Even for experienced sewers, finding the perfect sewing pattern can be a real challenge. It may fit like a glove at the waist, hips or shoulders. But the length? Length is often the crucial element that determines the success or failure of a sewing project. But how to adjust the length of sewing patterns? Quickly learn how to lengthen or shorten patterns with ease in this article!
Whether you are sewing a skirt, trousers, dress or jacket, in the following article you will learn step by step how to adapt any pattern to your individual needs. Dive into the world of customization with us and discover how to achieve the perfect fit!
Tip: These techniques for adjusting sewing patterns, which are listed below, can be used for both patterns with seam allowances and sewing patterns without seam allowances.
Contents:
- Find the correct length for sewing pattern fitting
- How to adjust the length of sewing patterns: shortening patterns
- How to adjust the length of sewing patterns: lengthening patterns
- Adjusting the sewing pattern: Online sewing pattern designer
Find the correct length for sewing pattern fitting
Before you start adjusting the sewing pattern, you need to know how much you want to lengthen or shorten your finished garment. How to do this is explained in the next steps.
Comparison of body measurements and sewing pattern
The first step is to compare your own body measurements with the sewing pattern. Depending on whether you want to fit a top, dress, trousers, skirt or sleeves, you will need different body measurements.
For example, if you want to fit a skirt, measure the distance on your body from the waist straight down to your desired hem length. To determine the waist, it is best to tie a ribbon around your waist, as this is the narrowest point between your chest and hips. Note these measurements on a piece of paper. Then measure the straight line between the waist and the hem length without seam allowance on the sewing pattern. Make a note of these measurements too and use the difference between the two measurements to determine whether the sewing pattern is too short, just right or too long for you. Note this difference on the paper as well.
Remember that carefully determining your personal desired length is the key to successfully fitting your sewing pattern. By following these steps, you can ensure that your sewn garment fits you perfectly and matches your individual preferences.
Preparations for adapting the sewing pattern
Now prepare the following materials for adapting the pattern:
– Your noted measurements
– The sewing pattern
– Paper scissors
– Paper
– Glue or adhesive tape
– Pencil
– Ruler
Now you are perfectly prepared and can continue with the chapters “Shortening patterns” or “Lengthening patterns”.
How to adjust the length of sewing patterns: Shortening patterns
How to shorten your sewing patterns for your tailored clothing
Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to clothing. In this chapter, you will learn the secrets of sewing pattern shortening. Whether you want to shorten a trendy top, trousers, dress, skirt or sleeve, we’ll show you how to shorten any pattern to suit your taste.
Shortening sewing pattern: Vertical side seams
Let’s start with the simplest way to shorten a sewing pattern. In this case, we are looking at a top pattern that has a straight center front and center back. The grain line and side seams are also straight. This straightness makes it much easier to adjust the sewing pattern. This allows you to adapt different sewing patterns.
Follow these 3 simple steps to shorten the sewing pattern:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the front and back sewing pattern of the top that runs at a 90-degree angle. You can base this line on the straight center front or center back, the grain line or the side seams. The line should lie between the armhole and the hem. Where exactly you draw this line is not important. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Measure and mark the desired distance parallel to one of the cut-out line edges to shorten the sewing pattern. In this example, the shortening distance is 5 cm.
3. Glue the other cut-out sewing pattern piece exactly onto the marked shortening section on the line drawn previously. Use glue or adhesive tape for this. If you have done it correctly, the grain line should meet exactly and run straight. And now you have successfully adjusted your top sewing pattern!
With this technique on shortening sewing patterns with vertical side seams you can, for example, shorten the midi blouse dress sewing pattern The Lola Blouse by JULIANA MARTEJEVS to your individual length. Try it out!
Shortening sewing pattern: Flared side seams
The special feature of this example of a sleeve sewing pattern is that the side seams are flared. After shortening the sleeve, adjustments still need to be made to the side seams. This is how you can adjust your sleeve sewing pattern.
Follow these 3 simple steps to shorten your sewing pattern:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the sleeve pattern that runs at a 90-degree angle. Use the grain line as a guide. Draw the line so that there is still a little space between the line and the hemline without seam allowance. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Measure and mark the desired distance parallel to one of the cut-out line edges to shorten the sewing pattern. In this example, the shortening distance is 5 cm.
3. Glue the other cut-out sewing pattern piece exactly onto the marked shortening section on the line drawn previously. Use glue or adhesive tape for this. If you have done it correctly, the grain line should meet exactly and run straight. Draw a new line from the top corner to the hem corner on both side seams. Depending on how your sleeve sewing pattern looks, draw either a straight or a slightly curved line, depending on the original shape of the side seam line.
Tip: If the sewing pattern does not provide enough space at the side seam for the seam allowance, you can stick a piece of paper under the sewing pattern, mark your new seam allowance and cut off the excess paper. Use the original seam allowance as a guide and draw the same distance from the side seam line.
Use this technique to not only shorten sleeves with flared side seams but also pants and skirts, like the mini skirt sewing pattern The Mimi Skirt by JULIANA MARTEJEVS.
Shortening sewing pattern: Tapered side seams
As an example, let’s take a trouser sewing pattern that has a tapered side and inseam towards the hem. If you want to shorten the hem, depending on how large your shortening section is, the section must be adjusted to the inseam and side seam lines. This is how you can shorten your pants.
Follow these three steps to shorten the sewing pattern with tapered side seams:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the front and back sewing pattern of the pants that runs at a 90-degree angle. Use the grain as a guide. The line should be approximately at knee height. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Measure and mark the desired distance parallel to one of the cut-out line edges to shorten the sewing pattern. In this example, the shortening distance is 5 cm.
3. Glue the other cut-out sewing pattern piece exactly onto the marked shortening section on the line drawn previously. Use glue or adhesive tape for this. If you have done this correctly, the grain line should meet exactly and run straight. Draw a line on both side seams that starts slightly above your line and runs to the hem corner. Depending on how your trouser sewing pattern looks, draw either a straight or a slightly curved line, depending on the original shape of the side seam line.
Tip: If the sewing pattern does not provide enough space at the side seam for the seam allowance, you can stick a piece of paper under the sewing pattern, mark your new seam allowance and cut off the excess paper. Use the original seam allowance as a guide and draw the same distance from the side seam line.
Try this shortening technique with your sewing patters, such as the jeans pants sewing pattern The Dina Jeans by JULIANA MARTEJEVS and shorten your pants patterns to your individual leg lengths.
How to adjust the length of sewing patterns: Lengthening patterns
How to extend your sewing patterns for tailored clothing
We all know the dilemma: you’ve found a sewing pattern that suits your personal style, but it’s just too short for your taste. In this chapter, you will learn how to lengthen sewing patterns. Whether you want to lengthen floor-length dresses or long-sleeved tops, we will show you step by step how to make any sewing pattern the desired length.
Lengthen sewing pattern: Vertical side seams
In principle, we proceed in a similar way to the “Shortening the sewing pattern” section. Here we again use the top sewing pattern with a straight center front and back, grain line and side seams. This straightness makes it much easier to adjust the sewing pattern.
Follow these 3 steps to lengthen the sewing pattern with vertical side seams:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the front and back pattern of the top that runs at a 90-degree angle. You can base this line on the straight center front or center back, the grain line or the side seams. The line should lie between the armhole and the hem. Where exactly you draw this line is not important. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Place a piece of paper under the sewing pattern pieces you have just cut apart and draw two horizontal lines at the desired extension distance from each other. The length of the lines should be slightly longer than the section previously cut apart. In this example, the extension distance is 5 cm. Glue the cut pieces to the paper with the cut edges along the previously drawn lines at the desired extension distance. If you have done this correctly, there should be a little paper sticking out at the sides.
3. Now trace the center front and back, the grain line and the side seams with a pencil and ruler. Also trace the seam allowances on the side lines and cut off the excess paper. And now you have successfully altered your top sewing pattern!
Why not try to lengthen your mini or midi skirt patterns, like tiered midi skirt The Abbie Skirt by JULIANA MARTEJEVS, with this technique? It is super versatile and you can hack a lot of patterns with this technique.
Lengthening sewing Pattern: Flared side seams
For this example, with flared side seams, proceed in the same way as in the previous section. This way you can adjust your sleeve sewing pattern.
Follow these 3 steps to lengthen the sewing pattern with flared side seams:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the sleeve sewing pattern that runs at a 90-degree angle to the grain line. Draw the line so that there is still some space between the line and the hemline without seam allowance. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Place a piece of paper under the sewing pattern pieces you have just cut apart and draw two horizontal lines at the desired extension distance from each other. The length of the lines should be slightly longer than the section previously cut apart. In this example, the extension distance is 5 cm. Glue the cut pieces to the paper with the cut edges along the previously drawn lines at the desired extension distance. If you have done this correctly, there should be a little paper sticking out at the sides.
3. You can trace the grain line with a pencil and a ruler. Draw a new line from the top corner to the hem corner at both side seams. Depending on how your sleeve pattern looks, draw either a straight or a slightly curved line, depending on the original shape of the side seam line. Do the same with the seam allowance. Cut off the excess paper. And you have successfully altered your sleeve sewing pattern!
Do you have any sewing patterns with flared seams, e.g., side seams or sleeve seams? The A line dress sewing pattern The Rory Dress has a flared skirt as well as flared sleeves. Try to adjust the lengths to your personal style.
Lengthen sewing pattern: Tapered side seams
In this example, we show you how to lengthen your trouser sewing pattern. Follow these 3 simple steps:
1. First, draw a horizontal line on the front and back sewing pattern of the trousers that runs at a 90-degree angle. Use the grain line as a guide. The line should be approximately at knee height. Then cut the sewing pattern apart along this line using paper scissors.
2. Place a piece of paper under the sewing pattern pieces you have just cut apart and draw two horizontal lines at the desired extension distance from each other. The length of the lines should be slightly longer than the section previously cut apart. In this example, the extension distance is 5 cm. Glue the cut pieces to the paper with the cut edges along the previously drawn lines at the desired extension distance. If you have done this correctly, there should be a little paper sticking out at the sides.
3. You can trace the grain line with a pencil and a ruler. Draw a line on both side seams that starts slightly above your line and runs to the hem corner. Depending on how your trouser sewing pattern looks, draw either a straight or a slightly curved line, depending on the original shape of the side seam line. Do the same with the seam allowance. You can cut off the excess paper. And you have successfully altered your sewing pattern to create your trousers!
In this article, you have learned how to adjust sewing patterns to change the length to suit your individual needs. Now your sewn garments will fit perfectly to your personal desired length.
Do you want to go one step further to create truly unique, individual sewing patterns? Then scroll down and read the next chapter!
Customize sewing pattern: Online sewing pattern designer
Don’t feel like adapting sewing patterns by hand? With online sewing pattern designers, such as the Picknsew® 3D Sewing Pattern Designer, you can turn your tailoring dreams into reality. The innovative configurator allows you not only to adjust the length, but also to customize other details of your pattern. With a wealth of options and customization possibilities, you can create your very own personal sewing pattern online.
The 3D sewing pattern designer allows you to select fabrics, yarns, buttons and other materials and view them in an interactive 3D model of your garment. You can see what your masterpiece will look like in the end before you even start sewing.
After selecting and ordering your sewing pattern, you will be asked to create a profile with your body measurements. From this, the Picknsew® tailors, supported by innovative software, will create your tailor-made sewing pattern. You will then receive it by email.