How to Make a Pair of Designer Jeans
"Designer" jeans are basically jeans have something a little special or different about them. Most denim can be shredded, bleached and embellished in such a way that makes it look expensive and "cool." The best part about designing jeans yourself is the fact that you can use any technique you want and make them you. There are a few ways to create designer jeans, so choose the method that reflects your signature style.
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Block of wood
- Utility knife
- Sand paper
- Washer
- Dryer
- Glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Gems
- Tooth pick
- Bleach
- Water
- Squirt bottle
- Newsprint
- Gloves
- Old clothes
- Iron-on patches
- Iron
- Fabric paints
Instructions
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Find a pair of medium to dark wash jeans in the style that looks best on you. Lay them out on a flat surface and brain-storm about what you want the final outcome to be. Make a little mark with a pencil, where you want the holes or shredded areas to go. Use a few marks to indicate where gems may go, or where an iron on patch could be placed. Decide what you will do, but do not bleach, shred, embellish and add patches to your jeans; just choose one or two methods and do not over-do it.
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To shred jeans: Place a block of wood under the jean surface. Start at the front or the back of the jean, it does not matter. Fish the block down inside the jean, because you only want to cut through one layer at a time.
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Open your utility knife carefully. Place the knife blade on top of the fabric and the wood, and press down until you make a slit. Make the slit as small or as wide as you wish. Make a few more slits under the one you just did, for a bolder effect. Vary the size of the slits for a "rocker-chic" look that really stands out.
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To add texture: Use sand paper on a softer denim to create additional texture. Just rub it onto the areas you want to show the roughness. Toss jeans into the wash then dry them on normal and you are ready to wear them.
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To embellish: Heat up the glue gun. Add some sparkle to your jeans for a truly glamorous effect. Place a tiny dot of glue on the back side of your gem. Be sure the glue dot is about three times smaller than the back of the gem surface, so the glue doesn't ooze out of the sides and become visible. Place gems around the pocket areas, for the most noticeable impact. Use a tooth pick to scoot gems into place if you are working with tiny ones. Use any color or any size gems.
Idea: Use colored gems to accessorize with a shirt you will wear with them. If you have a shirt that has pink, blue and green it, choose a color to play up, like pink. Add pink gems to bring about a completely accessorized, pulled-together look. You may even be able to get away with wearing these jeans to dinner and a club.
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To bleach: Use bleach for an adventurous look that screams you are ready to party. Opt for a very dark jean for best results with this method. Mix up a solution in a squirt bottle, using one part bleach to two parts water. Lay down some newsprint. Put on some old clothes you don't mind ruining, then put on gloves. Squirt the bleach onto the denim in a random or specific pattern; put it anywhere you want. Let it sit for a few hours. Wash and dry jeans separately.
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Consider denim your blank canvas and you are the artist. To add iron-on patches: Use iron-on patches on kid's denim to create a young, "cute" look. Place them on the back pockets or on the bottom of the jean leg. Follow directions on the iron-on patch to know what heat setting to use on your iron. Add fabric paint to your jeans if you are good at free-hand painting. This will really make a statement.
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Tips & Warnings
After using bleach in your washing machine, always follow the bleach load with all whites so you do not risk ruining your clothes. If you do not have any whites to wash just run a "dummy cycle" with no clothes in it to rinse out your washer.
Always keep the knife blade facing down when you are working with a utility knife. Opt for a craft knife if you are a bit wary or unsure of how to use the utility knife. You will have the same results but the craft knife is a bit smaller and less sharp.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jeans image by Francis Bourgouin from Fotolia.com A jeans zip. image by Saskia Massink from Fotolia.com
