Free Pattern: Gold Waistband Burgundy Crochet Culottes

Free Pattern: Gold Waistband Burgundy Crochet Culottes

Introduction

These beginner-friendly crochet culottes are the perfect first "real garment" project for someone who has just learned the basic stitches. A warm gold ribbed waistband flows down into two wide burgundy leg panels, joined at the center with a simple flat crotch seam. The clean two-tone block look makes a minimalist statement with almost no shaping — no complicated increases, no fussy fit math, just straight, soothing half double crochet. When finished, the culottes feel soft and drapey, with a relaxed wide-leg silhouette that swishes gently as you walk. If you can make a chain and a half double crochet, you can make these pants.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic or cotton blend. Burgundy: approximately 400 (450, 500, 550) yards. Gold: approximately 150 (175, 200, 225) yards.
• Hook: 6 mm (US J/10) crochet hook.
• Stitch markers (at least 4) — small clips or safety pins work too.
• Tapestry needle (a big blunt needle with a large eye) for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors for cutting yarn.
• Measuring tape for checking gauge and length.
• Scrap yarn or a stitch holder to hold the second leg's stitches.

Finished sizes: S (M, L, XL). Hip circumference: 36 (40, 44, 48) inches. Inseam: 26 (27, 28, 29) inches. Waistband height: 3 inches. Leg opening: 16 (18, 20, 22) inches per leg.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch — chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, wrap yarn over the hook, and pull it through the loop. That is one chain.
• sl st — slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at once. It makes a nearly invisible joining stitch.
• sc — single crochet. Insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• hdc — half double crochet. Wrap yarn over hook first, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through all 3 loops at once.
• hdc blo — half double crochet in the back loop only. Work a normal hdc, but insert your hook only under the back loop of the stitch (the loop farthest from you) instead of both loops. This creates a ribbed texture.
• sc2tog — single crochet two together (a decrease). Insert hook into first stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), wrap yarn over, pull through all 3 loops. Two stitches become one.
• sts — stitches.
• join with sl st — after working all the way around, slip stitch into the first stitch of the round to close the circle.
• turn — flip your work over so you work back the other direction.
• fasten off — cut the yarn, pull the tail through the last loop, and tighten.

Gauge

14 stitches x 16 rows = 4 inches in half double crochet.

Gauge matters because it is how you make sure your finished pants actually fit. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern's, the culottes will come out too large; if smaller, too tight. To check: crochet a square about 5 inches wide in hdc, lay it flat, and measure 4 inches across the middle. Count the stitches in that 4 inches. If you have more than 14, try a larger hook; if fewer, try a smaller hook. A few minutes here saves hours later.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use stitch markers. Place one at the first stitch of every joined round so you always know where the round begins and ends.
• Don't pull your yarn too tight. Keep your tension relaxed and even — tight stitches make stiff, small pants that are hard to seam.
• Count your stitches at the end of each round. The counts are given in parentheses; if you are off, fix it now rather than later.
• Don't twist the chain. When you join Round 1 into a ring, make sure the chain lies flat and untwisted before you slip stitch.
• Try it on as you go. Slip the work over your hips once the hip section is done to check the fit before you divide for the legs.
• Keep your two legs even. Measure the first leg carefully and match the second leg to it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Section 1: Gold Ribbed Waistband

Worked in joined rounds from the top down, with Gold.

Round 1: With Gold, ch 126 (140, 154, 168). Being careful not to twist the chain, join with sl st to first ch to form a ring. Ch 1, sc in each ch around. Join with sl st to first sc. (126, 140, 154, 168 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, hdc blo in each st around. Join with sl st to first hdc. (126, 140, 154, 168 hdc)

Rounds 3–12: Repeat Round 2. (126, 140, 154, 168 hdc) Waistband measures approximately 3 inches tall. Do not fasten off.

Section 2: Burgundy Hip Section

Change to Burgundy. Continue working in joined rounds.

Round 13: Ch 1, hdc in each st around. Join with sl st to first hdc. (126, 140, 154, 168 hdc)

Rounds 14–28: Repeat Round 13. (126, 140, 154, 168 hdc) Hip section measures approximately 4 inches. Piece now measures approximately 7 inches from the top edge.

Section 3: Dividing for Legs

You will now split the tube into two legs. The crotch seam is a simple flat join.

Row 29 (Set-up): Ch 1, hdc in each of the first 63 (70, 77, 84) sts. Do not join. Turn. Leave the remaining 63 (70, 77, 84) sts unworked on a stitch holder or scrap yarn for the second leg.

Section 4: First Leg

Worked flat at first, then joined into a round.

Row 30: Ch 1, hdc in each st across. Turn. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Rows 31–40: Repeat Row 30. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc) Leg panel measures approximately 2.5 inches.

Row 41 (Join leg into round): Ch 1, hdc in each st across. Join with sl st to first hdc of this row to form a ring. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Rounds 42–104: Ch 1, hdc in each st around. Join with sl st to first hdc. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Repeat Round 42 until the leg measures approximately 24 (25, 26, 27) inches from the crotch division, or your desired inseam length. Fasten off.

Section 5: Second Leg

Return to the 63 (70, 77, 84) held stitches. With Burgundy, join yarn at the first held stitch.

Row 1: Ch 1, hdc in each held st across. Turn. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Rows 2–12: Repeat Row 1. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc) Leg panel measures approximately 2.5 inches.

Row 13 (Join leg into round): Ch 1, hdc in each st across. Join with sl st to first hdc of this row to form a ring. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Rounds 14–76: Ch 1, hdc in each st around. Join with sl st to first hdc. (63, 70, 77, 84 hdc)

Repeat Round 14 until the second leg matches the first leg length. Fasten off.

Section 6: Crotch Seam

Turn the culottes inside out. Using a tapestry needle and a length of Burgundy yarn, whipstitch the open crotch edges together, joining the inner edges of both leg panels from the front division point to the back division point. Keep the seam flat and even. Weave in ends.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Weave in all ends. Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and run it back and forth through the back of several stitches, then trim close to the fabric.
2. Block lightly. Dampen the culottes with a light mist of water (or follow your yarn label's blocking advice), lay them flat, and smooth the fabric with your hands to even out the stitches. Let them dry completely.
3. Try on and adjust the waistband if needed. If it is too loose, work one round of sc2tog evenly around the top edge (about every 6th stitch) to cinch. If it is too tight, work one round of sc in each st around to add about 1/4 inch of ease. You can also thread a length of yarn through the top round as a drawstring.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors. Swap the gold and burgundy for any two colors you love — a cream waistband with forest green legs, or a black waistband with mustard legs, both look striking.
• Adjust the length. Add or remove rounds in Section 4 and Section 5 to make capri-length or full-length pants. Just keep both legs the same number of rounds.
• Adjust the size. To go up a size, add stitches in multiples of 14 to the starting chain (each 14 stitches adds about 4 inches of hip circumference) and add 100 yards of burgundy per size up.
• Substitute yarn. A cotton blend gives a crisper, cooler drape; a soft acrylic gives a cozier, stretchier feel. Always check your gauge with the new yarn before starting.