella Shorts by Clicking Here

This bralette pattern uses bra sizing rather than any other measurement to ensure a close fit that gives you the support and coverage you really want from a summer top.

Purchase the Printable PDF Pattern

If you’d like to increase your pattern reading skills, make notes as you work, or simply prefer to work from a printed pattern, you can get an AD-FREE, printable PDF version from Etsy or Ravelry by clicking the button below

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Grab all the printable crochet patterns by Cosy Rosie Crochet which featured on the Crochet Fashion Week Runway hosted in Atlanta in February 2023, including the Bella Shorts and the corresponding Bella Bralette for a super low price. Click the button below to find out more about the Crochet Fashion Week Collection – See all the patterns included

How to crochet a pair of shorts

The first thing to do before starting any crochet garment is to check your measurements – click here to find out more about how to measure yourself for the best fit.

Once you have your measurements, use the size chart below to confirm which size you would like to make:

Crochet Shorts Pattern Details

Materials

Any Size 3/DK weight Cotton or cotton blend. I used
- Paintbox Cotton Simply DK (100% cotton, 50g/1.8oz, 125m/137yds) in the shade Paper White – 401
- Stylecraft Naturals Cotton Bamboo in shade Aqua

4mm Crochet Hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle

5 x Stitch Markers

Abbreviations

US terms (UK in brackets)

St(s) – Stitches

Ch – Chain

Ch Sp -Chain Space

BLO – work into the back loop only

Sl St – Slip Stitch

Sc (dc) – single crochet (double crochet)

Hdc (htr) – Half Double (treble) crochet

2hdc (2htr) – work 2 Half Double (treble) crochet into the same stitch

Dc (tr) – Double crochet (treble crochet)

2dc-cl (2tr-cl) – 2 Double (treble) Crochet Cluster

PM – place marker

RS – right side

WS – wrong side

Pattern Notes

Get in touch if you need any help completing the pattern.

This pattern is worked in 3 parts; Waistband, Body, and Legs.
The Waistband is worked in rows before seaming.
The Body and Legs are worked in continuous rounds without joining.

The beginning ch1 DO NOT count as a stitch.
The beginning ch3 of the rows DOES count as a stitch.
Take a moment to go through the pattern and highlight the stitch counts for your size which will be written in size order. e.g XS (S, M, L, XL, 1XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL)

Move stitch markers up after stitch completed

Gauge

15 sts and 3 rows in hdc = 4 inches (10cm) in pattern using a 4mm hook. Use a larger or smaller crochet hook to obtain the correct tension.

Special Stitches

2 dc-cl (2 Treble Crochet Cluster) = yo, insert hook in indicated, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, insert hook in same, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through all loops on hook.

Flame St = (2dc-cl, [ch 3, 2dc-cl] 4 times) in indicated st/sp

How to crochet Shorts | Free Crochet Pattern

Row 1: Ch 13, hdc in 2nd from hook and each ch across, turn. (12)

Row 2: Ch 1 (does not count as st throughout), working in BLO, hdc into each st across. Turn. (12)

XS – Rows 3-74: Repeat Row 2.

S – Rows 3-84: Repeat Row 2.

M – Rows 3-90: Repeat Row 2.

L – Rows 3-102: Repeat Row 2.

XL – Rows 3- 104: Repeat Row 2.

2XL – Rows 3- 126: Repeat Row 2.

3XL – Rows 3-134: Repeat Row 2.

4XL – Rows 3-144: Repeat Row 2.

5XL – Rows 3-156: Repeat Row 2.

Bring short ends together, ensuring it is not twisted, ch 1, working through both layers, sl st in each across. Turn waistband so that seam is on inside.

Do NOT fasten off, continue to Body.

How to crochet body of shorts

Pattern is worked in continuous rounds from here and throughout. Place marker or scrap yarn in 1st stitch of round to keep track and move up as worked..

Round 1: Ch 1, working in row ends, 2 hdc in each around–148 (168, 180, 204, 216, 252, 268, 288, 312) hdc.

Place markers in following sts:

XS – 32, 42, 106, 116

S – 37, 47, 121, 131

M – 40, 50, 130, 140

L – 46, 56, 148, 158,

XL – 49, 59, 157, 167

2XL – 58, 68, 184, 194

3XL – 62, 72, 196, 206

4XL – 67, 77, 211, 221

5XL – 73, 83, 229, 239

Round 2: [hdc in each around to marked, sc in marked, (place marker), ch 3, skip 3, sc in next, ch 3, skip 1, sc in next, ch 3, skip 3, sc in next marked] 2 times, hdc in each around to end. (126, 146, 158, 182, 194, 230, 246, 266, 290 hdc & 8sc, 6 ch-3 sp)

Round 3: [Dc in each around to marked, dc in marked, *ch 1, skip (ch-3 sp, sc), flame st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, skip (sc, ch-3 sp), dc in next] 2 times, dc in each around to end–128 (148, 160, 184, 196, 232, 248, 268, 292) dc, 2 flame sts.

Round 4: [Dc in each to next marked, dc in marked, place marker, ch 3, skip 1st ch-3 sp, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3] 2 times, dc in each around to end.

XS & S – Rounds 5-22: Repeat Rounds 3-4.

M – Rounds 5-24: Repeat Rounds 3-4.

L & XL – Rounds 5-26: Repeat Rounds 3-4.

2XL & 3XL – Rounds 5-28: Repeat Rounds 3-4.

4XL & 5XL – Rounds 5-30: Repeat Rounds 3-4.

All Sizes: Continue to Legs

How to Split Crochet Shorts for Legs

Counting from last dc of lace pattern, place markers in middle st between flame side stitches – 33 (38, 41, 47, 50, 59, 63, 68, 74)

Repeat for other side of Body.

Round 1: Dc in each around to 1st marked (middle st), hdc in marked, ch 13, sl st to 2nd marked (on front of short), dc in each to next marked (before lace), dc in marked, ch 1, skip 1st ch-3 sp, flame st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, skip next ch-3 sp, dc in each st to end, continue to dc in each st and ch around to 2nd marked st. (2nd marked st becomes end of round) 81 (91, 97, 109, 115, 133, 141, 151, 163) dc, 10 flame sts.

Round 2: Dc in each around to marked next to lace, dc in marked, *ch 3, skip 3, sc in next, ch 3, skip 1, sc in next, ch 3, skip 3, dc in next, repeat from *, dc in each st to end. 81 (91, 97, 109, 115, 133, 141, 151, 163) dc, 6 ch-3 sps

Round 3: Dc in each around to marked next to lace, dc in marked, *ch 1, skip 1st ch-3 sp, flame st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, skip next ch-3 sp, dc in next, repeat from *, dc in each st to end. 81 (91, 97, 109, 115, 133, 141, 151, 163) dc, 10 flame sts.

How to to increase length of shorts

There are 2 options if you’d like to make your shorts longer.

You can opt to continue the flame stitch just down the side of the leg, the same as the established pattern. Or you can create a lacy leg which features the flame stitch around the majority of the leg section:

For a solid leg section – repeat Rounds 2-3 until desired length has been reached.

For a lace leg section – continue to Round 4 and then repeat rounds 6-7 until desired length has been reached.

Round 4: Dc in next 5 (10, 3, 9, 2, 1, 5, 10, 6) sts, *dc in next, ch 3, skip 3, sc in next, ch 3, skip 1, sc in next, ch 3, skip 3, repeat from * 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6) more times**, dc, skip 1st ch-3 sp, sc into next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3*, repeat from * to ** once more, dc into each st to end. 22 (32, 18, 30, 16, 14, 22, 32, 24) dc, 12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 18, 18, 18, 20) ch-3 sps

Round 5: Dc in next 6 (11, 4, 10, 3, 2, 6, 11, 7) sts, dc in next, *ch 1, skip 1st ch-3 sp, flame st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, skip next ch-3 sp, dc in next, repeat from * 5 (5, 7, 7, 9, 11, 11, 11, 13) more times, dc in each st to end. 22 (32, 18, 30, 16, 14, 22, 32, 24) dc, 12 (12, 16, 20, 24, 24, 24, 28) flame sts.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Repeat for other leg.

To increase leg length with lace, do NOT fasten off continue to Longer Lace Legs

Longer Lace Legs

To make the shorts longer with a lace look:

Round 6: Dc in each around to lace, dc in marked, *skip 1st ch-3 sp, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3*, repeat from * 5 (5, 7, 7, 9, 11, 11, 11, 13) more times, dc in each st to end. 22 (32, 18, 30, 16, 14, 22, 32, 24) dc, 12 (12, 14, 14, 16, 18, 18, 18, 20) ch-3 sps

Round 7: Dc in each around to lace, dc in next, *ch 1, skip 1st ch-3 sp, flame st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, skip next ch-3 sp, dc in next, repeat from * 5 (5, 7, 7, 9, 11, 11, 11, 13) more times, dc in each st to end. 22 (32, 18, 30, 16, 14, 22, 32, 24) dc, 12 (12, 16, 20, 24, 24, 24, 28) flame sts.

Repeat Rounds 6-7 until desired length achieved. Fasten off, weave in ends.