Hello sew-friends! Today, I’m kicking off a mini series of videos on pattern adjustments. It is very common to need or want to make a few pattern adjustments when sewing your own clothing. One of the most common adjustments (especially if you’re a tall sewist like I am) is to alter the length. Today, we’ll be starting with pants patterns.
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In this video, I'll be showing you how to lengthen or shorten the pants legs of a sewing pattern. If you need to also adjust the rise or crotch length of the pants, check out this blog post and video. Adjusting the length of a pant leg is a simple and very common pattern adjustment. In the video, I demonstrate how to make the pattern adjustment to tapered and flare style pant legs and explain why you don't want to just adjust at the hem.
If you want to jump ahead, the shorten section is at time stamp 2:18 and the lengthen section is at 5:40.
Side note: How much you adjust the length will depend on the pattern, your personal measurements and personal preference. In this video, we'll focus only on how to make the adjustment properly. An easy way to find the length you want is to compare the pattern to a pair of pants that you like.
How to shorten the legs of a pants sewing pattern
Step 1: If your pattern does not have lengthen/shorten lines, you’ll need to draw some. If you are making a large adjustment or sewing flared pants, we recommend drawing two lines, one in the thigh region and one in the calf region. Draw these lines perpendicular to the grainline. Cut the pattern along these lines.
Step 2: Draw a guideline above each lengthen/shorten line, indicating how much you want to shorten the pattern. Overlap the pattern pieces, aligning the lower pattern piece with the guideline above and keeping the grainlines aligned.
Step 3: Redraw the inseam and side seam, smoothing out any jagged edges. Cut away any excess paper. You may need to also add in a bit of extra paper, depending on the shape of the pants and the amount of the adjustment. You can use this pattern as is or trace it.
Repeat the same procedure for the front pattern piece.
How to lengthen the legs of a pants sewing pattern
Step 1: If your pattern does not have lengthen/shorten lines, you’ll need to draw some. If you are making a large adjustment or sewing flared pants, we recommend drawing two lines, one in the thigh region and one in the calf region. Draw these lines perpendicular to the grainline. Cut the pattern along these lines.
Step 2: Slide a piece of scrap paper under the pattern and tape the top part of the pattern to the scrap paper. Using a ruler, extend the grainline onto the scrap paper. Draw a guideline below the lengthen/shorten line, indicating how much you want to lengthen the pattern. Align the middle pattern piece with the grainline and the guideline. Tape in place. Repeat with the second lengthen/shorten line.
Step 3: Redraw the inseam and side seam, smoothing out any jagged edges. Cut away any excess paper. You can use this pattern as is or trace it.
Repeat the same procedure for the front pattern piece.
I hope that you found this video helpful. If you are not already, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking here. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more videos about lengthening and shortening other sewing pattern pieces. For more sewing tips and tutorials, make sure to check out my Learn to Sew page. It is PACKED full of tutorials. And, if you’d like to support this free content, I invite you to visit the pattern shop here or at the links below. Happy sewing!
