{diy} denim cutoffs

Supplies needed :

A pair of shorts that you already own, and you like the fit. A pair of scissors, a ruler, a pencil or chalk if the pants are darker, sandpaper for distressing, and your dye color.

Step 1 
Position the pair of shorts over the jeans your making into cutoffs to use as a stencil. Trace the bottom of the shorts onto the jeans using the pencil and the ruler. If the jeans your cutting are a darker shade then I suggest using chalk to mark your lines.
This will be the line that guides you while cutting your jeans, so that both sides are even. I positioned my ruler at a diagonal so the inseam isn't too short.

 Do the same to both sides

   Step 2
Cut along the pencil or chalk marks
& voila!

 Two easy steps.
The third step is optional 

Step 3
Using the sandpaper. Rub it along the cut edges to give it a more distressed look.
Easy peezy. Luckily, the pair of jeans I cut, already had a distressed look on the front. 
If you need to add slashes and rips to the front of your shorts take the scissors. 
Snip a little bit of the fabric and rub the sandpaper over it. 
The moderation of rubbing depends on how distressed you want them to look. 
  

 

End result :

Put them in the washer, alone, on a cold cycle and that will help with the distressing, too.

 

Next Step :

Gather your stuff to dye the shorts. I have RIT dye in 'petal pink', a small plastic container, 4 cups of boiling water, a tablespoon of detergent, and a cup of salt.  

  Just follow the instructions on the box of dye.
It's very simple.