How to Customize Your Jeans! Denim Craft at Its Best!

Why settle for an ordinary pair of jeans when you can have customized jeans with an expensive, high end look for almost nothing? How? By using the creative power of applique, stamping, stitching, studding, painting, and lacing. Have an old pair of jeans that's lost their appeal? With denim craft, you can recycle and give them a whole new look! It's a great way to express yourself.

Here's how to customize your jeans quickly and easily:

1. Use your jeans as a canvas

Have you always wanted to paint an abstract painting? Why not take some fabric paint and craft an artistic masterpiece on the legs of your jeans? It's denim craft at its best.If you're good at figurative painting, you can always do likenesses of people or animals, but we all have the ability to paint an abstract painting. So, no excuses! Some people pay high dollars for custom painted jeans and you'll get yours for pennies.

2. Get out the rubber stamps.

If you've been to your craft store in the past few years, you couldn't have missed the huge aisle with rubber stamps of every description. These were just made for decorating your denims. Big, abstract designs usually work the best, although most rubber stamps can be made to work on denim. Be sure to use a stamp pad specifically made for fabric so your designs won't wash out. This is an inexpensive way to customize your jeans.

3. An iron on transfer can make an artist out of you.

What could be simpler than using a hot iron to iron a few transfers of your choice. There's a huge selection of iron on transfer art available in the world of denim crafting, you just need to find one that expresses who you are and start ironing!

4. Transform your jeans with applique.

Have you seen the fancy cut appliques available these days? These appliques are made of fabric and can be pressed into place using fusible bonding and then stitched around the edges for a finished look. Visit your local craft store and you'll be overwhelmed with the potential options for denim crafts.

5. Make them look old.

There's something chic and comforting about an aged pair of denim jeans. It's "comfort clothing" at its best. If your jeans are too stiff to be comforting, try using a bleach combined with water to soften and fade them to a lighter shade. Believe it or not, some people even age their jeans by soaking them in a mud bath! I've never tried it, but it sounds like it would work!

6. Add some sparkle.

To give your jeans the ultimate designer look, add a few rhinestones, studs, or crystals. A nifty little tool that will make this job easier is called the BeJeweler. For under $20.00, you can use this tool to add crystals and metal studs to your jeans and transform them into a high end boutique creation.

Why stop at just customizing your jeans? How about decorating a denim jacket or denim shorts using the same techniques? The possibilities are endless! If you don't have any suitable jeans to decorate, visit your local thrift store and pick up a great pair. It's recycling at its best!