6 Mar

Tutorial: Altering Sewing Patterns – Shorts Length

How to alter shorts' length on sewing pattern

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How to alter shorts' length on sewing pattern

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So, you’ve found a nice shorts pattern that you are dieing to sew, but….. the length just doesn’t seem right, too short? too long? Here is the tutorial to show you how to alter the length of the shorts in 3 simple steps.
{If you haven’t found one decent pattern yet, probably you can try this boxer shorts or this weekender shorts}

Shortening is easy, just cut away the extra to shorten it. We can do it even after the shorts is sewn or on the one you bought from the shop. Lengthening is a little tricky if you don’t have extra on the hem’s seam. Anyway, who can find enough on the hem seam? The most you can lengthen is 1/2″. Provided you want to add another piece of fabric to lengthen it and make it look a little weird with the “pasting”. The best way is do it during paper stage. Measure the length that you want for the shorts, if the pattern don’t have enough length, then lengthen it on the paper before cutting the fabric.

The brown-blue gingham on top is modified from the weekender shorts but without full lining, just in case you are interested. I pasted the separate hems to the shorts on the pattern and lengthen it another 1 1/2″ for my husband. The bottom piece is the original length.

Get your shorts patterns ready on paper, don’t cut them out yet if you want to lengthen it.
If you have cut them out, paste a piece of paper under the inseam and another under the hem.

Lengthen

Depends how much you want to lengthen, let say 2″ for example. On the front pattern,
1. Draw a straight vertical line from the lowest corner side seam of the original pattern. {Pink line}
2. Move the hem line down to the new finish length, same width. {Blue line}
3. Draw a new extended inseam line starts from the crotch point to the new finish hem. {Orange line}
Repeat the lengthening step on the back pattern.
Fold the paper to get the front and back pattern closer, check both inseam’s length and the curvature of the center seam of crotch curve.

The new lengthened pattern.

Shorten

Depends how much you want to shorten, let say 3″. Measure and mark the new length from the original hem. Draw the new shortened hem line. {Green line}

Repeat the shortening step on the back pattern.
Fold the paper to get the front and back pattern closer, check inseam’s length.

The new shortened pattern.