How to Cut Off Pants to Make Shorts
The quickest and least expensive way to make a pair of shorts is to cut the legs on a pair of pants or jeans. These are most commonly referred to as "cut offs" because you're cutting material from the pants to shorten them. While making a pair of cut offs is fairly simple, you need to pay close attention to measurements to achieve proper fit and coverage.
Instructions
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Lay out straight on a flat surface. Fold your pants in half so that the two legs are together. Lay them out on a flat surface.
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Measure your legs and your pants before you cut. Measure the length of your legs with a fabric measuring tape. Measure from both the outside and the inside of your leg so that you know how far your shorts will sit. Measure the inside and outside of the leg of your pants. Use a fabric pen to mark how short you want your shorts.
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Cut where you marked. Cut your pants where you marked with the fabric pen. Be sure to cut both legs at the same spot.
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Tips & Warnings
Hem your shorts if you don't want them to have the frayed look.
Don't cut your shorts too short or your bottom may show.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit denim shorts image by george mai from Fotolia.com folded jeans image by leafy from Fotolia.com measure image by vashistha pathak from Fotolia.com scissors image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
