Ocean Blues Popcorn Ghost Grid Crochet Lounge Pants Free Pattern

Ocean Blues Popcorn Ghost Grid Crochet Lounge Pants

If you have never held a crochet hook before, these lounge pants are a wonderfully forgiving first big project. You will not be shaping curves or counting complicated decreases — you will simply make one small square, over and over, until those squares become a cozy pair of straight-leg pants. Each square is a classic granny square with a raised popcorn-stitch "dot" in the middle, so the finished fabric looks like a preppy, nautical checkerboard of deep navy and soft seafoam tweed. The tweed wool gives the pants a slightly fuzzy, flecked texture that feels warm and looks far more expensive than the effort involved. By the end you will have a soft, relaxed, elasticated-waist pair of pants that are perfect for cool evenings, Halloween lounging, and showing off to everyone who asks, "Wait — you made those?"

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK weight (light worsted) tweed wool, approximately 250 m / 273 yds per 100 g skein. You need two colors: Color A (deep navy tweed) and Color B (soft seafoam tweed). Total yarn: approximately 900–1100 g for sizes S–L (roughly 450–550 g of each color).
• Crochet hook: 4.5 mm (US 7), or whatever size gives you the correct gauge.
• Stitch markers: at least 8 (to mark corners, joins, and the crotch seam).
• Tapestry needle: a blunt-tipped needle with a large eye for weaving in ends and seaming squares.
• Scissors: any sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Elastic: 3 cm (about 1¼ in) wide elastic, cut to your waist measurement plus 2 cm overlap.
• Measuring tape and a blocking mat with pins (or a towel and rust-proof pins).
• Finished size: S (M, L). Finished hip circumference approx. 92 (102, 112) cm / 36 (40, 44) in. Finished inseam approx. 74 cm / 29 in. Legs are straight tubes; the waistband is elasticated.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Wrap yarn over hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. This makes a small link.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at once. Used to join rounds.
• sc – single crochet. Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• dc – double crochet. Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through last 2 loops.
• pc – popcorn stitch. Work 4 dc into the same stitch, remove your hook from the loop, insert the hook into the first dc of those 4, then pull the dropped loop through and ch 1 to close. This creates one raised bump.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into, then pull tight to close the center hole.
• st(s) – stitch(es).
• sp – space (the gap made by a chain).
• join – connect the last stitch of a round to the first with a sl st.
• fasten off – cut the yarn, pull the tail through the last loop, and tighten.
• whipstitch – a simple over-and-over sewing stitch used to join two pieces edge to edge.
• block – dampen a piece and pin it to the correct size so it dries flat and even.

Gauge

Gauge: one finished granny square = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 in) after blocking. Each square is 4 rounds.

Gauge matters because it is how we guarantee your pants actually fit. If your squares come out bigger than 10 cm, the pants will be too wide; if smaller, too tight. To check, make one complete square exactly as written, block it, and measure it flat. If it is too large, switch to a smaller hook (4.0 mm); if too small, go up to a 5.0 mm hook. Do not skip this step — one test square saves hours of rework.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Make all 64 squares first, then join. It is far easier to keep your tension consistent when you repeat the same small task, and you can lay the squares out to check your checkerboard before seaming.
• Use stitch markers. Place one in each corner ch-2 space as you work, and one at the start of every round so you never lose your place.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension is the number-one beginner issue. Your loops should slide easily on the hook; if the hook squeaks or fights you, relax your grip.
• Count your popcorn stitches. Each square must have exactly 4 popcorns in Round 1. If you have 3 or 5, the square will not lie flat.
• Keep your color changes tidy. Fasten off at the end of a round and join the new color in a corner space — never carry yarn across the back of a square.
• Try the pants on before the final seams. Pin the crotch seam and check the rise before you commit; it is easy to adjust at that stage.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: The Popcorn Granny Square (make 64 — 32 in Color A, 32 in Color B)

Popcorn (pc): work 4 dc in the same stitch, remove hook from loop, insert hook into the first dc of the 4-dc group, pull the dropped loop through, ch 1 to close.

Round 1 (center dot): With your chosen color, make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Work 3 dc into the ring, then pc over these 4 dc (first popcorn made). *Ch 2, work 4 dc into the ring, pc. Repeat from * 2 more times. Ch 2, join with sl st to the top of the first pc. (4 popcorn, 4 ch-2 spaces)

Round 2: Sl st into the first ch-2 space. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in the same space, ch 2, 3 dc in the same space (first corner made). *Ch 1, [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] in the next ch-2 space. Repeat from * around, ch 1, join with sl st to the top of the ch-3. Fasten off if changing color; otherwise continue. (4 corners of 3-dc groups, 4 ch-1 sides)

Round 3: Join the new color (or continue) in any corner ch-2 space. Ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in the same corner. *Ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-1 space, ch 1, [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] in the next corner. Repeat from * around, ch 1, join. (4 corners, 8 side 3-dc groups)

Round 4 (final): Ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in the corner. *Ch 1, 3 dc in each ch-1 space to the next corner, ch 1, [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] in the corner. Repeat from * around, join. Fasten off and weave in ends. (4 corners, 12 side 3-dc groups) Block each square to 10 x 10 cm.

Repeat this 4-round square until you have 64 squares total: 32 in Color A and 32 in Color B.

Part 2: Joining the Squares into Leg Tubes

Lay out 32 squares per leg in a grid 4 squares wide x 8 squares tall, alternating Color A and Color B in a checkerboard. With right sides facing, whipstitch or sc-join the squares together along all edges to form a flat 4 x 8 rectangle. Then join the two short edges of each rectangle together to form a tube — this seam sits at the inner leg. (Each leg tube = 4 squares around x 8 squares tall.) Repeat for the second leg.

Part 3: Assembly (Crotch Seam)

Place the two leg tubes side by side, aligning the top edges. Join the center front and center back crotch seam for approximately 8 cm / 3 in, leaving the remainder open for the rise. Try the pants on and adjust the crotch depth if needed before fastening off.

Part 4: Waistband

With Color A, join yarn at the top edge of the joined legs.

Round 1: Sc evenly around the top edge. (approx. 96 (104, 112) sc)

Rounds 2–6: Sc in each sc around. (96 (104, 112) sc)

At Round 4, leave a 3 cm gap, insert the 3 cm wide elastic to fit your waist, then close the gap. Fasten off after Round 6.

Part 5: Cuffs

Join Color A at the bottom edge of each leg.

Rounds 1–4: Sc evenly around the bottom edge of the leg. (approx. 48 (52, 56) sc per round) Fasten off after Round 4. Repeat for the second leg.

Assembly and Finishing

Seaming: Use your tapestry needle and a length of matching yarn to whipstitch the squares together. Hold the two squares right sides together, bring the needle up through both edge stitches, and wrap the yarn over the edges before going down again. Keep your stitches small and even so the seam lies flat. Join the leg tubes with the same method, then sew the crotch seam.

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the back of several stitches (about 5 cm), then trim close to the fabric. Never knot your ends — knots create lumps and can work loose.

Blocking: Lightly dampen the finished pants with a spray bottle, lay them flat on a towel or blocking mat, and smooth the seams flat. Pin the waistband and cuffs to their finished measurements and let them dry completely (usually overnight). This relaxes the tweed wool, evens out your stitches, and gives the pants their final drape.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the palette: Swap the navy and seafoam for any two contrasting DK tweeds — charcoal and cream, rust and oatmeal, or black and pumpkin orange for a bolder Halloween look.
• Adjust the size: To go up or down a size, add or remove one column of squares around each leg (each square adds about 10 cm / 4 in to the hip circumference). Keep the 8-square height for the standard 74 cm inseam, or add a row for a longer leg.
• Substitute yarn: Any DK weight yarn works — acrylic for easy care, cotton for a crisper look, or a wool blend for warmth. Always re-check your gauge square, since fiber content changes how the square measures.
• Make it a set: These pants pair beautifully with a matching cropped cardigan made from the same squares — simply make a few extra squares in each color while you are in the rhythm.