Help needed - trying to figure out a knitted shorts pattern

Hi all!

I have come across lovely knitted shorts with an allover pattern that Id like to replicate (the pattern, not the shorts) but am having a hard time figuring out the pattern in itself. (Actually its mixed techniques as the border is crochet, but thats not my point)
Most of the pattern has to do with knit - purl - increase - decrease and torse, with a tadbit of cable work. Im confident I can guess the pattern through trial and error.

But theres one specific area of the pattern that I cant wrap my mind around (you guess it, the area circled in red in this pic). It looks like 3 rows have been undone then "trapped" in one stitch. Does that even make sense? I dont even know how that stitch is called so I cant find any tutorial online.
Has anyone ever done something similar and could either explain to me how this look is achieved, or tell me how its called?
Thanks a lot for your help and attention :-)
Obviously yes, I will gladly share the pattern once figured out.

pitussa

can you post a close up of the circled motif?

irina43

The pattern on the shorts reminded me of this Japanese pattern.

Saltandpepper

The pattern Irina posted seems very similar, if not the same. i don’t really know the pattern symbols of the little diagram but they look like elongated stitches.  I would say that on row one, that is the right side, you need to purl five, on row 2 - wrong side - you slip the five stitches with the yarn on the back - so it runs on the right side. These 2 rows are repeated 4 times. Next row, you are able to pick up the 4 strands before knitting them with the third stitch.

agatagatta

You can find the English pattern Irina posted on the book: Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible - Hitomi Shida - English
Sorry, not allowed to post any link, but if you search youll easily find here in the knitting resourches.
Hope it helps

BluBrd

Wow, this has been extremely helpful. Thank you so much all, Ill check this last reference - it really looks very similar.
Here goes a close-up picture (unfortunately the resolution is terrible).