Do Something New With Your Jeans
A pair of jeans can last for decades, but jean styles change all the time. If you have a pair that needs a fresh look, don't throw them out. Try these ideas to give your jeans a second life.
Steps
- Add flare with buttons and pins. The easiest way to jazz up your jeans is to find fun pins and buttons, and simply pin them on. Because it's not permanent, you can mix and match which ones you wear every day.
- Add patches or appliques.
- Pick the one that's right for you. Iron-on patches and appliques are faster to apply, and great if you don't have much experience sewing.
- Choose a location. Flat or simple designs are great for back pockets. Elaborate ones that have sequins or delicate embellishments fare better down the sides of the leg.
- Bejewel with studs or crystals. Craft stores sell a wide variety of kits that supply everything you'll need, including design idea booklets.
- Be safe when using hot glue applicators. If you've chosen to add crystals to your jeans, read the glue gun instructions carefully.
- Mark your studs beforehand. Attaching studs creates small holes in the fabric. Be certain where you want your studs before using the tools.
- Embroider your jeans. If you have experience sewing, add a few designs to the seams, belt loops or a pocket.
- Created "destroyed" or "distressed" jeans.
- "Distress" the denim with sandpaper. Sand down the jeans on the front thighs and knees. The courser the paper, the rougher the "distress."
- "Destroy" your jeans by scraping at the knee until a little hole appears. If desired, make the hole bigger by ripping it open with your hands. Use a knife or your fingers to pull the strings out, so they hang down.
- Use dye or bleach. Faded jeans can be updated to a dark wash look by dying them a darker blue. Black jeans never go out of style. Strategically splashed bleach can add to the "destroyed" look.
- Alter the fit using a sewing machine. With careful pre-measuring, you can change boot cut to straight leg, straight leg to tapered, or even lower the rise.
Tips
- If you're creating your own design, make a sketch of it and put it aside for a day or two. You might improve it if you give yourself time to marinate on it.
- Don't panic if something goes wrong. If you end up ruining your jeans, make them into shorts. However, don't cut them too short either! Cut them at a reasonable length so that it will last you another couple of months - maybe even a year!
- Lay your patches, crystals, studs or other embellishments out on your jeans before you apply them. Except for pins, once they're on there, they're on there.
- Try Chains. Put them in a belt loop or something.
- You could also make them into Capris by rolling them up.
- Try fabric paint as an accent.
