There are times when it is necessary to remove the length and shorten the skirt; this may be due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, some fabrics have stretch properties; if washed incorrectly, deformation occurs. There can be many reasons. Usually this is what they do with such products: they put them or hang them in a closet, leaving them for later until better times. Why store and wait again? Let's redo the products a little and wear them as before.
Useful tips for shortening a skirt
If for some reason you need to shorten your skirt, proceed as follows. Put the product on yourself and for a fuller look, use any high-heeled shoes, this will allow you to evaluate the appearance yourself. Then visually imagine yourself in a new product in the mirror and at the same time make a few lines, or simply marks. Next, remove the skirt and turn it inside out. Draw a cutting line, then step back a few centimeters and draw a second line.
To avoid making a mistake with the length, fold the bottom of the skirt along the first line and pin it in place. Put it on for the second fitting and look in the mirror, while twisting in different directions and try to sit down. If everything suits you, then feel free to cut along the second line. Then hem the edge of the product.
How to shorten a skirt with your own hands
Depending on the skirt model:
- A-line skirt. To begin, measure from the very bottom of the skirt to the required length and make preliminary marks using chalk or soap. Preferably on both sides. Then try it on yourself and let someone else look at it. This is required so that the new product does not look too short on you. Then remove and draw a cut line, but add a couple of centimeters on the fold when sewing the bottom. Without this allowance, the new product will not only be short, but will simply be damaged. ATTENTION: In a trapezoid, the shape of the line is always rounded, so the line must be the same in shape as the previous line of the lower part. If one of the parts was long and the other short, then add exactly as many centimeters from the bottom and sides as required to make both sides even. Cut off the excess fabric and feel free to hem it on a sewing machine, but first make a test hand seam, this will allow you to more accurately see the discrepancies in the length of the sides of the skirt, and if these facts are identified, quickly eliminate them so as not to rip out the product again;
- Directly. It is easiest to shorten a straight style skirt than any other. Place on a flat surface, carefully fold the edges tightly together. We measure from the bottom to the desired length and draw a straight line. You can use a ruler for convenience. Next, take special sharp scissors and cut off the unnecessary part.
Attention! Don't forget to leave 2cm allowance for new seams to finish the bottom.
- With folds. Before you begin to shorten a pleated skirt, you need to let the product hang for a couple of days. We recommend washing new, worn items first, and only then cutting them. In a regular atelier, I iron the product along the folds with a special iron, and then shorten it. And only then the fabric is corrugated again. You can't do this at home, so do it this way. Undo the belt. Pull out the old seam threads. Remove the length from above, leaving the folds as they are. Pin and try on. Look in the mirror from the outside. Put on a blouse and jacket and look again. If everything suits you, then shoot. Place the product on a flat surface. Fold the folds in an overlay way to their original position and pin them in the second circle, only 5 cm lower, this is required so that when cutting, the folded folds do not separate. Use sharp scissors to cut off excess fabric. Make a preliminary hand seam so that each fold is in close contact with the base of the skirt. Sew along the edge using a sewing machine. Place the hemmed edge inside the waistband in its original place. Use pins and secure the starting position. Make a hand bait stitch again. Sew along the same lines on the waistband. After sewing the waistband to the skirt, remove the second bottom pins. Next, use a steam iron to iron the waistband area. This is necessary so that the product of the hemming area does not bulge and cause discomfort. Let the new product hang for one night, after which you can safely wear the item.
Reference! If you shorten this product from below, then the folds will be damaged due to the disruption of the structure.
- Pencil skirt with vent. We cut the slot.We rip the bottom and retreat up to 3 cm, but do not forget to leave 1.5 cm for the hem. The slot can be inserted higher or completely narrowed. If the product has a lining, then the skirt needs to be shortened to the new length. Check that the length of the product and the slots are the same and that the hem cut is not visible from the front side. Connect the edge of the hem and the lining to the hemmed edge of the blind seam. The lining should hang over the hidden seam. Turn the product inside out and iron it.
Tips for shortening a skirt at the top
In most cases, the best way is to shorten the skirts at the top. Let us describe in more detail what types this is suitable for:
- With continuous trim at the bottom.
Attention! If you cut off the bottom, the structure of the design will be disrupted.
- Expanded at the bottom. Allows you to save the extension format.
- With decorative elements along the bottom.
- Pleated. In this case, there are simply no options; only the method from above at home is suitable.
The method from above always starts with a belt spacer or elastic insert. Only then according to the usual standard. You need to know this. Also, it is quite important to pay attention to the fabric, because each material has special different properties that come out sideways after the first wash. Imagine that a new product was altered, then washed, dried, ironed, and it shrunk. And your work, which was done correctly, including fittings, shortened the skirt significantly. So, to prevent this from happening, we strongly recommend that you wet and wash it before alteration. There is nothing complicated about this, and extra reinsurance won’t hurt.
Use the services of a professional seamstress and the problem will be solved quickly and efficiently. After all, any craftswoman from the studio knows exactly what to do and what to do in this case.It’s simple enough so that you don’t have to rack your brains, but trust the master.
In special cases, when there are two patterns on the product, below and above. What to do in this case? Either you leave the bottom, or the lower part, it won’t work any other way. But if the design is on the insert part of the trapezoid according to the figure, in the form of a straight diamond, then simply rip apart the part with the decor into a shortened product. And then choose options for shortening.
Attention! You can also sew and shorten along the connection line. Much depends on the style.
Multi-tiered styles are shortened as follows:
- Pull apart entirely along the seams. Then start shortening from the main base along the top, then from the bottom tier, and only then move on to the top edge.
- The upper tier is usually simply altered just below the original place, if the figure requires it. This applies to overweight women with non-standard shapes of hips and waists. Make sure it doesn't turn out to be a square. But you need to connect the upper part first, and then the lower tier.
Attention! Multi-tiered styles require initial ripping of the seams if the side parts are sewn in and do not go around the base itself.
Before you shorten skirts yourself, carefully study the sequence of work. This will protect your product from unnecessary damage. Take advice from professional seamstresses who know exactly how to properly shorten any style of skirt.
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