DIY Denim Distress

At my job, sometimes people ask for me to distress their denim for them.

This makes my heart sing.

I learned this trick when I was a senior in high school. I had an awesome pair of jeans that I wanted to shred. Alas, there's a way to do it without chemicals/serious injury. Just kidding. You might cut yourself.

What you need:
An awesome pair of pants that fit you just right
Tailor's chalk
Really, really, really sharp scissors
A well-stocked First Aid kit
Patience

Step one:
Mark a box with the chalk where you want the hole to be. If you're doing knee holes, please put the pants on first and then mark. It's impossible to guess just by looking at them, I promise.

Step two:
Drag the pointed end of the scissors horizontally across the pants, about ten times or so inside the box you drew. This breaks the fibers that run vertically and will speed up the process. Do not press so hard that you cut the pants. Just enough to do a little damage.

Step three:
Use one side of the scissors, and drag the blade across the pants, back and forth, in the same horizontal direction. Apply a good amount of pressure. My hands hurt really bad by the end of this. You'll first see some of the fibers coming off, then you'll gradually start to see the horizontal yarns show themselves. This is the part where I start to bleed, usually in my thumb joints. Cue the bandages.

Step four:
Switch back and forth between step two and three! When your hand hurts really bad from step 3, do step 2 again. You need to keep things interesting. A hole about 1" in diameter takes me about 15 minutes.

Poof! A hole! I wish I had taken a full picture of the pants, but the customer has long since picked them up by now. If you're wondering where would be the best place to put a hole, the knee would be the most obvious place if you want to keep it looking real. Currently, holes in the thighs are popular. Another I get requests for is to do them at the bottom of the back of the hem. Or anywhere really. They're your pants.

Sleep well, my lovely DIYers.
<3 Kristin