Do you like the trousers, but have doubts? After all, they fit well at the waist and fit perfectly on the figure, but the length let us down. It hangs in tabs and drags along the floor. Do not buy?
And it’s a pity to refuse the purchase. After all, in everything else the item fits perfectly!
Let's shorten them. We will help, and you can do it at home quickly and accurately. And in such a way that you don’t even need a machine.
What length should pants be?
Length plays an important role in how you look. It emphasizes your strengths, lengthens your legs, and visually corrects figure flaws.
However, improperly hemmed trousers can radically ruin the appearance. You may look ridiculous and even funny. It would seem like two or three centimeters, but they are the ones that will play a fatal role in creating your image.
Important! Before you shorten your pants, decide what shoes you'll wear with them. Mark the cutting line, taking into account the height of the heel or sole.
Women's trousers length
The following length is popular among women, which is directly related to the style of the products.
- Straight classic: the length of the trouser leg should be 2-3 cm from the floor or reach the middle of the heel.
- Tapered at the bottom: should slightly open the ankle and be a couple of centimeters shorter than the classic size.
- Wide: the hem must touch the floor; the toe of the shoe should only be visible from under the legs.
- Flared: length reaches the middle or 2/3 heels.
Men's trouser length
Men have their own traditions and rules.
- Classic: There should be a small fold at the junction of the shoe and the trouser leg. And the back of the trouser leg should cover half the heel of the shoe. Pants should not touch the floor. They should not reach it by at least one centimeter.
- Tapered: It is not advisable for the pants to cover the lacing on the shoes, and the back and front should touch the edge of the shoe.
- With a turn up: the length depends on your height and the height of your shoes. The shorter the height, the narrower the collar should be. In any case, the cuff is no more than three centimeters.
Please keep in mind that some materials shrink after washing and therefore the size of the garment may change.
Important! When purchasing, it is better to choose products in which the legs are slightly longer than necessary. After all, you can always remove excess fabric.
How to determine the correct length when trying on
When going shopping, you are unlikely to take a ruler or measuring tape with you.
In order not to make a mistake with the length of the trousers, it is better to measure the item in the shoes with which you plan to wear them.
It is important to pay attention to the heel, because it adds height. And a thing worn with and without a heel will look completely different on you.
It is advisable to insert a belt when trying it on if you plan to wear one in the future. A fastened strap can also shorten the item by a couple of centimeters.
By adhering to these simple rules, you will avoid mistakes when purchasing.
How to determine the length without trying on
Another option for determining the required length. With it you can do without fitting. But in this case, you will need to use other pants that suit all parameters.
Fold them along the arrows on a flat surface. By placing one on top of the other, you can make sure whether this item fits in size or not.
Preparing to shorten your trousers
What materials and tools to prepare
To hem your pants you will need the following.
Tools:
- scissors;
- needle;
- ripper;
- pins;
- ruler;
- tape measure;
- soap (dry)/chalk;
- iron.
Materials:
- braid;
- cobweb;
- threads in the color of the trousers or darker.
How to prepare pants legs for shortening
Before changing the length of the product, it must be measured correctly. It is better to do this directly on the owner of the clothing.
And if this is not possible, take other trousers, turn them and new trousers inside out. Attach both items to each other along the crotch seam. Use chalk or soap to draw a line of the required length.
First way to mark length
- Lay out the item you plan to hem on a wide table.
- Transfer the marked line of the future cut to the front side.
- We mark a right angle from the arrow line on the trousers.
- Draw a dotted line along the trouser leg.
- Set aside 3.5 cm down and draw a parallel line. This will be the cut point.
- Straighten the pant legs and place them on top of each other. For reliability, you can pin them together with pins/needles.
- Be sure to place pins along the future hem line.
- The fabric is fixed and will not move, so cut the length without fear.
Advice. You can cut off the legs one by one.Along the cut edge of the first leg, mark the cutting line with chalk, secure with pins and shorten the second leg.
Second way
- From the bottom of the trousers to the cutting line along the entire perimeter of the legs, use a ruler to set aside the required number of centimeters and place dots.
- Draw the future cutting line using soap along the marked marks.
- Make sure it is parallel to the bottom edge of the pants.
- Use scissors to cut off the excess length.
Once the excess fabric has been removed, you can begin hemming and processing the cut. Without a sewing machine, the job can be done in several ways. Let's look at each of them.
How to hem trousers with a blind seam
The most common way to do the work by hand is to use a blind stitch.
What is a blind seam
The main purpose of a hand seam, which is called a hidden seam, is to join parts or hem things so that the seam line is invisible.
In trousers, such a seam will be hidden between the fabric and will not be visible from the outside.
The main thing is that the thread matches the color of the product. In extreme cases, it can be darker.
Step-by-step instruction
- Turn the product inside out.
- Use pins to pin the hem line.
- The lines of the side seams and arrows (if any) must match.
- To prevent the hem from moving, you need to pin the fabric again, 1-2 cm above the future hem.
- Let's start making a blind seam.
- We insert the needle into the cut edge of the trouser leg and grab one or two threads from the trouser fabric.
- We bring the needle to the side of the cut edge.
- We perform punctures at a distance of no more than 0.5 cm.
- In this way we stitch the trousers along the entire cuff.
When finishing the work, we steam the hidden seam and the bottom edge of the trousers from the inside with an iron (through gauze).
Important! Do not iron the seam from the front side to prevent it from being printed on it.
How to shorten pants without sewing
There is another way to design a hem. When using it, you will be able to do not only without a machine, but without sewing at all. In this case, you will need not a thread and a needle, but a cobweb.
What is a cobweb
Gossamer is a thin adhesive tape that, when heat treated, glues the joints of the fabric.
It has different widths. Therefore, depending on the gluing area, you can choose either very narrow or quite wide.
The advantage of gossamer is that it is suitable for all types of fabric.
Another plus is that the tape bends easily and exactly follows all the curves of the product.
Reference. The hem of the trousers, taped with gossamer, will be thin and elastic.
The only disadvantage of the adhesive strip is that it does not retain its properties even after frequent washing. Water may cause it to lose its adhesive properties over time.
Step-by-step instructions for using the web
This is the easiest way to secure hems to clothes.
- Turn the pants inside out.
- Fold the edges to the required length.
- Place adhesive tape between the hem and the main leg fabric.
- From the wrong side, iron the joint with a hot iron;
- Allow the fabric to cool and then check to see if the web has sealed the material.
- If necessary, dampen the fabric and iron again.
Useful tips for hemming trousers
- Before hemming a new item, be sure to wet or wash it. The fabric tends to shrink.
- Iron folded trousers from the inside out. Set the iron to maximum temperature and use the steam function. This will make the seam less noticeable, and the hem side will look more aesthetically pleasing.
- When using an iron, be sure to look at the product label and follow the care instructions.
- If possible, process the cut edge with an overlocker. You can take it to the studio, this is an inexpensive service.
- You can also fold the cut inside the hem. This way the fabric will not fray when washed or worn.
- After the trousers have been rolled up and the length pinned, the bottom of the trousers can be ironed. In this way you will secure the hem, and it will be more convenient to hem it.
- The places where the fabric is chipped can be basted with a thin thread of any color. This will prevent you from getting scratched by contact with the pins.
- Before ironing the item, make sure the fold is done correctly. Otherwise, after steaming, it will be difficult to correct hem inaccuracies.
- Be sure to place the pant legs together and check their length. They must be the same!
Hemming not only trousers, but any other item, is absolutely easy. Even if you don’t have a sewing machine at hand.
We hope that our tips and recommendations will be useful to you.
0
