Even if they're faded and scuffed, replete with imperfections brought on by use and time, almost everyone, no matter how old or young, has a favorite pair of blue jeans. The traditional rules for appraising clothing don't apply to jeans; the more worn they appear, the more treasured they become. For children, you can make a favorite pair of jeans even more special by adding a few simple embellishments. As TV stylist Cindy Treen demonstrates, it takes only a few minutes to customize your child's dungarees with a monogram, an array of pom-poms, a simulated tuxedo stripe, or an attractive felt pocket. It's a good idea to wash the jeans beforehand and to avoid any jeans made with Lycra; because this material stretches, it can cause some embellishments to tear.

Tools and Materials
Felt pocket
Card stock
Needle and thread
Felt
Monogram
Cotton rickrack fabric
Fusible web, such as Stitch Witchery or HeatnBond
Fabric marker or pencil
Fabric glue
Muslin
Press cloth
Pom-poms
Ball fringe
Tuxedo stripe
Ribbon

Embellishing Blue Jeans How-To
1. Make a template out of the card stock in the desired shape; if you like, make an additional template to serve as a flap for the pocket. Cut out the felt using the template as a guide. Add 1/2 inch to each side. Press under the sides 1/2 inch, again using the template as a guide, and whipstitch the pocket to the jeans. The pocket can be applied to any place you choose.

2. Use a fabric marker to draw an initial onto the jeans. Cut a piece of cotton rickrack long enough to create the letter you've just drawn. Cut a length of fusible web to the same length as the rickrack. Lay the rickrack down onto a piece of muslin. Lay fusible web on top of the rickrack, adhesive side down. Press the two together, and let cool. Peel the rickrack off the muslin.Press the rickrack to the drawing, using a press cloth. Glue over the outline of the letter, and affix the rickrack.

3. Cut two pieces of ball fringe that are long enough to wrap around the hem of the pant legs. Hand-stitch the ball fringe to the hem.

4. Cut two pieces of ribbon to the length of the side seam plus a few inches to turn at the waist and the leg hem. Use fusible web to attach the ribbon to the side seam.

Resources
We used HeatnBond ultrahold iron-on adhesive from Therm O Web, 800-323-0799. The ribbon was from Masterstroke. Mini ball fringe was from Daytona Trimming, 212-354-1713.