3 ways to stretch jeans

Useful Tips

In order for jeans to retain their original appearance after washing, certain rules must be followed to help achieve this:

Turn the product inside out. The tag should contain all the necessary information on how to properly wash this thing. Why do you need to turn jeans inside out for washing? This is done in order to minimize the detrimental effect of this process on the condition of the tissue.
New jeans are best washed in cold water. Due to this, the material will stretch less. The best option would be to set it to half load and wash cottons. If the washing machine provides top loading, then you need to wait until the required amount of water is collected in the drum, and then lower the jeans there. When front loading the machine, this is not possible, so they will have to be put right away.
You can add a softening fabric conditioner. Here you can completely trust your preferences. You need to measure out one cap of the liquid and add it to the washing machine. If the loading is top, it is necessary to stir the softener with water using a special spatula. For front loading, add the softener to the liquid or powder compartment so that it can mix with the water during washing. During the first wash, it is not recommended to use powder or other products other than fabric softener.
Put the jeans in the drum and press them down (top loading) so that the water completely covers them. Wait for the fabric to absorb the water. They should be wet and rest on the bottom of the drum, not on the surface of the water. After that, you need to close the lid and turn on the wash.
After finishing the washing process for coarse jeans, you must stop the machine. If they are very stubborn, then stop the machine immediately after completing the wash cycle before draining the water. Then add a little softener and start the next wash cycle again. If necessary, repeat this procedure 3-4 times.
You must wait for the cycle to complete. In case the jeans are not too tight, then it is worth letting the machine complete a simple full cycle. If the conditioner has been added several times, you must also wait until the complete rinse and spin cycle is completed after the last addition.

Radical methods

Reducing seam allowances

The width is increased by 5-10 mm due to allowances. To perform tailoring, increase the size of jeans by one size, use:

scissors;
ripper;
sewing needle;
pins;
chalk;
threads;
ruler.

The pants are turned out to the wrong side, with the help of a seam ripper, the threads of the side seam are cut. This is done along the entire length of the leg or in a separate area - where the product presses. With the help of chalk and a ruler, mark the new line. Both halves are cleaved with pins. A new seam is sewn on a typewriter.

Insert stripes

You can enlarge jeans that have become small by 2 sizes. To do this, insert stripes into the side seams. To make the thing look relevant and stylish, the work must be done slowly, carefully. For the insert, choose a fabric that matches the color and texture.

The works are performed in the following sequence:

with a centimeter tape measure the circumference of the waist, hips;
measure the width of the trousers at the waist, hips, and their length;
calculate the difference, this will be the width of the insert;
2 parts of the estimated width and required length are cut out of the fabric;
strip off the belt;
unpick the side seams;
strips of fabric are swept;
trying on a thing, adjusting to the figure;
4 side seams are sewn on a typewriter;
the belt is swept and sewn on.

Jeans with stripes are relevant, they attract attention. Legs in them seem thinner and slimmer.

The insert can be made not only from fabric, a braid with a pattern or a plain one will do.

Spraying with water

The method is suitable if you need to stretch jeans in the legs, waist or length. Instructions:

Spray the trousers with warm water from a spray bottle.
Place the item on the floor. Open the zipper, buttons.
Stretch the fabric with your hands.
Let dry.

The method is simple and effective. Disadvantages:

will not work if the pants have already been worn;
increases by 0.5-1 size, no more.

How to stretch denim without damaging the fiber structure? There is a wide range of choices using water, extender, exercise, iron, or by sewing in special inserts when the fabric does not lend itself to any kind of stretching.

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On a note

Not all types of fabric can stretch this way. Jeans that are too tight will grow no more than one size and even less. It is not recommended to make such manipulations with trousers worn from old age, the fragile connection of the threads will burst.

Jeans care rules to keep fit

To keep your shrunken jeans from losing their shape, follow these simple rules:

wash the product less often. This does not mean that you need to turn into dirty and toss your jeans in a typewriter once a year. It is enough to wash them once a month, dry cleaning between washes and refreshing them on the balcony;
the optimum temperature for washing is 40 degrees. It is suitable for both natural denim and fabrics with a mixture of synthetics;
straighten jeans before drying;
dry the product in a horizontal position;
rarely wear them at home unnecessarily - from this and usually and unattractive blisters on the knees are formed. After returning from a walk or school, take off your jeans and fold them neatly. Do not crumple the product or leave it in a shapeless heap on the floor.

How to increase a belt on jeans (master class)

For many, denim trousers become small after washing in hot water. How to expand jeans at the waist? You can, of course, do this with an iron and steam, or stretch wet jeans on yourself. But all these methods are appropriate only before the first wash.

After every wash, you have to do this stretch every time - you are tortured to stretch. We propose to solve this problem - to embroider the belt by 3-4 cm. We need a piece of fabric similar to the fabric of jeans. It is better to take fabric with stretch. You can use leather or suede.

For work you will need:

Jeans.
Scissors.
Threads matching the color of those with which the stitching on the jeans is made.
A sheet of paper, felt-tip pen.
Tailor's pins.
Centimeter.
Ruler.
A flap of tissue or skin.
A thin bar of soap - draw a pattern.

So, we increase the jeans accordingly to our size. We measure our waist and belt on jeans. Determine how many centimeters of fabric you need to add for comfort. If denim trousers have a belt loop over the side seam, then it must be ripped off.

Make an incision over the side seam with scissors. You can undercut the side seam and cut only the waistband. It all depends on how much you need to enlarge and embroider tight jeans. Next, fold a sheet of paper, put it under the belt and circle the wedge with a felt-tip pen.

The result is such a paper wedge pattern. Put a piece of fabric and circle the pattern with soap. We take a ruler and step back 1 cm from the outlined line with a ruler and soap again outline the pattern.

Then we iron the fold inward with an iron, like this.

We combine the sections of the belt and the wedge bent by 1 cm.

Next, bend the second half of the wedge down and pin it with pins. We are stuck on the machine or in the absence of a sewing machine we sew by hand.

If there is a loopback, we sew it over the side seam. That's all.We hope that our workshop "How to expand jeans at the waist and hips" will be useful to you.

This is what jeans look like when finished. If you put a strap on top of the belt, then the wedge will not be noticeable.

How to enlarge jeans by size? Try to sew in a small insert made of leather or suede; soft eco-leather will do. This is what a leather insert looks like. As you can see, everything looks very neat. The belt loop is pre-parted, and at the end of the work, sew again.

Ironing

This is a thermal method. To achieve stretch on the fabric, we will act with hot steam. An iron with a steamer is required for this.

Procedure:

fill the iron reservoir with water;
includes the maximum temperature;
iron the thing several times by turning on the steam;
at the same time we try to stretch the fabric with our hands;
immediately after processing, we put on jeans and walk in them until they cool and dry completely;
to increase the effectiveness of the method, you need not only to walk in jeans, but to perform various movements - sit down, do leg swings, lunges, etc.

Pros:

the method is effective, you can stretch a thing 3-4 cm wide;
you do not have to endure special discomfort, since you need to wear barely damp, not wet jeans.

Minuses:

it is difficult to cope with work alone, someone has to help: one person strokes, the second stretches;
you need to be as careful as possible so as not to burn yourself.

Radical ways to increase jeans

The method is suitable if you need to stretch jeans in the legs, waist or length. Instructions:

Spray the trousers with warm water from a spray bottle.
Place the item on the floor. Open the zipper, buttons.
Stretch the fabric with your hands.
Let dry.

The method is simple and effective. Disadvantages:

will not work if the pants have already been worn;
increases by 0.5-1 size, no more.

If the question is how to stretch jeans to fit? Then all of the above methods are quite suitable. For a more radical stretching, radical measures will be required, they are associated with alteration, alteration:

Expansion with seam allowances. Seams are unpicked and re-grinded, closer to the cuts

Please note that the color of the issued seams may differ from the main color of the jeans. Expansion with stripes

An ideal way to increase your favorite jeans by two or more sizes. If you approach this creatively, choosing an interesting fabric for the insert (braid, lace, leather), you can create a real design masterpiece. Uncutting the hem allowance - increasing the length. On the inside, the color of the hem fabric may differ and traces of decorative stitching will be visible. Adding a cuff at the bottom - increasing the length. There is also room for creative imagination. The shape of the cuff, the material for its manufacture can significantly affect the style of the entire product, give it a zest. Alteration of the belt, expanding it with inserts along the side seams or the back seam. It will be convenient to use a wide elastic band (elastic band), cuffs. Wedge-shaped inserts along the hips with a simultaneous increase in the waistband.

The difficulty in altering jeans is the density of the fabric. Not every sewing machine can handle this thickness. But, on the other hand, an originally designed, neatly altered thing will delight you for more than one season. It is easy to prevent jeans shrinkage by observing the rules of their care - wash at a low temperature, on a gentle cycle, or even by hand.

There are several proven methods that can be used to increase the volume or length of a piece. Due to the density and elasticity of denim, this is not difficult to do.

Pour water into a spray bottle. Sprinkle jeans from front and back. To stretch at the waist and hips, you need to stand with your feet in the area of the pockets. If you need to increase the length, then stand on a dry area of fabric above the knee. It is good to rest your feet on the jeans, lift their opposite part, pulling the pants.

Soak

Put jeans on yourself. Fill the tub with warm water. Get into the bath, wait until the jeans are completely saturated with water. After a while, the trousers should become looser. While in the water, you need to pull the part of the product that you want to increase. Do this for 10 minutes.

Drain the bathroom. Let the jeans dry a little on the body. After that, get out of the bathroom and start exercising in jeans. To do this, lay a towel on the floor and perform squats, stretching, bending on it. After that, relax and let things dry for another half hour. The jeans will take on the curves of the body as they dry. At the end, remove the product and let it air dry.

After drying, put on the pants again and do the exercises again for 5 minutes. This will help them stretch even more.

Expander

In order to stretch a product in a belt, clothing repair shops, ateliers, dry cleaners have in their arsenal a special waistband extender, which is commonly called an extender. It can be ordered online or in specialized stores from companies that sell goods for workshops and dry cleaners.

This is an effective method when the product requires stretching in one specific location. Steam the desired area for a few minutes. The threads will become more elastic. Put your jeans on quickly so that they cool down on your body. After 1-1.5 hours, the new shape should be fixed on the figure.

If the jeans become short, stretch them along the vertical seams. Take the pant legs in the area where they begin to expand from the knee. Pull gently. Repeat the procedure several times.

Another way to stretch jeans in length. Wet them, lay them on an ironing board. Cover with gauze on top. Gently pull the product along, at the same time iron on top with an iron. This will help make the pants 2-4 cm longer.

How to enlarge a product by size

The methods presented were good for those cases where a person can put on and button up a product that presses a little at the waist or in the thighs. But what about those who want to stretch their pants one size less than required? This problem can also be solved. You can do it like this:

First you need to take trousers, measure them with a centimeter and carefully zip and zip them with a button and lay them out on an oilcloth or clean paper for further processing

Be careful: if you do not fasten the button and zipper on your garment, you could inadvertently tear it.
Next, you should find a spray bottle, fill it with warm water and use this spray bottle to wet your jeans well, both inside and out.
If you want to increase the length of your product, you should stand on the part of the leg above the knee, grab the edge of the leg and easily pull it towards you, as shown in the photo.
If you want to enlarge the jeans in the hips, you should stand on the area of the pocket and also gently pull the opposite part of the product towards you. You need to act in the same way if you want to stretch the belt of the product, only in this case you will still need to unfasten the button, otherwise it can also come off.
After this manipulation, skinny jeans will need to be measured again with a centimeter to make sure that you have successfully stretched them.

Important:

Lamps are the most unusual option

Stripes are stripes of colored cloth that run along the entire length of the pants. Red stripes can often be seen on the trousers of the command staff of the Armed Forces. In addition to the decorative function, they can also be used to increase the volume of the legs on the trousers.

They are cut out in the form of thin stripes along the entire length of the trousers. To decorate trousers, you can use several thin strips glued directly to the canvas using a special spider net and an iron.

You can not only embroider with stripes, but also decorate trousers

In order to expand the trousers with the help of stripes, it is necessary to rip the side seams to the very waist, and then carefully sew the stripes into the trousers on both sides.

From all of the above, we can conclude that the main way to increase the volume of trousers is to insert various pieces of fabric into problematic parts of the trousers. This requires not only knowledge, but also considerable sewing skill. Also, in most cases, you cannot do without a sewing machine and the ability to correctly select the material.

Therefore, if there is no confidence that it will be possible not to make a mistake with the size of the inserts or to lay an even seam, then it makes sense to contact an atelier, where qualified specialists will take care of the thing. Enthusiasts who do not have sufficient skills should first practice sewing inserts on things that are not used for going out.

How to stretch denim?

Physical exercise

Slip the pants over yourself and button them up. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and begin to squat, as if you were sitting on a chair. Return to the starting position on your own, pushing off the floor with your heels. Do the exercise vigorously for 1 minute, take several sets.

After a while, sit down on the sofa and check if the pants fit your body. If you bought clothes that are one size smaller, they may still be tight.

Heating with an iron or hairdryer

Exercise focuses on stretching the entire product. If you need to increase the size of a specific area, use heat treatment.

With iron and steam

Set the steam mode on the iron.
Steam the narrow area for 5-10 minutes. The problem area will become damp and stretchable.
Put your pants on immediately and walk in them for 1-2 hours. This will prevent the drying fibers from pulling together.

If necessary, repeat the manipulation until the pants no longer fit the body.

Heating with a hairdryer

The principle is similar to the previous one, but there are several peculiarities:

Lay the pants right side up on a smooth surface.
Set the hair dryer to medium power.
Keep the heating device 15 cm from the surface of the material, move it evenly to warm all the clothes.
Treat the back of the pants in the same way.
Take a narrow section of fabric at opposite edges and stretch in different directions with great effort. For the best effect, you can stick your hands in and move them in different directions.

If the jeans get cold during stretching, reheat them with a hairdryer. At the end of the procedure, put the thing on yourself and fasten it with a button. Squat for 1-2 minutes for a better stretch.

Wet way

Spraying

Spread your trousers on a clean, level surface, preferably with a towel or bag.
Use a spray bottle to dampen a confined area of material. The water should be at room temperature. At the same time, do not overmoisten the fabric. The garment should be slightly damp, but not wet as in washing.
For better stretching, add 1 teaspoon of fabric softener to the machine to soften the fabric.
Spray water evenly downward, starting from the waist.
Stand on the area of the material that needs to be enlarged.
Take the opposite edge of the garment and pull the jeans upward with all your strength. To increase the width, start stretching at the waist, moving to the buttocks and thighs. To lengthen jeans, start in the middle of the garment. The main thing is not to pull on the pockets and belt loops, as these are vulnerable areas.
Spread the pants on a flat surface and let dry completely.

Soak

The best way to stretch your jeans to fit your body is to put them on and lie in the tub. But to get the desired effect, follow the instructions:

Fill the tub with warm water and sit in it with your jeans buttoned up for 15 minutes.
Without getting out of the tub, manually stretch the narrow sections of the fabric for 10 minutes.
Drain the water and let the jeans dry a little on your body so that no water leaks from your clothes when you leave the bathroom.
Stand up and exercise to stretch the tissue.
Wait half an hour for the pants to dry on you. So the clothes will take on the shape of the body. During the drying process, you can lie down or do household chores.
Take off your pants and stuff them with something or hang them over the back of a chair to prevent shrinkage during final drying.

Note: There should be enough water in the bathroom to completely immerse the garment.

Using the expander

The extender is a device used by tailors to increase the width of a garment at the waist. Sold in specialized sewing stores. When using the device, you must adhere to the algorithm of actions:

Take measurements and fasten your pants with all buttons or zippers;
Moisten the waist area with water, it is best to do this with a spray bottle;
Install the expander along the waistline inside the pants;
Set the jeans to the desired width.
Stretch the fabric evenly to the desired size.
Leave the product to dry with the expander installed inside.

Drying should take place naturally without the use of special devices.

Stretching jeans at home

Several methods of mechanical stretching of jeans have been used successfully.

The modern fabric from which jeans are sewn necessarily contains special synthetic fibers. Under certain conditions, they stretch or contract. Taking advantage of these properties of synthetics, you can stretch jeans by putting them on and performing physical exercises, exercises or warm-ups in trousers.

The fabric will stretch gradually, so the jeans are warmed up until they are the right size.

Wet fabric stretches better, no wonder water is often used to stretch jeans. But they are not just soaked in water, but forced to resize to fit the figure. Therefore, you have to plunge into the water, wearing jeans.

After finishing the water procedures and letting the water drain, the jeans are not removed, but subjected to mechanical stretching with the help of physical exercises.

Mechanical stretching of dry or wet jeans during charging occurs with the whole thing. If there is no such goal, and the trousers need to be stretched in a certain area, an iron with a steam function or a steamer will help.

When working with them, the problem area is thoroughly doused with steam, ensuring that the material becomes wet, and the synthetic fibers begin to straighten and lengthen under the action of steam.

The "stretcher" is a device used by professional tailors to stretch the trousers at the waist. You can purchase an expander when visiting specialized sewing stores or via the Internet. The device replaces the human body by mechanical stretching of the pants. The principle of operation of the mechanism is similar to stretching wearing jeans.

Sequencing:

Waist measurement.
Moisturizing the waistband of your trousers. It is convenient to do this with a spray bottle.
Fastening with buttons or zippers at the fly and top buttons at the waist.
Putting the expander on the waistline inside the jeans.
Setting the desired dimensions on the device.
Drying jeans with an expander placed in them.

Skinny jeans are a significant problem because they are difficult to move around quickly, they can crush in uncomfortable places and even chafe the skin. Stretching such trousers at home is carried out in one of the following ways:

spraying;
soak;
steaming with an iron;
stretching with a steamer;
stretching with an expansion device.

Spraying

Please note that spraying is only suitable for summer use - in the cold season, wet clothes can easily get sick.

Soak

It is an even more effective method for stretching jeans in width if they cause discomfort in several places at once. It is performed according to the following algorithm:

Fill half of the bath with warm water and add shampoo or fabric softener to it.
In jeans you put on, you need to sit in the bath for 15-20 minutes.
Get out of the bath and let the water drain naturally.
Do some simple exercises - squats, bends, lunges, etc.
Let the jeans dry a little without removing them.
Take off your jeans and hang up to dry in the fresh air.

The procedure is effective, but in some cases it will need to be repeated several times to make the stretch last longer.

Steam iron

Suitable if you need to stretch your jeans at the waist, knees, or groin. You need to walk through problem areas with an iron with the steaming system turned on several times until the fabric becomes pliable.

Then you need to put on the jeans and wait until they dry right on the body.

If you have a special extension device called the waistband extender, it is convenient to use it to stretch jeans around the waistband. For this you need:

measure with a centimeter tape to what extent you need to stretch the belt;
moisten the fabric of jeans with water;
fasten jeans with a zipper and a button;
place the device inside the belt;
stretch the device to the value obtained by measuring with a tape;
leave it in jeans until the fabric is completely dry.

Stretching the pants after washing

To prevent jeans from shrinking, it is important to dry them correctly after washing.

To prevent jeans from shrinking after drying, and to serve for a long time in a neat form, you need to adhere to the following rules:

Buy only high quality jeans with a high cotton content. Elastane and other synthetic fibers should be less than 30%.
Before washing, study the recommendations from the manufacturer, and follow them without question. If your jeans need to be washed by hand, then machine washing will not work.
Jeans cannot be washed in hot water, but only in warm water.
For washing jeans, do not use aggressive bleaching agents, you can, for example, detergent for colored items.
You need to dry your jeans by hanging them by the belt, not folded.
Do not dry your jeans in direct sunlight.

If you wash your jeans properly, then after drying, you won't have to stretch them.

Many people are familiar with the situation when trousers sat down after washing. What to do in this case is not clear, because you really don't want to throw out the whole product. Of course, if the pants have shrunk in length and began to look more like breeches, there's nothing you can do about it. But if after washing the product just became a little narrow, a few tips will help to stretch it. For example:

Do not wait until completely dry. As you know, many modern fabrics have the ability to stretch when worn. If you put on a still wet product and wait until it dries on the body, then there will be no problems in pulling on your favorite trousers until the next wash.
Steam the product. To do this, it is not necessary to buy a special steamer or use an iron; it is enough to put hot water into the bathtub and hang your pants over it for half an hour. You can also place them in a steam shower. The method has been tested by many and works 100%.
Use a special expander when drying. If one is not available, a regular stick is suitable, which is inserted into the waist area of wet buttoned jeans and left to dry completely. Thus, the expander simply prevents the fabric from drying out, and it will be much easier to put on the product.

How to make jeans soft?

Classic denim is stiff, dense and rough. This often causes severe discomfort and irritation, especially in children.Over time, the clothes will become softer, but it is better not to wait, but to immediately provide yourself with a comfortable wear. There are many ways and folk remedies to make jeans soft at home.

First wash rules

To keep your jeans soft, wash them immediately after purchase. Clean according to the following instructions:

Turn your pants inside out.
Pour cold water into the washing machine, preferably half load and set the cotton mode. When the water is full, immerse your jeans in it. It is not possible to draw water in front-loading, so just put your clothes in the drum.
Pour in softener and mix with water. The use of powders is not recommended for the first wash. For front loading, add softener to the powder container so that it can process the jeans during the wash process.
Wait until the pants are completely saturated with water. Then close the lid and start washing.
If the fabric is very hard, stop the clipper immediately after the cleaning process (before draining the water). Add another portion of the softener and repeat the wash 3-4 times. If the fabric is moderately hard, let the machine complete the entire wash cycle.

Dry your clothes turned inside out at a low temperature, set the mode for delicate fabrics. Also add rubber or wool balls to hit the fabric and make it softer. These items are sold at hardware stores and are inexpensive.

Roll the dried jeans from bottom to waist. Press down on the clothing with a weight. You can unfold it only after the fabric has cooled down.

Washing with shampoo and conditioner

Later, wash the clothes with baby shampoo and conditioner to soften or keep the fabric soft.

Iron and starch

Place the garment right side down on a flat surface.
Make a mixture of 1 tablespoon. starch for 2 liters of water. You can buy a ready-made product at a household chemicals store.
Spray the solution onto the material and iron over the treated areas.

Vinegar and salt solution

This processing method is applied immediately after the purchase of the clothes. Instructions:

Pour hot water into a basin and dissolve a few tablespoons of table salt in it. After stirring thoroughly, add some more water.
Submerge your jeans in the solution. Add water as needed to keep the garment completely submerged in the liquid.
Soak the product for 1-2 hours.
Remove the item and rinse with vinegar essence. The solution is prepared with the calculation of 1 glass of vinegar per 10 liters of water.
Leave the pants in the liquid for 2 hours.
Rinse clothing thoroughly in cool water and dry.

After drying, machine wash your treated jeans with baking soda and powder.

Sandpaper

The method described below is not suitable for thin fabrics as it is prone to hole formation.

To soften the fabric, turn garment inside out and lay on a smooth, flat surface. Sandpaper the entire surface of the jeans in a reciprocating motion. Almost immediately, you will notice the formation of clumps of cotton fibers. Don't worry, this is a normal process.

Shake clothes well after handling.

Use a pumice stone or a shaving machine instead of sandpaper. Handle carefully to avoid holes.

Mitigation in daily life

If you wear your clothes as often as possible, they will stretch and become softer on their own. For a quicker effect, wear jeans to your bike rides. After intensive bending of the legs, the thing is subjected to additional mechanical stress and becomes softer. Take at least 30 minutes to “run in” new jeans.

In everyday wear, periodically press your knees to the floor. To keep your trousers soft, wash them every 5-10 days of active wear.