Madrone Pants: How to Lengthen/Shorten

The Madrone Pants hem is intended to fall to the ankle, but of course you can customize your pants to what you want! That is, after all, one of the reasons why we sew! The pattern already includes two inseam lengths: 26” (66 cm) and 28” (71 cm). 

If you want to personalize the length further, there’s a quick and easy way for changes or shortening by ½” (1.3 cm) or less (but not lengthening, sorry!), and then the usual slash and spread/overlap for anything more than shortening by ½” (1.3 cm). 

The Hem facing gives us a little bit of opportunity to make small changes in the length, so if you want to shorten either length by about ½” (1.3 cm), you can change the seam allowance of the hem attachment to reflect that. Trim the seam allowances and understitch as usual, and you’re set. The Hem Facing will have a slightly shorter finished height, and the leg opening circumference may have changed by a very small amount, but it’s a negligible change for a very simple length adjustment. 

Getting Started

To add or remove length to the Madrone Pants, you’ll need the following pattern pieces:

• two Center Fronts (A) in 26” or 28” length
• two Center Backs (C) in 26” or 28” length
• two Side Backs (D) in 26” or 28” length
• two Lower Side Panel (F) in 26” or 28” length
• two Hem Facings (G) in 26” or 28” length

Set aside the remaining pattern pieces to use later, no changes needed: 

• two Side Fronts (B)
• two Upper Side Panels (E)
• two Pockets (H)
• two Pocket Facings (I)
• two Back Pockets (J)
• two Pocket Interfacings (K)

First steps

Line up the Lengthen/Shorten line of the Center Front, Center Back, Side Back, and Lower Side Panel. 

Cut on the line

To Lengthen

• Mark grainline on new paper, and parallel lines the distance of the change

• Move the pattern pieces apart and position them on the new paper, aligning the grainlines and placing the cut lines on the parallel lines
• Tape the pieces in place

• Blend the lines, making the changes needed below the knee

• True up new edges (match up the pattern pieces to make sure they fit). 
• Align all of the pieces at the hem (joining the seam lines as if they’re sewn) and check that Hem Facings fit correctly. Adjust if needed. (Note: Some of the pieces in the diagram are slightly transparent so you can see the pieces overlapping.)

To Shorten

• Mark a parallel line below the Lengthen/Shorten line, by the distance of the change

• Overlap the cut pieces, ensuring the lower part of the pattern goes under the upper portion
• Tape the pieces in place

• Blend the lines, making the changes needed below the knee

• True up new edges (match up the pattern pieces to make sure they fit). 
• Align all of the pieces at the hem (joining the seam lines as if they’re sewn) and check that Hem Facings fit correctly. Adjust if needed.

If you want to learn more about pants fitting, check out our free guide!