Make your own cut off shorts. Two ways. No sewing required.
Hi everyone! For my very first tutorial of the blog... or EVER... I thought I'd start with something super simple that pretty much anyone could make. Cut off shorts are possibly the easiest wardrobe piece you can make on your own, and you don't even need to know how to sew. I will show you how to make these two quick versions, cuffed and frayed, with and without sewing. So lets get started...
First of all, you are going to need a pair of jeans (well, duh!). Pick a pair that you love (but don't love enough to keep them as long jeans). I like my denim shorts to fit looser than regular pants, so I usually pick a pair that has gotten slightly bigger on me or I'll size up if I'm thrifting them. However, that's just personal preference. You do YOU.
Step ONE: Try your pants on inside out (preferably in front of a mirror). Decide the length you will want your shorts to be and pin it or mark it with a pen.
Step TWO: Take the pants off and don't walk in front of a window until you have put something else on. We don't want to give the neighbours a show... or maybe we do? Like I said, you do YOU. Back to the pants... here's where you will need to decide whether you'll want your shorts' hem cuffed or frayed. If you're going to fray them, add an extra 1/2" to the length mark you did. If you're going to cuff them, add an extra 2" to the mark. Then cut one pant leg. Place the cut piece on top of the other leg, and cut at the same point. 
Step THREE: For frayed hems, make a stitch line with your machine about 1/2" from the edge (as shown in the picture below). Take a pin or seam ripper and pick at the edge to fray it a bit. You don't have to fray it all the way. Once you wash the shorts, the washing machine will do the work for you.
NO SEW VERSION: skip the stitch line. Fray the edge a bit, wash your shorts, and then add a little bit of Stop Fraying (or similar) to the edge to stop it from fraying any further.
For cuffed hems, roll up the edge up 3/4", then roll again another 1". Pin at the inseam and sew a small stitch line right over the existing stitching, as shown. You can also add another small line of stitches on the outside seam of the leg. This will keep the cuff from unrolling when you wash them.
NO SEW VERSION: roll up the edge in the same manner, pin at the inseam, and add a little bit of fabric glue at the inner and outer leg seam. 
And you're done!! 
Now go raid your closet (or the thrift store) to make these shorts in all sorts of colours and patterns for Summer. I'll be over here chilling in my new shorts and my pasty white legs.
Later Gator,
Julia (with an H)
Â
 
