These instructions are for the novice seamstress. The objective of these instructions is to explain how to add cuffs to a regular pair of pants. Cuffs are very trendy and add a tailored look to an inexpensive pair of pants.

• Alteration is a process that changes the dimensions of a garment. (Example: shortening the length of a pair of pants.)
• Hemming is a sewing technique that shortens and/or finishes an edge of fabric.
• An inseam is the measured distance from the crotch to the inside bottom of the pant leg.
• An outseam is the measured distance from the waist to the outside bottom of the pant leg.
• Overstitch is a type of sewing stitch found on most sewing machines that keeps the fabric from stretching or unraveling.
• Tacking is a sewing technique that secures one piece of fabric to another by applying small stitches at only few points
• "Stitch in the ditch" is a sewing technique that applies a stitch line in a previously sewn seam.

• Menswear cuffs are 1 ¼ inches. Make sure you have enough allowance to add 3 ¼ inches to the inseam measurement. If not, don't try it. It will not look professional or original to the pants.
• The person to be fitted should wear the shoes that will be typically worn with the pants while measuring their inseam.
• The hemming can be done on a sewing machine but hand stitching looks better on a pair of dress pants.
• When pressing cuffs, use a piece of cardboard just a little wider than the width of the pant leg at the cuff. It helps to eliminates wrinkled cuffs.

• Needles
• Pins
• Measuring tape
• Tailor’s chalk
• Thread

Instructions:

1. Measure the inseam of the person who will be wearing the pants.

2. Add 1 ¼ inches to your inseam measurement.

3. Mark with tailor’s chalk all around the pant leg.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the other leg.

5. Fold the excess fabric into the pant leg on your mark and press a hem.

6. Take the excess out of the pant leg and make a mark 2 ¼ inches from the fold line you just pressed.

7. Trim the excess below your mark.

8. Finish the bottom by overstitching the edge with a serger or a sewing machine, or fold over ¼ inch, wrong sides together and press with an iron.

9. Fold the hem back into the leg.

10. Sew along the edge using either a machine or hand stitches.

11. Turn up 1 ¼ cuff and press.

12. Hand tack or stitch in the ditch along the inside and outside leg seam.

13. Fold pant legs with seams together, along the original crease lines.

14. Spray the pant legs with starch and press a crease down the center of each leg.
    

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