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Lengthening & Shortening
Adding or removing length means adjusting the pattern so it matches your body’s vertical proportions. This is done directly on the paper pattern before cutting your toile, ensuring your first test garment hangs and balances correctly from the start.
What this adjustment is
Length adjustments are about balance, not height alone.
A petite person may still need extra length in certain areas — and a tall person may need less.
Length adjustments change the height of a pattern piece — not the width, not the shape, just the vertical measurement.
You may add or remove length:
above the bust
between bust and waist
at the waist
between waist and hip
in the skirt or trouser leg
in the sleeve
at the hem
Patterns often include “Lengthen/Shorten Here” lines to guide you, but even if they don’t, you can still make the adjustment.
When you need this
adjustment
You may need to add or remove length when:
The pattern’s height measurements don’t match your own
You are taller or shorter than the pattern’s “base height”
Your torso is longer or shorter than average
Your legs are longer or shorter than average
Your bust, waist, or hip sits higher or lower than the pattern expects
Sleeves are too long or too short
Trouser rise feels too high or too low
Why this issue happens?
Patterns are drafted for a specific height and set of vertical proportions. If your body is longer or shorter in certain areas, the garment’s key points — like the waist, hem, or elbow — won’t sit where the designer intended.
This can happen when your torso, legs, or arms are proportionally different from the draft, or when you simply prefer a different finished length.
Lengthening or shortening adjusts the pattern so the garment’s proportions align with your own.
Example scenarios
Torso feels short → add length between bust and waist
Waist sits too low → remove length between bust and waist
Trouser rise too high → remove length between waist and hip
Sleeves short → add length at mid‑sleeve
Skirt hem uneven → adjust at thigh or knee
How to know where to add or remove length
Before you change the pattern, compare your body measurements to the pattern’s measurement chart and finished garment measurements (if provided).
STEP 1
Compare vertical measurements
Look at the pattern’s listed measurements for:
Back waist length
Front waist length
Waist to hip
Rise (for trousers)
Skirt length
Sleeve length
Then compare them to your own.
STEP 2
Identify the difference
Ask:
Is my torso longer or shorter than the pattern?
Does my waist sit higher or lower?
Are my legs longer or shorter?
Are my sleeves always too long or too short?
Write down the difference in centimetres.
STEP 3
Match the difference to the pattern piece
Use the pattern’s Lengthen/Shorten Here lines to place the adjustment where the difference occurs.
Examples:
Back waist length 2 cm longer → add 2 cm between bust and waist
Waist sits higher → remove length between bust and waist
Rise too long → remove length between waist and hip
Skirt too short → add length at thigh or knee
Sleeves short → add length at mid‑sleeve
STEP 4
If the pattern doesn’t include a Lengthen/Shorten line
Choose the area that corresponds to the measurement you’re adjusting:
Shoulder → bust
Bust → waist
Waist → hip
Hip → knee
Knee → hem
Mid‑sleeve for sleeve length
This helps you place the adjustment confidently.
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Introduction
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Introduction
Once you’ve read through the steps, it can really help to see the process in action.
🎥 The video below walks you through lengthening and shortening on a real pattern so you can follow along with confidence.
Before you cut fabric, check
Are the adjustment lines straight and even?
Is the added/removed amount consistent?
Do front and back pieces match?
Do notches align?
Do the side seams flow smoothly?
Have you adjusted all matching pieces?
Common mistakes to avoid
Adding length at the hem instead of the adjustment line
Forgetting to adjust matching pieces
Uneven spreading or overlapping
Redrawing curved seams as straight lines
Ignoring notches
Skipping the toile