Hemming pants is one of the least fun things when it comes to sewing alterations. But to shorten yoga pants to a functional cropped length is so easy I can’t believe I waited so long to do it!
I’m not at the point yet where I trust myself to make my own workout pants. I have nightmares of a seam splitting as I’m trying to squat or throw a kick. I’ve made them before but they were a total fail. They didn’t fit right.
But shortening yoga pants? THAT I can do—and quickly!
You’ll see two different versions of the pants here. I had two identical pairs, one in black and one in grey. The grey ones were already finished when I decided to shoot the process for the black ones. By the time these were done too, my photographer had clocked out. Hence two different colors!
As you can see from the photo, my pants were typical length for store-bought workout pants. They were slightly flared at the bottom in that “yoga pant” style. But I wanted them to come up to about my knee. Instead of buying a new pair (since I’m still on the RTW Fast), I could simply cut these to length.
How to Shorten Yoga Pants
Materials needed:
- Ruler
- Chalk or marking pen
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- 10 minutes
The first step is to decide how long you want your finished pants. Mine have a decorative flatlock stitching on the side that ended just past the knee on the outer seam. This was the perfect spot for me, and it allowed me to keep the design intact.
Next, lay your pants flat. Ensure the hem is straight.
Now add a seam allowance to the spot you chose for your finished pants. I used 1″ but if you want a narrower hem, then you can use whatever width hem you want.
The new hem should be parallel to your existing hem. Cut across the pants. Turn up your new hem and pin.
You can finish the hem many ways. If you have a coverstitch machine, then this should be easy for you. I don’t, so I used my regular sewing machine. On this machine you can either zigzag finish or use a twin needle. The width/length of the zigzag is up to you. I used 3.5mm width and length, but you can do a narrower one.
It’s really that easy! Now you can wear your “new” pants and enjoy!
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What a super blog. I am not a cutty sewey person but I have a pair of these without the stitching that are just too long. I may try this, at calf length I may get to wear them.