Summer Fancy by DROPS Design

CROCHET TIP:
Replace first sc at beg of every round with 1 ch and finish every round with 1 sl st in ch from beg of round.

INCREASE TIP:
Work until 2 sc remain before marker mid back, work 2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sc (marker is between these sts) and 2 sc in next sc (= 2 sts inc).
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SHORTS:
The piece is worked top down.
Ch 224-246-274-297-326 on hook size 3 mm / C with Safran and form a ring with 1 sl st in first ch. Insert a marker at beg of round = mid back.
Work first round as follows: ch 1, * skip ch 1, 1 sc in each of the next 7 ch *, repeat from *-* until 0-6-2-1-6 ch remain, work 1 sc in each of these ch = 196-216-240-260-286 sc. READ CROCHET TIP!
Continue working 1 sc in every sc until piece measures 2 cm / 3/4''. REMEMBER THE CROCHET GAUGE!
Now work 1 round with eyelet holes as follows: ch 4, skip 1 sc, * 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, skip 1 sc *, repeat from *-* the entire round, finish with 1 sl st in 3rd ch from beg of round. On next round work 1 sc in every dc and every ch.
Then work the shorts higher in the back as follows: Work 10-11-12-13-14 sc past the marker mid back, turn and work 1 sl st in first st, then 1 sc in each of the next 19-21-23-25-27 sc, turn and work 1 sl st in first st, then 1 sc in each of the next 29-32-35-38-41 sts (also work in the sl st).
Continue like this by working 10-11-12-13-14 sts more on every turn until a total of 140-154-192-208-224 sts have been worked. Turn again and work until marker mid back.
Continue to work 1 round with sc while AT THE SAME TIME inc 14-16-18-20-22 sc evenly = 210-232-258-280-308 sc. Continue with sc in the round until piece measures 14-15-16-17-19 cm / 5½"-6"-6 1/4"-6 3/4"-7½" mid front.
Continue with sc - AT THE SAME TIME inc 2 sts mid back - SEE INCREASE TIP. Repeat inc every other round a total of 7-7-7-8-8 times and then every round 7-7-7-8-8 times = 238-260-286-312-340 sc. Now piece measures approx. 21-22-23-25-27 cm / 8 1/4"-8 3/4"-9"-9 3/4"-10 5/8" mid front and 26-27-29-31-33 cm / 10 1/4"-10 5/8"-11 3/8"-12 1/4"-13" mid back.
Now divide for legs as follows: Work 1 sc in each of the first 5-5-6-6-7 sc on round, turn and work back over the first 10-10-12-12-14 sc (i.e. 5-5-6-6-7 sts on each side of marker mid back). These 10-10-12-12-14 sc = gusset. Work sc back and forth over these sts for 10-11-12-13-14 cm / 4"-4 3/8"-4 3/4"-5 1/8"-5½", cut the yarn. Sew gusset edge to edge to the middle 10-10-12-12-14 sts towards mid front. Then work the legs.

LEG:
Work 1 sc in each of the 109-120-131-144-156 sc around the leg, work in addition 26-28-31-34-36 sc along the gusset = 135-148-162-178-192 sc. Work 1 round with sc while at the same time inc 1-4-6-6-8 sc evenly = 136-152-168-184-200 sc. Continue with 1 sc in every sc for 3-3-4-4-5 cm / 1 1/8"-1 1/8"-1½''-1½''-2''. Continue to work as follows:
ROUND 1: ch 4 (= 1 dc + 1 ch), * skip 1 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1 *, repeat from *-* the entire round, finish with 1 sl st in 3rd ch from beg of round (= 68-76-84-92-100 ch-spaces).
ROUND 2: Work 1 sc in every ch and 1 sc in every dc = 136-152-168-184-200 sc.
ROUND 3: Work as 1st round.
ROUND 4: ch 1, * skip 1 ch-space, in next ch-space work 7 tr, skip 1 ch-space and work 1 sc in next ch-space *, repeat from *-* around the entire leg but instead of 1 sc work 1 sl st in first ch from beg of round (= 17-19-21-23-25 tr-groups = fans).
ROUND 5: 1 sc in first dc on first fan, [* ch 3, 1 sc in first ch (= 1 picot), skip 1 dc, 1 sc in next dc *, repeat from *-* a total of 3 times (i.e. 3 picots over 1 fan), 1 sc in first dc on next fan], repeat from [-] the entire round, finish with 1 sl st in first sc. Cut the yarn.

Work the same way around the other leg.

TIE:
Chain a band measuring 120-130-140-150-160 cm / 47"-52"-55"-59"-63" with LOOSE ch sts, turn and work 1 sl st in every ch. Thread the tie in the round with eyelet holes at the top of shorts – start mid front.