Fray Shorts

If you're looking for an easy way update or personalize and old pair of shorts, consider fraying the edges or fraying a patch into the material. There are a few different techniques you can use to fray a pair of shorts. Keep reading to find out what these different techniques are.

Steps

Slight Fraying

1. Cut off the hem of your shorts. Use pinking shares to cut off the lower hemmed edge of your shorts, cutting just above the bottom edge of each leg.
   • In order to fray your shorts, you need to create a raw edge. For a slight fray, you should only cut off the very edge without cutting off the stitch holding the edge in place. For a more pronounced yet still slight frayed edge, cut the shorts off just above the straight stitch holding the bottom hem of each leg in place.
   • Note that you can cut off as much of the material as you would like, really. Just keep in mind that frayed shorts have a tendency to shrink over time as more and more of the edge unravels.
   • Pinking shears reduces the amount of fraying that occurs. These scissors have saw-toothed or serrated blades, and when used, they create a zigzag pattern on the material instead of a straight edge. This pattern helps to limit the length of the frayed edge.
2. Throw your shorts into a washing machine. Place the cut shorts into a washing machine and run a standard wash cycle. The cycle can be as long or short as you want, but it should include a spin cycle.
   • Before this step, the fraying may not be very obvious. Afterward, the frayed white edges should really be pronounced.
   • The spin cycle agitates the material, and as a result, it also helps to fray the raw edge in a very natural-looking way.
   • For more pronounced results, throw the shorts into the washing machine alone. If you wash them with other clothes, you may end up lessening the effect of the spin and agitation.
   • You can take advantage of this opportunity to throw in a little detergent and wash the shorts as well, if you would like. This is not necessary, though.
   • Dry the shorts in a dryer or by air.
3. Apply fray glue to the edge. Carefully dab small beads of fray glue along the raw edge, where the fray currently meets with the intact material. Let dry before wearing.
   • Fray glue holds fabric threads in place, minimizing the amount of future fraying.

Dramatic Fraying

1. Cut off the hem of your shorts. Use standard, heavy scissors to cut off the lower hem of your shorts, somewhere above the straight seam holding the hem in place.
   • If you cut below the hem seam, you will limit the amount of fraying, which you do not want to do for this method.
   • This initial cut should be parallel to the current bottom edge of your shorts.
   • Use straight scissors instead of pinking shears to maximizing the amount of fraying.
2. Firmly tug on the loose ends using your scissors. Use the tip of your scissors to tug down on the loose edges at the newly cut raw edge of your shorts.
   • Work the scissors all the way around the perimeter of each leg.
   • This stem helps draw out the frayed fibers along the raw edge of the material.
3. Cut a series of horizontal slits coming up from the edge. Use a utility knife to cut small horizontal cuts near the bottom edge of the shorts and along the front or back of the material.
   • Each series of cuts should be between 1 and 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) in length. Cut half a dozen to a dozen cuts in each series.
   • The shorts should be spread out on a flat surface when you do this.
   • Be sure not to cut through the pockets as you do this.
4. Put your shorts through a cycle in the washing machine. Place the shorts in a washing machine and run a standard wash cycle, with or without detergent. Regardless of how long the cycle is or what water temperature you use, you should choose a wash with at least one spin cycle.
   • A spin cycle agitates the material, causing the raw edges to fray more.
   • Wash the shorts in the machine alone to maximize the amount of fraying that occurs.
   • The shorts can be dried by machine or by air.
5. Let things take their course. For maximum fraying, do not attempt to slow the fraying down or hold it in place. Just know that, as the shorts continue to fray with time and wear, they will gradually become shorter and shorter.

Controlled Fraying

1. Remove the hem of your shorts. Use scissors or pinking shears to cut off the hem of your shorts, cutting parallel to and just above the long seam holding the hem of each leg in place.
   • You can cut away as much of the material as you would like, but the cut should always be parallel to your original hem.
   • Use standard scissors or pinking shears for this method. The former will create more fraying from the start while the latter will limit the amount of initial fraying. Since you will be doing other things to control the amount of fraying, though, pinking shears are not critical.
2. Tug down on the loose edges firmly. Use the sharp tip of your scissors or shears to tug down on the denim fibers around the perimeter of each raw edge.
   • Doing this helps to draw out the frayed fibers from around the raw edge of each leg.
3. Sew a seam about the slits. To minimize the amount of future fraying, use your sewing machine to sew a straight stitch roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the new bottom of the shorts.
   • Note that if any of the fraying has already extended past this length, alter the position of the new stitch so that it falls somewhere above the uppermost frayed fiber.
   • You could also hand sew this line, but sewing it by machine may make it sturdier. Additionally, machine sewing is much faster than hand sewing.
   • This stitch prevents the frayed edge from extending too far up. It acts as a new hem, essentially, preventing the material from unraveling above it.
4. Wash your shorts in the washing machine. Toss your newly cut shorts into the washing machine and run it, putting it through a setting that has a spin cycle.
   • You can add detergent or skip it this time around. The choice is up to you and will have no effect on the fraying of your shorts.
   • Similarly, you can dry your shorts by machine or by air without making a difference to the frayed edge.
   • For best results, wash the shorts this first time around in a small load or by themselves. Doing so will maximize the amount of agitation and, therefore, the amount of fraying.
   • Note that this completes this method. No fray glue is necessary; the shorts should not fray past your new hem.

Fraying a Patch into the Shorts

1. Draw an outline. Use a fabric pencil or piece of chalk to outline the desired shape of your patch into your shorts.
   • This method works well if you plan on fraying a patch into your shorts in a particular shape. If you do not want to create a specific shape, you do not need to draw an outline or use fray glue around the edges. Simply cut horizontal slits into the material using a utility knife.
   • Possible shapes to consider include hearts, stars, or initials.
   • Consider placing the outline over a pocket. If you place it over the fabric next to your skin, you risk making a cut that will cause your underwear to peak through once you slip the shorts on.
2. Trace the outline with fray glue. Apply a light but consistent line of fray glue on the outline you just drew.
   • Fray glue prevents raw edges from fraying beyond a certain point. If you do not use fray glue along the outline of your shape, the shape will become distorted after you wash and wear it.
3. Cut away the vertical threads along the outline. Use a stitch ripper or utility knife to cut away the individual threads around your shape.
   • Only cut away the vertical threads. Do not cut the horizontal threads.
   • If cutting blue jean shorts, the horizontal threads will be white while the vertical threads should be blue.
   • Use your seam ripper or fingers to slowly pull the fibers out from the inside to the outside, revealing the white strands and creating a "frayed" look.
   • Note that this can take considerable time to do, but when done right, it can be well worth the effort.
   • You may want to apply a bit more fray glue around the edges before washing them to ensure that the shape you cut into the material does not become distorted in the washing machine.
4. Wash the shorts. Wash and dry the shorts as you usually would.
   • You do not need to rely on the washing machine to fray your shorts further. As a result, you can just use a standard washing and drying cycle with your standard detergent.

Tips

• If you cannot find fray glue to prevent the edges from fraying excessively, you could also apply a coating of clear nail polish.
• You can fray shorts made from a variety of materials; you do not need to stick solely to denim shorts. Experiment a little, fraying cotton, khaki, linen, and corduroy shorts as desired.

Things You'll Need

• Shorts
• Pinking shears
• Scissors
• Fray glue
• Washing machine
• Fabric pencil or chalk
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• Utility knife
• Seam ripper

Sources and Citations

See also

• Measure Your Inseam
• Make High Waisted Shorts
• Hem a Pair of Pants
• Make Shorts
• Create Bondage Pants
• Hem Jeans
• Make a Pair of Pants
• Make Rip Away Pants
• Make Easy Pants
• Make Palazzo Pants

Read more ...