Distressed and ripped jeans can be expensive. However, there is good news! It's not that difficult to quickly and effortlessly transform your ordinary pants into a trendy pair of jeans. You need the right material, patience, and the right instructions.
Steps
Step 1. Choose a pair of jeans that fit you well
You can tear any other denim trousers with the same results, but don't feel obliged to tear a pair you already own, you can buy a used, comfortable and cheap one at the flea market or in consignment shops.
- Using jeans that have already been worn allows you to get better results than a brand new pair; for this reason, avoid buying a new pair of trousers in the store.
- Light or faded denim is the one that lends itself best to being ripped, as the color gives it a more lived-in look. Jeans with a dark tint are too "fresh" to be ripped, because they will not be realistic.
Step 2. Gather all the materials
After all, all you need is a pair of jeans and a sharp tool. Based on the style you want to achieve, you need to choose the right tool:
- If you want holes, use scissors, a razor or a sharp knife to rip the jeans. Cutters are also fine.
- If you love a "frayed" look rely on sandpaper, a grater, steel wool or pumice stone.
Step 3. Choose a place to tear off
Lay the jeans flat on a table and use a pencil to mark the spots you want to tear. With a ruler draw a segment indicating the length of the cut. Take into account the shape and final length of the opening you want.
- Generally speaking, most people prefer a knee tear, although it can be done in any area of the trouser leg.
- Try to cut the fabric just above the knee so the tear doesn't get huge as you walk. Each time you bend your knee, you may widen the opening even more. Be careful not to cut it all!
- Don't go too high though, or you will see underwear.
Step 4. Lay the jeans out on a flat surface
Slide a small piece of wood inside the trouser leg as you cut them so you don't touch the fabric underneath.
Alternatively, you can also use a cutting board, an old book, a stack of magazines, or any other object you don't mind cutting. Do not work directly on the kitchen table if you are using a very sharp knife
Step 5. Start fraying the fabric with sandpaper
Before moving on to the actual cut, scrub the jeans with sandpaper or steel wool to thin the spot you want to tear. This loosens the fibers, making it easier to tear them later.
- Use a variety of different tools. Alternate sandpaper, steel wool, and pumice stone if you have them all. Some patience may be required, depending on the starting thickness of the fabric.
- If you just want to cut the pants, then skip this step. You don't have to loosen the fibers if you don't want a frayed look.
Step 6. Continue to grind the fabric to make holes
If you want frayed areas and fringed stitches, then use scissors or a knife to rip the jeans. Do this on the very surfaces that you have weakened with sandpaper. This will ruin the fibers and you will see some of your skin under the worn area. To enhance this look, pull the white fibers so that they protrude from the surface of the jeans.
Step 7. Add holes with the knife or scissors
Cut small sections in the area you have weakened. Try to make holes as small as possible. You can always widen them later, but you risk ruining the pants and making them unusable if the openings are too large. Try not to make tears larger than about 1-2 cm.
Make tears transverse to the leg and not vertical; they will look more natural
Step 8. Enlarge the holes with your hands
Tear off the fibers to make the cuts real wear holes. Pull the strings to make them dangle slightly outside so the look will be more realistic.
- Avoid cutting the hole too much, otherwise the edge will be too sharp and unnatural.
- Alternatively, you can practice just a small one and wait for it to grow as you put on the pants. You will get a very natural effect.
Step 9. Reinforce the jeans if desired
To prevent the rips from becoming too large, you can secure them by sewing the perimeter. Use white or blue thread and sew around the tear, either by hand or with the sewing machine.
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If you want the hole to widen over time, skip this step.
If you want to know more about how to sew jeans, read this article.
Step 10. Put on your ripped jeans
Advice
- If you wash your jeans right after you rip them, you will loosen the fibers even more and get a more "lived-in" look.
- Avoid tearing near the seams, otherwise you risk them coming apart.
- If you want to give your jeans an even more "used" look, you can splash them with bleach.
- If you want to get neat tears, pull the fibers of the fabric using a needle.
- If you are a boy, avoid the rips that are too high on the thigh or the boxers will show. This also applies to girls who should avoid exposing too much skin near the panties or thong.
- If you put a brick inside the trouser leg instead of a piece of wood, the process will be faster.
Warnings
- Never try to rip jeans while wearing them.
- Don't make very large rips in the beginning. Washing will increase their size and cause them to fray.
- Be very careful when handling sharp tools.
