How to Make Bell Bottom Attachments for Skinny Pants

Fashions go in and out of style very quickly, and the cut of jean legs are no exception to the rule. Keeping up with the latest trends could put you over your budget, but there are secrets to keep you dressing well without breaking the bank. Transform your skinny or straight-leg jeans into bell bottoms with a quick makeover. Get creative and recycle denim from old jeans, or add a bell-bottom panel from heavy cotton fabric to update your wardrobe.

Instructions

1

Try on the jeans and place a safety pin 3 inches below the knee along the outside seam on both legs. The safety pin is a temporary marker.

2

Remove the outside seam on both legs up to the safety pin and remove the pin. Use a seam ripper to remove the stitches.

3

Measure the distance along the ripped-out seam from the hem of the pants to top of the seam. Add 1 inch to the measurement and use later to measure the length of the panel.

4

Choose fabric for the bell-bottom panel. Measure and cut the fabric using 8 inches for the width and the ripped-out pant seam measurement for the length. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise. You now have a rectangle that measures 4-inches wide and the length of the seam.

5

Draw a diagonal line starting from the top of the fold and extending to the opposite bottom corner of the fabric. Cut along the line.

6

Measure and cut a second panel by repeating Steps 4 and 5. Sew a 1/2-inch hem at the bottom of each panel.

7

Turn the jeans inside out and pin the panel into place. Machine stitch a 1/2-inch seam from the bottom of the pants to the top of the split. Sew as close to the split as possible. Repeat to add the second panel.

8

Finish stitching any gaps in the seam by hand, and trim off excess fabric. Turn the jeans with the right side facing out, and press the seams with an iron.

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