How to Make Jeans Into Capris

Give new life to a pair of old jeans by making them into cute capris. Jeans can develop holes, or you may decide that the bell-bottom look isn't for you anymore. Instead of the throwing the jeans away and spending money on something new, recycle the old jeans. Making capris is something beginning and advanced crafters alike can accomplish.

Decide how short you want the capris to be. Use fabric chalk to mark where you want the pants to end, next to the seam on the outer part of the pant leg.

Measure the hem. Capri hems are typically about 2 inches. To make a 2-inch hem for your pants, measure and mark 2.5-inches down from where you made the first chalk mark that indicated where you wanted the pants to end.

Fold the pants so the seams on the inner and outer parts of the pant legs meet. Folding them this way ensures that your cut is straight.

Lay the folded pants on table.

Using the chalk, draw a line on the jeans where you want to cut the pants.

Make sure your line is straight by using the measuring tape. Place the end of the measuring tape at the bottom left-side end of the jeans, and record the distance from the bottom of the pants to the chalk line. Measure the right side of the jeans to ensure the distance is the same. Make any necessary adjustments.

Cut the pants at the line you drew.

Turn the pants inside out. Fold the bottom of the pants ½-inch up to create a small cuff, and pin.

Iron the folded fabric to create a crease. Remove the pins.

Fold the pants in again (2 inches up) so the initial chalk mark is at the bottom of the fold; pin the fabric in place. This fold creates the hem of the pants.

Iron the new fold. This is will help stabilize the fabric as you sew. Do not remove the pins.

Secure the top and bottom of each hem by sewing it to the pants. Sew the hem 1/8 inch from the top and bottom, and remove the pins