It’s cozy season! I love this time of year for the cozy indoor vibes and the comfy clothes. Sewing loungewear is really quick and satisfying and I always get a lot of wear out of my me-made lounge items. Today I want to show you how to use our Ukee Shorts pattern to make the perfect PJ pants for yourself and your loved ones!
When we were developing Ukee we debated adding a pants view to the pattern and ultimately decided we wanted to focus on the three shorts views. With that said, lengthening this pattern into pants is nice and easy and now that the weather is cooling down, I am stoked to add this hack to the blog.
You can use these instructions to make PJs like we did, or you can use them to make cargo pants for everyday wear! We made our PJs nice and simple by only sewing the front pockets, not the back pockets or cargo pockets. We did include the drawstring and the faux-fly for some nice details.
How to lengthen Ukee into Pants
What you will need for this hack:
-
- Pattern Pieces: Front Leg (1) and Back Leg (2)
- Ruler
- Scrap paper
- Tape
- Pen or pencil
1. Decide the Length of the Inseam
First, figure out how much extra length you want to add. You might already know your preferred inseam, or you can measure the inseam on the pair of pants you love. Not sure where to start? You can also refer to the chart below to help guide your decision:
|
Petite |
Average |
Tall |
Fit Description | |
| Cropped | 22”-24” (56-61 cm) | 24”-26’ (61-66 cm) | 26”-28” (66-71 cm) | Hits mid-calf to upper shin |
| Ankle-Length | 26”-28” (66-71 cm) | 28”-30” (71-76 cm) | 30”-32” (76-81 cm) | Ends at or just above the ankle bone |
| Full-Length | 28”-30” (71-76 cm) | 30”-32” (76-81 cm) | 32”-34” (81-86 cm) | Floor-grazing, worn with flats or low heels |
| Extra-Long (heel friendly) | 30”-31” (76-79 cm) | 32”-33” (81-84 cm) | 34”-36+” (86-91+ cm) | Designed to wear with heels, may puddle slightly |
When choosing your final inseam length, keep in mind that you can always make your pants shorter, but not longer. So if you are unsure, it is better to err on the longer side for now.
Once you’ve landed on your inseam length, compare it to the inseam of View A in your Ukee Shorts size. You’ll find that info on page 4 (imperial) and page 5 (metric) of the instruction booklet. You’ll be adding the difference between the two measurements to the pattern pieces in the next steps.
2. Draw a New Lengthen Line
Even though there are already lengthen/shorten lines on the pattern, we are going to draw a new one lower down on the leg. This new line will sit closer to the knee, which gives us a more natural spot for adding full pant length.
On both the Front (1) and Back (2) leg pieces, draw a horizontal line 1” (2.5 cm) above the hem notches of View A (the longest length). Then, extend the grainline below this new line on both pieces. This will help with alignment in the next step.
3. Adjust the Front Leg
Cut along the new lengthen line you just drew. Place a piece of scrap paper underneath and tape down the upper portion of the pattern.
Using the measurement you figured out in Step 1, draw a line below the cut edge, parallel to it. This is your length extension. Extend the grainline through the added paper to help with alignment.
Align the lower part of the pattern piece along the line you just drew, matching up the grainlines. Tape everything in place.
Next, redraw the side seam and inseam, blending from the existing seams above the cut line to the hem notches. You may need to gently curve the inseam around the knee area (mid-leg), then continue as a straight line down to the hem. Make sure both side and inseam hems mirror the new seam lines.
4. Adjust the Back Leg
Repeat the same process for the Back Leg (2). Cut along the new lengthen line, place scrap paper underneath, and draw in your length extension. Extend the grainline to help with alignment, then tape everything back together. Redraw the side seam and inseam, blending from the existing seams above the cut line to the hem notches.
5. Compare the Seam Length
Now it is time to make sure everything matches up. Compare the inseam and side seam lengths on the front and back leg pieces to make sure they are the same. If you want to be extra precise, draw in the ⅝” (1.6 cm) seam allowances and compare the length along the actual stitching line, rather than the cut edge. When checking the side seam, place the pocket bag (3) underneath the front leg to account for the extra side seam length.
Add a notch at the cut line on the top part of both front and back legs. This will help with alignment when sewing.
6. Choose pocket placement
You get to decide if and where you want to place your cargo pocket. We skipped the cargo pockets on these PJ pants, but you can use this hack to make everyday cargo pants, too! For the Ukee Shorts, we have these pockets placed high on the thigh because they need to clear the hem depth on the shorts. Now that we have a longer leg, we can lower the pocket to any height we like! Here are some illustrations of what different placements would look like.
And that’s all there is to it! If you are loving the fit of the Ukee Shorts, why not make them into pants!? It just increases the value of the pattern and makes it even more versatile. Cargo shorts, pants, or PJs. Sam and I are loving our new lounge pants!
