Crochet Pants: Cozy and Versatile

Crochet pants offer a unique twist on traditional trousers, combining comfort with style for a standout look. Here are some tips for crocheting pants that fit well and look chic:

Choose a yarn blend with stretch for ease of movement and a comfortable fit. Experiment with different pant styles like wide-leg, jogger, or wrap pants. Adjust the rise and inseam measurements for a tailored fit that flatters your figure. Add details like pockets or ribbed cuffs for added interest. Pair your crochet pants with a fitted top or oversized sweater for a cozy yet fashionable outfit. Crocheting pants allows you to create statement bottoms that stand out from traditional knitwear, showcasing your creativity and crafting skills.

Choosing the Right Yarn

Choosing yarn for a crochet project may be the most fun part when you can select from your stash, or easily grab it from your local craft store. It can also become overwhelming if you’re not certain what type to use when you’re free styling a crochet bottom, or when a crochet pattern lists a yarn that is discontinued or not available in your area.

These are the things to consider when selecting yarn for crochet bottoms: yarn weight, fiber content, and texture of the yarn. These factors are crucial when crocheting bottoms as it can affect the drape, stretch, and overall comfort of the finished garment.

Let’s look closer at choosing the right yarn for your crochet bottoms:

• Crochet Skirts: You want a skirt that moves with you (drape) and a breathable, but sturdy fabric. No one wants to wear 100% wool (the type that can felt when agitated) skirt in the middle of summer as all of that movement and heat may felt the wool and change the shape and size of the skirt. Consider plant fibers for a warm weather skirt such as cotton, cotton blends and bamboo blends. Bamboo is absolutely lovely with amazing drape, but it’s not sturdy, so a bamboo blend will be stronger to maintain the fabric’s shape and sizing. Cotton is a great consider as it will wick away moisture and hold its shape, especially a mercerized cotton that has been pre-stretched.
  • For a cold weather skirt, consider animal and synthetic fibers, such as a superwash wool, wool and acrylic blend, acrylic and maybe a wool and nylon blend. Wool and nylon is a maybe since the nylon adds stretch, which is perfect for socks, but for a skirt it will stretch out of shape when worn because gravity will do its job. Acrylic yarns are a work horse in the fiber world because it can work for so many different types of crochet garments, has a wide range of colors and weights.
• Crochet Shorts and pants: these crochet garments are better suited to stretchy yarns that will move with you in many directions. A yarn with some stretch is great when making crochet coverup shorts that are worn less often than regular shorts worn any day of the week. Most crochet pant patterns tend to have a close fit, so the ability to stretch is important for comfort. If you’re thinking about making crochet shorts or crochet pants for the summer, choose a cotton or cotton blend for comfort and durability, especially if creating a mesh or lace pattern. I’ve always been a fan of how crisp the stitches look in cotton, and I think you’ll like it too, if you don’t use cotton much for your crochet garments.
  • If you’re uncertain about the idea of making crochet pants, take some time to think about the pants in your closet that fit well and you feel good wearing. What characteristics of those pants can be translated to a pair of crochet pants, such as the height of the waist, length, or amount of ease.
• Yarn texture and weight: Worsted weight yarn is the most commonly available option in the US, and most are smooth. Worsted weight is also referred as medium weight yarn, and works great for cool weather pants and skirts. It can be used for crochet shorts, but the fabric will be thicker than you’re comfortable wearing around the inner thighs, and you don’t want to risk a hole forming overtime from the friction at the inner thighs.
  • Fingering and sport weight yarns tend to offer the best drape for crochet bottoms, and the thinner yarns allow any lace patterns show more clearly than thicker yarns. These thinner yarns are more ideal in creating crochet pants, as they will not be as heavy to wear and have adequate drape to move with you freely. Although it will take longer to make, the results will be well worth the time to have quality pants that will surprise everyone when you state, “I made them!” in reply to where you got your pants.
  • DK weight is my new favorite weight to work with as the fabric created isn’t too thick or too thin with nice drape when using a larger hook than recommended. A solid fabric can be created for some crochet pants or a skirt in DK weight and 3.5mm or smaller hook. In regard to texture, crochet bottoms are worn close to the body, so you don’t want anything with a halo that may be itchy or ticklish, nor something with slubs (thick and thin strands). I don’t want to sit on anything bumpy and slub yarn might feel bumpy against the skin when sitting. Save that slubby yarn for a crochet top or accessory.
• Lastly, don’t forget to note the care instructions for any yarn that you choose to make your crochet bottoms. Don’t spend tens of hours making an amazing piece that gets torn up in the washing machine. Acrylic and an acrylic blend is the only yarn that I’ll consider machine washing as it maintains its shape and length. The general unspoken rule in the fiber world is to hand wash your crochet pieces anyways to maintain the shape of your stitches and fabric. One benefit of handwashing your crochet garments is laying it flat to dry and reshaping, if needed, so it always look freshly finished.

Want to make crochet garments that fit?

Download this cheat sheet to record your measurements, and eliminate frustration from spending hours and hours making the wrong fit.

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Essential Measurements for a Comfortable Fit

We can’t talk about crochet bottoms without talking about measurement and gauge. Yes, the G-word! Measurements and gauge work together for the perfect fit, as your gauge will impact the final measurements. We can block out crochet bottoms and other garments to make them bigger but we cannot make them smaller. To save time and yarn, take your measurements and use the gauge to help you determine how many stitches and rows will be needed when free styling crochet bottoms, or choosing the size that will give provide your preferred fit when following a crochet pattern.

Here are the key measurements you’ll need for crochet skirts, shorts, and pants:

1. Waist: Measure around the narrowest part of your waistline, typically above the belly button.
2. Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips, usually around the widest point of your buttocks.
3. Length: Decide how long you want your skirt or pants to be. Measure from your waist to your desired length, whether it’s above the knee, knee-length, or ankle-length.
4. Rise: For pants, measure from your waist down to the desired rise, which is the distance between your waist and your crotch. Think low rise vs. high rise pants.
5. Inseam: Measure from your crotch down to the desired length of the shorts or pants, whether it’s ankle-length or any other preferred length.
6. Thigh circumference: Measure around the fullest part of your thigh for shorts and pants.

Using these measurements as a guide will help you create crochet bottoms that fit comfortably and flatter your body shape.

Closure Options for Crochet Bottoms

Choosing the right closure for your crochet bottoms can impact both the style and functionality of the garment. Here are some popular closure options for crochet skirts, shorts, and pants listed in order of complexity:

• Drawstring: A drawstring closure is a versatile and easy option for adjustable waistbands on skirts, shorts and pants. Crochet a simple chain or use pre-made cords or ribbon for an easy drawstring closure. Typically the waist will have several inches of positive ease in order to fit over the hips when a drawstring will be used to keep your crochet bottoms at or near the waist.
• Elastic: Elastic waistbands are comfortable and help maintain the shape of a crochet skirt. As a side note, an elastic waistband in a crochet dress will help with the weight of the fabric. *wink wink. There are various widths of elastic that can be added to the waist, such as string elastic that can be crocheted over or 1 inch elastic that requires a casing. Similar to a drawstring waistband, there will be positive ease to fit over the hips and the fabric may bunch less than using a drawstring. If you choose to add elastic, decide how snug of a fit you want to determine the length to cut. I prefer to cut 1 inch more than the waist measurement, so that the ends can be overlapped and sewn together before adding it the to crochet piece. If you prefer a tighter fit, consider using a piece of elastic that is 1 inch less than the waist.
• Hook and Eye Closure: these tiny hooks are great for an invisible closure that is secure, similar to what is found on sewn clothing and a bra. These are also helpful when thinking about creating a versatile, multi-look piece, where you can make a piece removable.
• Buttons: Sew-on buttons can add a decorative touch to your crochet bottoms while providing a secure closure. Choose buttons that complement the yarn color and texture for a cohesive look. Don’t forget to make the button hole on the opposite side and an opening that actually works to provide enough space to pull up over the hips.
• Zippers: For a more tailored and structured look, consider adding a zipper closure to your crochet bottoms. Before you say, “NOPE!”, there are tons of tutorials that can be found for adding a zipper to crochet fabric. If you do not want to hand or machine sew it to the fabric, consider setting up the zipper first like in this video, and then use your crochet hook to attach the zipper to the crochet bottoms. Consider using a zipper when you want to create a skirt, shorts or pants that fit really well like store bought clothing.

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Conclusion

Crochet bottoms offer endless possibilities for creativity and self-expression, allowing you to craft personalized garments that fit perfectly and reflect your unique style. By choosing the right yarn, taking accurate measurements, and exploring various closure options, you can create skirts, shorts, and pants that are both stylish and comfortable. Whether you’re crocheting for yourself or designing handmade gifts for loved ones, mastering the art of crochet bottoms will elevate your crafting skills and handmade closet.

Start crocheting your dream bottoms today and enjoy the process of creating wearable art that showcases your talent and passion for crochet!

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