How to Shorten Trousers with Cuff

How to Shorten Trousers with Cuffs 

Cuffed Trouser

        

    Trousers come in all lengths, with cuffs or not. If you ever need to shorten pants/trousers and the customer asks for a cuff, it is very easy provided there is plenty of hem extension.

    Follow along and you will have those pants/trousers shortened in no time.

    Mark the new hem to the desired length.

 

 New hem marked with chalk.

    Release the existing hem, and press the legs flat, use steam if necessary.

New hem marked and original cuff/hem removed.

    Cuffs can be either 1.25” or 1.5” in height, your choice. Normally I try to make cuff height 1.5”. In this example the cuffs will be 1.5” in height.

    Add cuff and hem extensions: 3 X 1.5” to the hem mark, marking with chalk. In this case add 4.5” to the hem mark.

Mark the outside of legs with chalk.

    Mark the outside of the legs measuring up from the lower edge at 1.5” and 3” with chalk. The hem mark should still be at 4.5” from the lower edge.

    Cut off excess and serge lower edge.

 

Cut and remove excess from lower edge. Clean finish/serge the cut edge.

    Turn lower edge to the inside of leg (wrong sides together) along the second mark from bottom; press flat.

 

Lower edge turned to inside along second chalk mark from bottom.

     

    Topstitch the hem in place along the serged edge.

 

Lower edge turned to inside; hem extension is top stitched in place.

     Turn the pressed lower edge up to the outside of the pant/trousers (right sides together) along the lower chalk mark forming the cuff, and press flat.

 

Completed hem with cuff!

    Remember add three times the cuff with hem extension: 

    

    The cuff measures 1.5" on the inside of cuff fold and 1.5" on the outside of cuff fold, and the hem allowance is 1.5" that will be 4.5" added to the length of the desired pant/trouser.

      

     Thank you for visiting my Seam2Seam blog! If there is something you need help with, please don't hesitate to ask! I will do my best to post it here.

     

     What I am working on: inserting zippers with linings - watch for this post later this fall.