How to Make Cut-Off Shorts

Instead of buying a pair of cut-off shorts at the store, you can save money
and continue wearing your favorite jeans by making your own cut-offs. Tradi-
tionally, cut-offs are denim shorts that have a ragged edge at the bottom. All you
need to make them is a sharp pair of scissors, a pencil, and this easy three-step
process.

To get started, choose a pair of jeans that fit you well but are worn in the
knees or damaged in another way. Then decide on the length of your cut-offs.
Some people like shorts that end just above the knee, while others like them
much shorter. Since you are making these yourself, you get to decide.

Once you know the length of your shorts, it’s time to mark and cut them.
Lay the jeans out on a surface and mark the place you need to cut with a pencil.
Make sure you create a straight line across each leg of the jeans so the shorts
will look even. Before you cut, double check to make sure you have marked the
same place on each leg. Then use sharp scissors to cut through the denim and
remove the legs from your jeans. If the cut doesn’t look even, use the scissors to
even it up.

After cutting, distress and finish your cut-offs. Pull a few of the threads
away from the cut edge on each leg of the shorts. Keep pulling threads until the
edge is unravelled to create a fringe that’s about ¼ inch long. Then wash the
shorts in your washing machine to distress them a bit more and dry them in the
dryer. You’ll notice that the edges have some long strings after they are washed.
Use the scissors to remove these longer strings and even out the fringe.

Finally, try the cut-off shorts on and take a look at yourself in the mirror. If
you used jeans you liked and followed this simple process, you may just have
your new favorite pair of shorts.

Enjoy!