What you need:
- The jeans of your choice
- Fabric scissors
- Sandpaper (I used three different types for a higher level of customization)
- White pencil or chalk
- Tweezers
- Ruler
Tips to know before you start:
- Iron your jeans first so the length is accurate.
- Get inspiration from online or a magazine — it's always best to have a vision to start with.
1. Plan and draw
Using a ruler and white pencil, carefully measure where you want your cuts to be. You can make as many or as few as you wish — this is your design! I chose to cut both the bottom cuffs and the knee areas.
I suggest marking one or two places to add "distressed" details using sandpaper. These tiny but important touches are the difference between an obvious DIY and a "Wow, where did she buy those jeans?" DIY.
More: How to tailor a pair of jeans
2. Straighten and cut
Straighten out your jeans so the fabric is even. Following the marked lines and using scissors, make your main cuts as accurate to the lines as possible. Don’t be afraid — mistakes are OK and can always be straightened out by trimming the initial cut.
When making cuts by the knee area, avoid cutting too closely to the seams. The more you wear your jeans, this frayed area will naturally grow, and you don't want to compromise the structure. Use the "less is more" rule in delicate areas like this.
More: How to find the perfect pair of jeans (VIDEO)
3. Detail and distress
