How to Make Holes in Jeans That Look Store Bought

Make your own worn-in jeans.

Jeans that look worn in often have holes, tears and show lots of wear. Today these "trashed" jeans are one of the hottest styles in casual wear. But you may find that the price for these destroyed jeans is a little high. That's because jeans companies charge you for the hole they apply and for the fashionable look. But with the right tools and some patience, you can give any pair of jeans a hole that looks manufactured. Turn your plain jeans into your favorite, high-fashion pair.

Things You'll Need

• Towel
• Jeans
• Razor knife
• Sandpaper
• Tea
• Squirt bottle

Instructions

1. Wash your jeans using detergent and fabric softener, if they have never been washed.

2. Lay a towel on a table, and place your jeans on top of the towel, spreading it out with the front facing you.

3. Mark your jeans lightly with a pencil to indicate where you want to make holes.

4. Pinch and slightly pull up the front of your jean leg with your left hand, and with your right hand cut on the line you drew, using a razor knife. Do not cut through both the front and the back of the jeans.

5. Use your razor knife to make light nicks in the waistband for an additional worn-looking spot.

6. Set the knife aside, and smooth out the jeans with the front facing you.

7. Rub the cuts you made in the fabric of your jeans with sandpaper. The more you rub, the more strands will be revealed. Move the sandpaper around in different ways, rubbing back and forth and diagonally.

8. Fill a spray bottle with unsweetened tea, and spray your jeans lightly with the tea, including the strings and the holes you just cut.

9. Lay the jeans in the sun, and allow them to dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a wire brush on heavy denim jeans to make the holes look more worn.

• Wear rubber gloves to prevent getting scraped by sandpaper or stained by tea.

References

• East Valley Tribune: Don't spend big bucks on trashed jeans