How To Shorten Dressmaking Patterns
- Amy Budd
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
How To Shorten Your Dressmaking Patterns
If you are starting to make your own clothes and finding that you need to shorten your patterns, here’s how in 6 easy steps!
1 - Decide how much you need to shorten the pattern by.
2 - Take your pattern piece and look for the double line. It might even have 'lengthen / shorten' written on it.
Most patterns will have at least one lengthen / shorten line but don’t worry if yours doesn’t - you can create your own by drawing a line which is perpendicular to the grainline. Just make sure it’s in a place which doesn’t interfere with any other pattern markings like darts or pleats and is not going to distort the shape of the garment.
3 - Cut across the line to separate the pattern piece into two pieces.
4 - Now you are going to take one half of your pattern and draw a line parallel to the cut edge. The distance between the cut edge and your line is going to be the amount you decided to shorten by in step 1.
5 - Next take the other half of the pattern piece and place it on top of the first one so that the cut edge meets the line you drew. Make sure the grainline lines up on both pieces and tape it down.
6 - Finally check your side seams and smooth them out if there’s any little jogs.
…and there you have shortened your pattern! Easy as that!
Remember to do the same thing to any corresponding pattern pieces which you will be sewing together so that your seams match up.
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