Cut and cut around middle of patterns (7)
I believe the answer is:
shorten
'cut' is the definition.
(shortening is a kind of cutting)
'cut around middle of patterns' is the wordplay.
'cut' becomes 'shorn' ('shorn' can be a synonym of 'cut'**).
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'middle of' means to look at the middle letters.
The centre of 'patterns' is 'te'.
'shorn' enclosing 'te' is 'SHORTEN'.
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for shorten that I've seen before include "Make less long" , "Abridge" , "Truncate" , "Clip" , "Put extra fat" .)