1
Choose a pair of jeans.
You can rip any pair of jeans and get the same results, but make sure to
choose a pair that fit you well. Don’t feel obligated to rip a pair of
jeans you already own, as you can thrift for comfortable, cheap jeans at
local secondhand and consignment shops.
- Using jeans that are already worn a bit may give you better results than using brand new jeans, but don’t let that stop you from purchasing a new pair for this project.
- Light to medium wash jeans typically look the best when ripped, as their color lends them a more distressed look. Dark washed jeans look too freshly dyed to be ripped, and might not look as “realistic.”
2
Decide on a style. You
know you want ripped jeans, but how exactly do you want them ripped? Go
to some of your favorite stores or research online to choose what style
of wear and tear you want your jeans to have. Gentle fraying? Massive
holes? Lots of holes or just a few? Decide what you want before you
start the project.
3
Gather your supplies.
Based on the different styles you wish you create, you will need to use
different materials. To create a worn look, use steel wool, sandpaper,
and a pumice stone. If you want to create large holes, you will need to
use scissors and an x-acto knife or box cutter as well. Use a small
block of wood to insert into the pant legs while you do the distressing,
so that you don’t alter both the front and the back of the pants.[1]
4
Decide where to rip. Lay
your jeans out flat on a table, and use a pencil to mark the places you
want to tear. Use a ruler to mark an exact length if you want. Keep in
mind the ultimate shape and the length as well as the width of your
holes.
5
Distress the jeans.
Place the small block of wood into your pant leg, directly underneath
the place you intend to distress. Then, use your abrasive tools to rub
at the jeans until they begin to thin and fray. Alternate between using
steel wool, sandpaper, and your pumice stone. This may take a bit of
time depending on the thickness of your jeans to start.
6
Loosen the fibers. If
you don’t want to create gaping holes, but rather stringy patches in
your jeans, use an x-acto knife to gently tug at the area that you have
just distressed. This will loosen fibers in the area, allowing for a
little skin to show through when worn. Pull at the white threads that
stick out from the jeans to encourage this look.
7
Add holes. Take your
scissors and cut a small section inside the distressed area. Then, use
your hands to rip the jeans even further. Avoid cutting the hole too
much, as this will give a very clean, unnatural edge to the fabric.
Ripping it will tear the fibers, making it look like a real hole. Tug at
the threads to pull them out a bit, as they would with natural rips.
8
Reinforce your jeans. To
keep the holes from growing as a result of frequent wearing and
washing, reinforce them by sewing around the perimeter of the hole. Use
either a white or jean-colored thread to sew around, either by hand or
with a sewing machine. If you want the jeans to grow over time, feel
free to nix this step.[2]
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