Adding Cuffs to Pants
Whether it is for a costume or your "office" clothes, knowing how to add a cuff to a pair of pants is simpler than you may think! Below, we will go over this technique, step by step. You will need:
- Iron
- Measuring tape or gauge
- Needle
- Thread
- Serger (optional)
- Ironing ham (optional)
Let's get started!
Step One: Get Some Pants
For this tutorial, we are shortening a pair of pants as well as adding cuffs. If you are just adding cuffs (not shortening), skip to step three. We will give these pants a 1.5" hem. For any pair of pants that you are adding a cuff to, make sure you have an EXTRA 4" past what you want to be the final pant length to be. For example, if you want the pants to have a 31" inseam, but want to add a cuff, you will need to have a starting inseam length of 35".
Step Two: Cut the Pants
Cut off any excess pant fabric. As mentioned above, make sure you have 4" EXTRA than the final inseam length you need.
Step Three: Finish the Edge
You can either serge the edge or finish it with a pair of pinking shears. For this tutorial, we will serge the edge.
Step Four: Ham and Measure
Get an ironing ham and your measuring gauge. Warm up your iron. The ham is optional, but incredibly useful and highly recommended.
Step Five: Measure 1"
Fold up a 1" hem to the INSIDE of your pants.
Step Six: Iron It!
Iron the hem into place.
Step Seven: Measure 1.5"
Fold up a 1.5" hem to the inside of your pants. At this point, the 1" hem will be enclosed inside this hem. This is only temporary.
Step Eight: Iron It!
Iron the 1.5" hem into place.
Step Nine: Fold to the Outside
Fold your hem over to the OUTSIDE of your pants. Double check to make sure it measures 1.5" - if you match up the bottom edges, this shouldn't be a problem.
Step Ten: Iron It!
Iron your new hem into place.
Step Eleven: Bring out the 1" Hem
Flip the 1" hem (the first one you ironed) to the inside of the pants.
Step Twelve: Pin It!
Pin your hem in place.
Step Thirteen: Stitch It!
Stitch your hem into place. This can be done with a blindstitch machine or by hand. We have demonstrated, in a contrasting thread, how to stitch the hem in place by hand. When you stitch it into place, make sure you only catch a small amount of fabric, as you don't want your stitches to be visible on the outside of the garment.
Step Fourteen: Anchor Stitches at the Seams
Make sure you anchor the cuffs at the side seams of the pants with a few stitches. If you do not anchor the cuffs at these areas, they will eventually flop over.
Step Fiftteen: Finished!
You're all finished! Enjoy your newly cuffed pants!
- Iron
- Measuring tape or gauge
- Needle
- Thread
- Serger (optional)
- Ironing ham (optional)
Let's get started!
Step One: Get Some Pants
For this tutorial, we are shortening a pair of pants as well as adding cuffs. If you are just adding cuffs (not shortening), skip to step three. We will give these pants a 1.5" hem. For any pair of pants that you are adding a cuff to, make sure you have an EXTRA 4" past what you want to be the final pant length to be. For example, if you want the pants to have a 31" inseam, but want to add a cuff, you will need to have a starting inseam length of 35".
Step Two: Cut the Pants
Cut off any excess pant fabric. As mentioned above, make sure you have 4" EXTRA than the final inseam length you need.
Step Three: Finish the Edge
You can either serge the edge or finish it with a pair of pinking shears. For this tutorial, we will serge the edge.
Step Four: Ham and Measure
Get an ironing ham and your measuring gauge. Warm up your iron. The ham is optional, but incredibly useful and highly recommended.
Step Five: Measure 1"
Fold up a 1" hem to the INSIDE of your pants.
Step Six: Iron It!
Iron the hem into place.
Step Seven: Measure 1.5"
Fold up a 1.5" hem to the inside of your pants. At this point, the 1" hem will be enclosed inside this hem. This is only temporary.
Step Eight: Iron It!
Iron the 1.5" hem into place.
Step Nine: Fold to the Outside
Fold your hem over to the OUTSIDE of your pants. Double check to make sure it measures 1.5" - if you match up the bottom edges, this shouldn't be a problem.
Step Ten: Iron It!
Iron your new hem into place.
Step Eleven: Bring out the 1" Hem
Flip the 1" hem (the first one you ironed) to the inside of the pants.
Step Twelve: Pin It!
Pin your hem in place.
Step Thirteen: Stitch It!
Stitch your hem into place. This can be done with a blindstitch machine or by hand. We have demonstrated, in a contrasting thread, how to stitch the hem in place by hand. When you stitch it into place, make sure you only catch a small amount of fabric, as you don't want your stitches to be visible on the outside of the garment.
Step Fourteen: Anchor Stitches at the Seams
Make sure you anchor the cuffs at the side seams of the pants with a few stitches. If you do not anchor the cuffs at these areas, they will eventually flop over.
Step Fiftteen: Finished!
You're all finished! Enjoy your newly cuffed pants!