How to Lengthen or Shorten a Sewing Pattern
Do you have a particularly long or short torso, legs or arms? If this sounds like you, you might want to consider lengthening or shortening your sewing patterns to get a better fit.
It's Nikki here, and today I'm going to talk you through lengthening or shortening pattern pieces. The first set of diagrams below show a bodice, which you can adjust if you have a long or short upper body, but you can use the same technique on loads of pattern pieces - trouser legs or skirts if you have long or short legs, sleeves if you have long or short arms, you name it. I’ll also talk you through how to lengthen or shorten the rise on trouser and shorts patterns. This is one of the great things about sewing - you can adjust just the parts you need to get a garment to fit your unique shape.
If you are lengthening a pattern piece that has a matching pair or facing that will be affected by the length - for example, a front bodice will often join a back bodice and sometimes a front opening facing - make the same adjustment to the matching pattern pieces, else you'll end up with a wonky garment (not cool).
Ready? Let's get stuck in to...
How to lengthen a sewing pattern
Get a piece of paper a bit wider than the pattern piece you are lengthening, and draw two parallel lines. The distance between the lines should be the amount you want to lengthen the pattern piece by. Place the piece of paper underneath the top part of the pattern, align the newly cut edge with the upper horizontal line, and stick it down with tape or a glue stick.
How to shorten a sewing pattern
Lengthening or shortening the rise on trousers (pants)
There are usually two different "lengthen or shorten here" lines on trouser leg pattern pieces. The top lines on the trouser legs, serve to help you lengthen or shorten the rise of your trousers or shorts. The lower lines on the trouser legs, between the crotch and the knee, are to be used if you want to add or remove length to the legs, using the method outlined above.
If you want to lengthen the rise then you follow exactly the same steps as above, but using the "lengthen or shorten here" lines above the hip. Again, make sure that whatever length you add to the rise on the front legs, you also add to the back legs, else they won't match up at the side seams.
If you have added length to the rise you must also add the same length to any matching pieces, for example a zip guard or zip facing if applicable. If these pieces are included in your pattern, make sure all the zip notches match up on all pieces otherwise you'll get into a bit of a pickle when you're sewing the zip fly.
