Being the cheapskate that I am, when my pants get frayed at the bottom I make shorts out of them, too. I measure the inseam, adding about an inch and a half to the length I want. I cut them off at that point, then run them through the serger to encase the raw edges. I put them through the sewing machine and topstitch the hems down. The whole process takes about five minutes per pair and definitely saves big bucks. By the time the hems get frayed, the rest of the pants are well worn and have softened to where they are really comfortable and don't have to be broken in. This process even works for jeans!!