what to do with an old pair of pants

I'm not sure what your weather has been like, but here in northern Indiana it seems like we went from winter to summer pretty quickly with only a few days that really felt like spring. We're had a stretch of days that felt summer like and it was great! With these warmer days, I've been pulling out my shorts earlier than normal. As, I was going through my drawers, I found some jeans that I just don't wear anymore. They still fit, but they're just not in my regular pant rotation (you know what I'm talking about). And if your like me, it's hard to throw away a good pair of pants. So, I decided to DIY some cut off shorts.

It's pretty simple-- no sewing required. All you need is a tape measure or ruler, a good pair of fabric scissors, some pins, your old pair of jeans and a favorite pair of shorts. I used my favorite pair of rolled hemmed shorts. They're a little longer and I like the rolled hem look.

Step 1: Gather your supplies and find a good space for working.

Step 2: Take the pair of your favorite shorts and measure the length of the inseam. Now, take your pair of pants and measure the same length inseam and pin at the desired length.

Step 3: Measure the length from the top of the waist line on your favorite shorts to the bottom of the hem line. Take that measurement and mark it on your pair of pants. Pin at the desired length. Next, measure the length of the outer seam on your favorite pair of shorts and then mark that length on your pair of pants. Pin at the desired length. You should now have three pins across your pair of pants. If the measurements are correct, the pins should be even across the leg of the pant. If not, adjust the measurements so they will be even.

Step 4: Cut just below the pins on the pair of pants. Be sure to make slow even cuts, so the cut lines are straight and not choppy. Once cut, check your measurements to make sure your lines are straight across. You can also eyeball this one. You can typically tell if the cut is straight. It doesn't have to be perfect. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the other pant leg.

Step 5: You're almost done...once you've got both legs cut to the desired length, try them on. If you are wanting to have a rolled hem, this is where you would roll it up once or twice, depending on your preferred look. I rolled mine twice. Now, since these pants have a tighter leg, it wasn't necessary for me to stitch the rolled hem. If you would like to you can sew a quick seam on the inside seam or use fabric glue to ensure it won't unroll. Typically though, a quick press with the iron will keep the hem in place

And that's it! A great no sew pair of cut off shorts. Now you can wear your formerly non-worn pair of pants and feel good about your DIY shorts. Plus, cut off shorts are coming back in style so you'll be right on trend for summer. Enjoy!