faux trouser cuffs

[thunderw21]

Today I purchased some white flannel trousers that are a tad shorter than I'd like. They have cuffs but no extra material to lengthen them with. So, I'm forced to let the cuffs down but I want to keep the cuffed look.

Would someone be so kind as to explain how one creates the 'faux' cuff?

Cheers!

 

[Tomasso]

First you fold a 1/2" deep horizontal pleat at the desired height. The fold must then be sewn securely (from the inside) by either hand or machine. This will create the 'top' of the cuff. Then hem the bottom in the usual manner. If you're running short of material you can extend the inseam by sewing on a few inches of similar fabric, making sure that it ends up on the inside of the hem.

It ain't easy to 'splain, Lucy! :eusa_doh:

Maybe I should do a pictorial.

 

[Dr Doran]

First you fold a 1/2" deep horizontal pleat at the desired height. The fold must then be sewn securely (from the inside) by either hand or machine. This will create the 'top' of the cuff. Then hem the bottom in the usual manner. If you're running short of material you can extend the inseam by sewing on a few inches of similar fabric, making sure that it ends up on the inside of the hem.

It ain't easy to 'splain, Lucy! :eusa_doh:

Maybe I should do a pictorial.

Man, I'd love a pictorial if you wouldn't mind!

Can you make faux cuffs look good?

 

[thunderw21]

I kinda get where you're going, Tomasso, thanks for your help. A pictoral would be helpful for everyone, I think.

My mom (God bless 'em) told me of a 'cheat' that I hadn't thought of. I don't think this is a faux cuff since the cuff is real, just not as structured as a regular one.



On a regular cuff the material is folded over itself many times and hemmed on the inside of the pant leg:

Instead of so many folds, my mom's 'cheat' is to fold the material over onto itself twice and hem it on the inside of the cuff where it won't be seen:

The only problem with this is that the cuff won't be as dense as a regular one, but then again neither would a faux cuff.

edit: spelling

 

[MrBern]

Instead of so many folds, my mom's 'cheat' is to the material over onto itself twice and hem it on the inside of the cuff where it won't be seen:

The only problem with this is that the cuff won't be as dense as a regular one, but then again neither would a faux cuff.

The other problem is the in-side of the material is showing instead of the out-side. So if youre working with material that is a differnt shade or texture on one side, it will be obvious...unless youre looking for that contrast.

 

[Dr Doran]

The other problem is the in-side of the material is showing instead of the out-side. So if youre working with material that is a differnt shade or texture on one side, it will be obvious...unless youre looking for that contrast.

A very very big problem.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Faux cuffs are not done the way that Thunderw21 has shown.

I reckon that Tomasso will show us the right way soon.

 

[thunderw21]

Well, just gave the cuffs a good examination.

Turns out they are already faux cuffs. :rage:

So, nothing can be done to make them longer.


btw, here is what a faux cuff looks like. Hopefully Tomasso or someone else can add more insight.

 

[Tomasso]

Eureka!!!

[/QUOTE]

 

[Drew B]

also with that cheat cuff.

Wouldn't you see the dirty side of the seam?

I've hade this poblem many a time. Infact when i was young I used to un hem all my pants because they were always too short. So i would end up with a neat pair of pants with yucky over locking at the bottom. Either that or just a frayed hem. Oh the shame!

I repent my sins lol
forgive me

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Thunder, your Mom's cheat ends up allowing a shorter inseam than the way Tomasso described. What Tomasso describes, and you produced an image of, is what i did with the trousers of that tweed suit.

bk

 

[thunderw21]

Thunder, your Mom's cheat ends up allowing a shorter inseam than the way Tomasso described. What Tomasso describes, and you produced an image of, is what i did with the trousers of that tweed suit.

bk

I remember you mentioning faux cuffs while discussing that suit. Actually, that's the reason I started this thread.

 

[der schneider]

faux cuff, french cuff, yes different than the pictorial if you have 3 inches of fabric you can make a 1 1/2 inch french cuff if you have 2 1/2 inches you can make a 1 1/4 in french cuff ans so on and so on.

in france they are called english cuffs

in england turnups that always makes me hungrylol


It is my believe that this was the way cuffs were done before blind stitch machines became popular.

I always do them all by hand, my dad and brother came up with a way to use the blindstich machine in one pass.

 

[Fletch]

Could you give up maybe 3/4" of length and just make a very shallow pleat 3/8" deep?

To stiffen the cuff and give it weight, you could put a light colored flannel or facing material inside.

 

[Tomasso]

Could you give up maybe 3/4" of length and just make a very shallow pleat 3/8" deep?

I think you might even be able to go down to a 1/4" since the pleat will be sewn in place.

To stiffen the cuff and give it weight, you could put a light colored flannel or facing material inside.

Absolutely. The tailor who made my faux/French cuffs put heel guards all around for just that reason.

Mind you, I have heel guards installed on nearly all my trousers. Like so:

 

[reetpleat]

Fletch has the right idea for maximum length. if you put some fabric, any fabric will do, on the inside, it will give more weight and stiffness. if you still can't do it, can you find some matching white flannel to do a cuff out of.

 

[thunderw21]

Fantastic ideas, Fletch and company. This is why I love this place. I think I can squeeze maybe 3/4" to 1" out of the legs with that technique. That should be enough.

And Fletch has better MS Paint skills than I...

 

[Dr Doran]

Could you give up maybe 3/4" of length and just make a very shallow pleat 3/8" deep?

To stiffen the cuff and give it weight, you could put a light colored flannel or facing material inside.

Thank you Fletch. This is precisely the thing I was envisioning.

 

[Fletch]

And Fletch has better MS Paint skills than I...

I'm so good I don't even need MS Paint! I made Photoshop do that! lol

 

[thunderw21]

I'm so good I don't even need MS Paint! I made Photoshop do that! lol

Ah, a genuine modern day Da Vinci!