It’s possible that your jeans have shrunk after washing, or that getting into brand new pants has become your daily torment, but this is not a reason to give up skinny jeans.
In this article we will tell you how to return the original size to jeans that have shrunk after washing, 5 effective ways to stretch denim at home, and what to do to prevent jeans from shrinking in the future.
Do jeans stretch?
High-quality jeans can be stretched by 1-2 sizes.
Jeans are sewn from denim . This is a durable fabric, but has little elasticity. To make the material elastic, various synthetic threads are added to it. This material stretches, and after it has been washed, it narrows, so you can stretch it by about 1-2 sizes.
You can stretch your jeans in the following ways:
- Soak in water, twist and then stretch by hand
- Stretch wet jeans with a special expander
- Spray with water and iron with a hot iron
Jeans stretch well in width, but in length they stretch less.
Sandpaper
The method below is not suitable for thin fabrics as they are prone to holes.
To soften the material, turn the garment inside out and place it on a smooth, flat surface. Sand over the entire surface of the jeans using a back-and-forth motion. Almost immediately you will notice the formation of clumps of cotton fibers. Don't worry, this is a normal process.
After treatment, shake the clothes well. Instead of sandpaper, a pumice stone or razor will do. Carry out manipulations carefully to prevent holes from appearing.
How to make jeans one size larger: ways
Jeans can be stretched by 1 size in several ways.
You can stretch jeans by 1 size using method 1 :
- Get your jeans wet.
- Place on a flat surface.
- Cover with damp gauze.
- Stretch the wet ones with your hands in different directions.
- Iron with a hot iron.
In this way, jeans are stretched 2-4 cm in length and 1-2 cm in width.
Method 2 . If your jeans are too small in the hips, you can stretch them like this:
- Unscrew the item soaked in hot water.
- Immediately place it on a glass jar and let the trousers dry.
- After the procedure, the jeans will stretch.
Method 3 . If the jeans are tight in the waist and everywhere else, we will stretch them lengthwise and widthwise using our hands. This can be done by one or two people.
Method 4 . You can stretch it like this:
- Jeans soaked in cold water are wrung out.
- Thread a tight lace or rope into the waistband of your jeans and pull it at the waist.
- Tie the rope to a stable object.
- While the jeans are drying, stretch them lengthwise and widthwise by the legs from time to time.
- Once dry, the jeans should stretch.
Steaming with an iron
Option for stretching stretch pants on the calves. Instructions:
- Place the item on the ironing board and cover with gauze.
- Using an iron with a steamer, iron the areas that need to be expanded for 10–15 minutes.
- Periodically pull the fabric to the sides with your hands.
- Put your pants on while they are still damp.
- Walk until the matter cools down.
- Air dry.
The method will help increase the width of the treated areas to 4 cm. Disadvantages:
- difficult to cope on your own;
- you can ruin the thing;
- risk of burns.
- How to cook broccoli, how long?
- Good liquid for removing shellac from nails
- Hypertension 3 degrees - causes, symptoms and treatment
Jeans have shrunk and become too small: what to do, how to take them in?
You can stretch your jeans if you do physical exercise.
To stretch out jeans that have shrunk after improper drying, we pull them on ourselves, fasten the button with a zipper, and do various exercises: squats, “riding a bicycle” in the air, “splits.”
At first, your tight jeans will not allow you to exercise freely. Then the movements will become easier to do.
We exercise until our jeans stretch and we feel comfortable.
An elastic band will come to the rescue
You can widen your trousers using an elastic band. An elastic band will come to the rescue in all cases when you need to increase the volume at the waist, when the trousers have become too small with a zipper on the side. Let's look at how to increase volume with a side zipper correctly.
- Steam out the zipper and remove the hard belt.
- Sew the side seam where the zipper was to the stitching done with an overlocker. If this volume is not enough, then insert a wedge of the required size and sew it in.
- Sew fabric to the waistband to fit two or three rows of elastic.
- Sew on a new belt, make two or three lines, insert an elastic band.
How can you stretch jeans at the waist with an iron?
Jeans can be stretched if you iron them with a wet iron.
Jeans that are too small will stretch at the waist if you iron them while still wet with a hot iron. And if you put on warm jeans, the fabric will be fixed in this position, and the jeans will take on the outline of your figure.
The waistband of the jeans will also increase slightly if you alter the button closer to the edge.
Preventive measures
You can maintain the shape of a denim product by following certain washing and drying rules, such as:
When washing this type of clothing in a machine, it is advisable to set it to the most delicate setting;- no need to use aggressive bleaches and powders;
- according to the rules, first they turn the item inside out, fasten all the buttons and fly, and after that they begin to wash it;
- the recommended water temperature in the machine or in the basin where jeans are washed is 30-40 degrees, and the maximum is 50 degrees;
- Jeans should be wrung out in the machine on a “delicate spin” up to 800 revolutions per 60 seconds;
- It is better to iron the item slightly damp from the inside out to preserve the elasticity of the fabric;
- Experts advise drying the product on clothes drying lines, but not in a dryer.
- To ensure that the item stretches well after washing, it is recommended to choose jeans that contain synthetics rather than pure denim.
Regular washing of denim will cause the product to wear out quickly. It is advisable to wash jeans rarely and by hand using a mild, gentle detergent.
How to stretch short jeans at home to length using a weight?
Short jeans can be stretched
If the jeans become short after drying, they can be stretched as follows:
- We throw the wet jeans over the horizontal bar and hang on them with all our weight as much as possible.
- We stretch the jeans (wet) on the floor, press the upper part with our feet, and pull the legs up.
Reasons for shrinkage
The main reason why jeans could shrink is the inappropriate temperature of the water in which they were washed. Temperatures over 50 degrees, as well as intensive washing, affect changes in the structure of denim fibers.
Important points:
jeans that shrink strongly only after the first wash, and retain their original shape the next time, are marked on the “Shrink to fit” label;- classic denim is quite rough and tough, so it must be washed strictly observing temperature conditions - no higher than 30-40 degrees;
- The “varenka” style is unpretentious and does not lose its shape after delicate washing.
Read about how to properly wash jeans here.
How to stretch jeans with vodka?
Cotton jeans will stretch better if they are soaked in a solution.
solution will help stretch shrunken fabrics made from natural fibers (cotton, wool) :
- To 5 liters of water at room temperature add 3 tbsp. spoons of ammonia, 1 tbsp. spoon of vodka and turpentine.
- Soak the fabric in the solution for 30-40 minutes.
- We take out the item, carefully twist it out, and hang it out to dry.
This solution softens the fabric of jeans if they are made entirely of cotton, or close to 100%. The elastic fabric will then be easier to stretch.
We stretch denim shorts at the hips and waist
The situation when denim shorts become too small is familiar to many.
There are 2 reasons for this: the denim fabric, consisting of cotton, has undergone significant shrinkage during washing; the acquired extra kilo or two makes itself felt. Or it happens that excellent shorts, bought without trying on, or ordered from an online store, please everyone: style, color, finishing, but turn out to be too tight in the hips and waist. You can save and “bring back to life” your favorite item, as well as adapt new shorts you like to your size. There are several effective ways to stretch and enlarge denim.
How to stretch jeans after washing?
To prevent jeans from shrinking, it is important to dry them properly after washing.
To ensure that jeans do not shrink after drying and last a long time in a neat form, you must 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 unquestioningly. If your jeans need to be washed by hand, then machine washing will not work.
- Jeans should not be washed in hot water, but only in warm water.
- To wash jeans, do not use aggressive bleaching agents; for example, washing powder for colored items.
- Jeans should be dried by hanging them from the belt, not folded.
- Do not dry jeans in direct sunlight.
If you wash your jeans correctly, then, after drying, you won’t have to stretch them.
Rules for the first wash
To keep your jeans soft, wash them immediately after purchase. Clean according to the following instructions:
- Turn your pants inside out.
- Fill the washing machine with cold water, preferably make a half load and set the cotton wash cycle. When the water is full, immerse your jeans in it. When loading frontally, it is impossible to draw water, so just put the clothes in the drum.
- Pour in the softener and mix it with water. The use of powders is not recommended for the first wash. When front loading, add softener to the powder container so it can work on the jeans during the wash process.
- Wait until the pants are completely saturated with water. Then close the lid and turn on the wash.
- If the fabric is very hard, stop the machine immediately after the cleaning process (before draining the water). Add another portion of softener and repeat washing 3-4 times. For moderately hard fabrics, allow the machine to complete the entire wash cycle.
You need to dry clothes inside out at a low temperature; set the mode for delicate fabrics. Also add rubber or wool balls that will hit the fabric and make it softer. These products are sold in hardware stores and are inexpensive.
Roll the dried jeans from the bottom to the waist. Weigh down the clothing with some weight. You can unfold it only after the fabric has cooled.
How to stretch jeans wider
You can stretch jeans wider using an expander.
The most effective method of stretching jeans wider is method 1 :
- Lay the jeans out on a flat surface.
- Turn on the iron with steam, and iron first the waistband, and then all the jeans, with hot steam.
- Immediately after ironing using this method, the jeans become very elastic. When they cool down a little, you need to put them on, still wet, and walk until the jeans are completely dry.
- Later, when you wear jeans, they will fit your figure.
Method 2 . Stretching jeans in the waistband using a special expander :
- Soak the top of the jeans in water and twist them out.
- We fasten the jeans with a button.
- We measure our parameters: waist, hips.
- We insert the expander into the jeans, fasten the button on the belt, select the width of the expander we need, and leave the jeans to dry.
- When the jeans are dry, remove the device, and the jeans will be the size we need.
Attention . This method will stretch the jeans only temporarily; after the next drying, they will shrink again.
Method 3 . You can stretch your jeans if they are too small:
- We put on our jeans and try to button them up.
- To make it easier to fasten the button and zipper, you need to lie on the sofa, your stomach will retract a little.
- Having wetted the jeans, we bend over and squat, so they stretch a little.
- We are waiting for the jeans to dry.
- The next time we put on jeans, we notice that they fasten loosely.
Using the Extender
An expander 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 following algorithm of actions:
- Take measurements and fasten all buttons or zippers on your pants;
- Moisten the waist area with water, best done with a spray bottle;
- Place the extender along the waistline inside the trousers;
- Set the desired width of the jeans on the device.
- Stretch the fabric evenly to the desired size.
- Leave the product to dry with the expander installed inside.
Drying should occur naturally without the use of special devices.
How to stretch jeans at the hips?
You can stretch your jeans in the hips by doing physical exercises.
If the jeans are too small on the hips and do not fasten, you need to do the following with them:
- Wet the pants in water and twist them out.
- Put them on wet, move and squat - they will stretch to fit your figure.
Attention . Make sure that when stretching your pants at the hips, they do not stretch at the waist and knees, otherwise the jeans will look sloppy.
It's good to have an expander
Suitable for stretching denim and stretch items. The method is simple, but the procedure may need to be repeated after each wash.
- Wet the problem area with water, you can use a spray bottle and fasten it.
- Insert the expander into the product and fix it in width, gradually increasing its length. Pin.
- Wait for the fabric to dry.
An expander helps to increase the width of jeans, but it is not suitable for increasing length. To ensure the effectiveness of the method, you can first take measurements from the belt.
How to stretch cotton jeans: tips, recommendations
Cotton jeans have good stretch
If your jeans are made from 100% cotton or slightly lower, they will shrink after the first wash, but they can be stretched:
- After soaking in warm water, we put the wet ones on ourselves, do various physical exercises (squats, “splits”) until the fabric on you dries.
- Steaming with a hot iron.
- Mechanical stretching of wet jeans.
If the jeans become a little short after drying, stretch them wet to length. This way you can increase your jeans by 3-4 cm.
To stretch jeans we use... an iron
It happens that we urgently need clean, ironed jeans, but they shrink treacherously after washing. In this case, an iron, or rather steaming with an iron, can help. If you do not have the appropriate mode, spray your pants with water from a spray bottle and steam well with a hot iron. Next, while the fabric is still hot, we will try to squeeze into them and walk for about an hour. Ironed jeans will return to their previous size, because after such ironing they will become softer and more pliable.
To increase your jeans size by just one size, use a tape measure. Measure the stretched area before and after the stretching process itself. Compare your results.
We recommend: Plank: 1 minute a day for a flat stomach
How to stretch stretch jeans: tips, recommendations
Stretch jeans need to be stretched very carefully - they can tear.
Stretch jeans mainly consist of synthetic elastic fiber, stretch well to fit the figure, and usually the question of how to stretch them does not arise.
If jeans with added stretch become too small, you can stretch them:
- Soak in warm water and walk around in pants until the material dries
- Steaming with hot steam
- Physical stretching
Attention . When stretching jeans with stretch, you need to remember that the synthetic threads contained in the jeans can melt from a hot iron, and when physically stretched, the jeans can tear - they are less durable than cotton ones.
Method 1 - using an iron
Is it possible to stretch jeans that are too tight to fit perfectly in just a few minutes? Using an iron this is very easy to do. You should proceed like this:
- The household appliance should be turned on to steam mode.
- Next, you will need to go over all problem areas of the product with an iron. This effect will soften the tissue and slightly increase its volume.
- Immediately after this, you will need to put on still warm jeans so that they take the shape of your body.
Advice:
Use this treatment if you need to break in thick cotton jeans. It’s better not to take risks with thin products - they can become deformed.
How to embroider, widen skinny jeans in the legs: tips, methods
You can widen jeans by inserting stripes or inserts.
If the trousers are narrow in the legs and the material no longer stretches, they can be widened using a sewing machine.
Method 1. Increase due to undercuts
Let's start doing it in the following order:
- Turn the jeans inside out.
- Open the side seams of the trousers at the bottom, where they are narrow.
- Draw seams in a new place with chalk.
- Sew jeans using a needle and thread using large stitches.
- Sew the seams with a sewing machine.
- This way you can increase your jeans by about half a size (1.0-1.5 cm).
Method 2. Increase due to stripes
With the help of stripes on the sides you can increase your jeans size by 2 sizes. The result can be amazing if you choose the right inserts.
A correctly selected insert is:
- Combination of color inserts with the main material
- The density of the insert is the same as that of the main material
For insertion, you need to select a strip of fabric, width 50 cm, length - according to the height of the trousers, in double size.
Making inserts:
- We measure the width of our waist and hips.
- We determine how many centimeters the insert should be by measuring the width of the jeans.
- We add another 2 cm to the insert - for reserve.
- Cut 2 strips of fabric along the length of the trousers.
- Rip out the side seams.
- Sew with a needle and thread using large stitches.
- We sew the seams with a sewing machine.
Now we know how to stretch jeans if they have shrunk after drying, or if you bought tight jeans.
Using a sewing machine
It's easy to alter jeans. The first method is to reduce the allowance. You need to open the side seams and stitch them again as close to the cuts as possible. The advantage of this method is that it is easy to perform at home. The disadvantage is that the color of the allowances will differ; as a rule, the material there is darker.
The second method is to sew on stripes. Instructions:
- Choose the material for the inserts to suit your taste.
- Cut the pants along the side seam or open them.
- Sew by inserting stripes.
Another option is to widen the belt. Instructions:
- Open the back or side seams.
- Insert one or two triangular wedges of fabric. You can use knitted or elastic tape.
- Stitch.
Embroidering jeans is an effective option for resizing. Flaws:
- Difficulty of execution. Sewing skill required.
- You will need a sewing machine, additional tools, and materials for inserts.
- There is a risk of ruining your jeans.