Menu
MN2203 Tania / Pattern Alterations & Adjustments / Sewalongs / Tips & Tutorials

How to lengthen the Tania culottes

Tania Curve View C

Hey my dears! So after my post introducing the Tania pattern – I’ve had a few questions asking me to expand on how to lengthen the Tania culottes. So today I’ve got a few diagrams to share with you explaining it! Ready?

how NOT to lengthen the tania culottes

I’m pretty sure our first inclination is always to slash and spread a pattern to lengthen it as per the above diagrams – that works well for fairly close-fitted garments – but becomes a bit problematic when fullness is involved. For circular-based designs, it alters the pattern shape and therefore the drape too drastically. To try and get something more accurate you may end up trying to work multiple slash lines at different angles, and let’s be honest, that’s getting a little confusing and still difficult to implement.

how to lengthen the tania culottes

Here’s what I recommend you do – and conveniently it’s the simplest method! – lengthen the side seams and inseams by the same amount, then redraw the hemline to be parallel to the original. This is best since it maintains the circle, and the drape of the culottes won’t be altered at all.

Let me know if you have any more questions about lengthening your culottes!

Meg xo


LOOKING FOR MORE TANIA POSTS?

Here’s the full list of Tania posts and tutorials:

Here are some older Tania posts you might find useful

And some older tutorials that could help!

We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNtania and @megannielsenpatterns when sharing on social media, and check out what everyone else is up to!

DON’T HAVE THE PATTERN YET?

Tania & Tania Curve

Order Tania today in sizes 0-20 and Curve sizes 14-30

About Author

Meg is the Founder and Creative Director of Megan Nielsen Patterns, and is constantly dreaming up ideas for new sewing patterns and ways to make your sewing journey more enjoyable! She gets really excited about design details and is always trying to add way too many variations to our patterns.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

15 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
cathy
10 years ago

i love how you shared why the 2nd method wouldn’t work – very helpful! can’t wait to get started on mine!

Kirsty
10 years ago

Thanks! Definitely thinking of making a second longer pair. It’s great to see the culottes popping up all over the internet now :)

Ginger
10 years ago

This is so helpful! I love the visual aids!

Jen
Jen
10 years ago

This is what I did for my first pair and it worked great! Then, I tried it for a pair that went to the floor and it didn’t look right. There was sooooo much fabric. Is this the method you would use for a floor length version? Perhaps I need to try again with a much more light weight fabric…

Jen
Jen
9 years ago
Reply to  Meg

Thanks for your input! I’m going to keep trying until I get it right. I’m dying for a floor length pair! I’ll let you know how it goes. :)

Amanda
Amanda
10 years ago

I’m very interested in this pattern, but I don’t quite understand how they look underneath. Would it be possible to get some pics with the skirt lifted up? On a dress form is fine. :)

stephanie
10 years ago

Thanks for this! I like that you explained why it’s not appropriate to do the usual slash and spread method for lengthening

Natalie
Natalie
10 years ago

Oh I’d love to see a maxi version of these! Thanks for explaining how to lengthen this pattern, I was very tempted to get it but could not pull off the short version and wasn’t sure about whether I’d be able to successfully alter the pattern. But now you’ve made how to do it so clear I’m Definately going to give it a go. I love how feminine these look, I love skirts but they never seem practical with lots of toddlers to run around after but I think these are a great idea practical and feminine. Thanks

Serena
Serena
9 years ago

Hi!! My pattern just shipped and I’m so excited! I’m a beginner sewer so I’m a little confused.. Can you explain a bit further how to draw the hem parallel to the original? Is this something I should be using a French curve for?

Anja
Anja
9 years ago

Hi, I recently bought the PDF pattern and I was wondering if there is a smart way to widen the culottes just as there is a smart way to lengthen them…. My waist is outside the pattern range and I want a pair of these culottes is it’s the last thing I sew, eh do ….. But I don’t want to mess them up!

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Best regards
Anja

Karin
3 years ago

Hi! Can I also shorten View D to a View A length in a similar way? Or would that not work with the less fullness of the skirt?

April Driesslein
April Driesslein
1 year ago

Is it possible to take some of the fullness out of the culottes, so that they are more like an a-line skirt? I did the “less fullness” version but it still feels like a lot to me. I was thinking I could just basically cut a triangle off the side seam, so that the waist size stays the same but the hemline is smaller?