How to Fray Jeans Down the Leg

Distressed denim and frayed jeans became fashionable in the 1980s and remains a strong fashion trend as of 2011. Movie stars and teenage hipsters alike have worn jeans with unraveled edges or torn knees. Buying already-frayed jeans became an expensive proposition, however, as clothing companies responded to their customers' desires. Fraying your own jeans isnt difficult, but you may want to try out the techniques on an old pair first while you learn.

Instructions

1

Wash and dry the jeans. Put them on, and note in the mirror where you want to fray the jeans on the legs.

2

Take off the jeans, and lay them out flat. Mark chalk lines down the front of the legs where you want to fray the jeans. Put the jeans back on, and look again in a mirror to ensure youll be fraying the right places.

3

Put a wood block on the inside of the first leg underneath your first mark. Check to ensure your knife is sharp, and take care as you use it. Place the knife perpendicular to the chalk mark, and rub the blade back and forth along the line. Continue until youve created a slit.

4

Use a needle to pick out the threads along the slit and move them away from the rest of the fabric. Take care not to overdo it unless you want to. Keep moving the threads along the edges until you have achieved the look you want. Remember that with continued wear and washing, the fraying will continue.

5

Move the wood block to the next chalk line, and repeat. How frayed you want your jeans fully frayed down the legs or just a frayed area here and there will determine how many times to repeat steps 3 and 4. Repeat these actions on the other leg.

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