something i found on About.com, wonder if it works
by Crystal Coons
Destroy your own jeansApart of being a really cool trend, the worn in denim look is really sought after and can usually only be achieved by wearing the same pair of jeans for years upon jeans. Instead of waitting for that to happen narturally, companies like Abercrombie began to sell destroyed denim at their premium prices. But fashion designer Tiffe Fermaint wasn't having any of it. So, she found a way to get the same look, for much, much, less. Here's a recipe for destroyed denim.
This is a two step process. The first step is to soften the denim, which makes it easier to distress.
Softening Denim
Materials:
# fabric softener
# denim fabric
# old tennis shoe
# towel
Steps:
1 - Prewash the denim fabric in a washing machine.
2 - Dry the fabric in the dryer with a towel and a tennis shoe.
3- Repeat three times. On the third wash, add an entire bottle of fabric softener. This is called progressive shrinking and softening.
Continue to destroy...
Materials:
# solution - 1 part bleach, 1 part h2o
# coffee - brewed strong
# a brush
# sandpaper
Steps:
1 - Put the jeans on and sit down.
2 - Free hand the solution onto the scrunches at the top and anywhere natural wear would occur, including the seat of the jeans and the knees (I like to add splashes to the bottoms)
3 - Use sand paper to ruff up the knees and hemlines
4 - Cut and tear holes whereever you'd like
5 - Soak overnight in coffee (optional)
6 - Dry on HIGH heat in the dryer