How To Make Cutoffs From Jeans

One of my favorite ways of recycling old jeans is to make cutoffs out of them. Whether the jeans are too ripped, have stains, or the leg style just doesn't work anymore, you can get a whole new life out of your old jeans. Since I am on the shorter side, a lot of my jeans end up ruined on the bottoms from dragging on the ground. Making cutoff shorts out of them is the perfect solution!

From daisy dukes to a modest pair of Bermuda shorts, you can make them exactly how you want them. For me, there is one exact length that looks best on my legs and is the most flattering. Making my own shorts allows me to use jeans that I know fit and that would otherwise be thrown away.

All you need is a pair of scissors and a pen or maker. It's easy to do if you use the follow these simple instructions.

1. Fold your jeans and lay them flat. I find it easiest for me to work with them folded as in picture A.

2. Cut the jeans off a bit longer than you know you will want them. This will make it easier to measure for the final length of the shorts. See picture B.

3. Put the jeans on and fold them to the length that looks best on you.

4. Mark the bottom of the fold and take the jeans off. See picture C.

5. Turn the jeans inside out, fold the jeans and line up the marks you made as shown in picture D.

6. Make your final cut for the finished length as shown in picture E.

7. You will need to wash your cutoffs at least once to start getting the bottoms to fray. If you like more fraying you can wash them several times and pull at the loose threads on the edges, they should loosen up really easily.
   
   Or, you may prefer to roll them up. Usually an inch and half fold works well, but it's best to experiment with different fold widths to find the right width for you.

8. If you are going for the Daisy Duke look, the pockets will be longer than the bottom of the shorts. That look is really in right now, but if you don't want the pockets to show, it's easy enough to fix.
   
   You can either sew the pockets above the bottom of the shorts and cut off the excess, or you can use iron on hemming tape to fold pocket up and stick in place.

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