http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans You can find us in da tub... en-US Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:27:08 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://forums.nedsferatu.com/search.php http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-116 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:41:11 +0000 Edmund X White 116@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>I'm not sure what it is but that looseness around the crotch seems to go away over time. I don't know how to even begin to explain it but that's my experience.</p> <p>i don't find i am able to do anything with pre-shrunk 501's. they feel baggy to me and don't seem to change much with wear. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-114 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:49:15 +0000 rangers 114@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>A note on using the dryer for those cold wet stf's. I dried them to a damp dry on low heat, afterwards, I spent some time washing the nice blue color off the dryer drum. the final drying on my body worked ok. the legs shrunk about 2-3 &quot;. waist stayed about same as new (35). my biggest problem is the thigh at crotch level. its way to loose. my old 80's and 90's fit the thigh just snug but not to tight. Has anyone tried preshrunk 501 at normal size and than washed them hot &amp; dried them hot? I wonder what the shrink factor would be </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-79 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:04:25 +0000 rangers 79@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>size matters, in all things pleasurable, and 501's. I have received 2 pair, stf-501's from Sheplers since 9/08. 1st- 36/36, (made in mexico). I wear 35/32, old denim, after washes x 10, they fit great. the first pair will never fit just right, to baggy in the seat, thigh to wide, crotch to loose. Next order, my size: 35/34-stf. Received them-wore for a week, I couldn't wait, as, I did the first shrink in the shower w/hot water for 30 min. I'm wearing them now, waist is great at 35 and legnth is just to the floor w/boots. the seat is snug, the thigh is just right for my size ( not a NFL jock) and the waist didn't change in size. Nothing turned blue. I did use the dryer on least dry until they were damp,and still pliable.What Ned said about older denim relaxing to fit is realy true. you can have a waist size one inch to small or one inch to large and it streches to a nice fit. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-62 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:55:08 +0000 Edmund X White 62@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Eric, I agree with Klaus that in the length you will definitely need to add a few inches as that's where a lot of the shrinkage occurs.</p> <p>I have pairs that I wash all the time and I have pairs that I hardly ever wash. Even with just normal wash they will fade nicely although with less contrast than the more protected ones. I don't do the soak more than once or twice but cold water hand wash with minimal soap is a great way to keep more dye in the jeans if you are looking for high contrast or less fade. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-57 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:43:59 +0000 Klaus 57@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Eric, they denim will bleed when worn raw. I had sneakers and shoes turn indigo where the jeans touched them. Lighter coloured shirts may be blue, too. But in my case, the colour didn't stay permanently on the shoes.</p> <p>Don't buy them your usual size if you intend to get them wet! They will get shorter, even when only washed cold. They mostly shrink in lenght, this is because of how the fabric is woven (to be more exact, how the fabric is used in the sewing pattern). I sat in not very warm water when shrinking the pair of LVC and they literally shortened in front of my eyes.</p> <p>I have never used the &quot;soak and wear until dry&quot; method, but I will with my next STF. Otherwise, I put them into the washing machine at 40°C (104°F). </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-56 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:06:59 +0000 Eric 56@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Thanks guys! Still can't decide whether to exchange the 33/32 pair I just bought, or keep 'em raw. The waist may be OK, but I assume from all the posts that the length will shrink if/when soaked or washed. If so, I should still add 3 inches to the inseam - ?. If I keep them raw I'll put a white utility towel on my computer chair and use that as the bleed test, before wearing them everywhere.</p> <p>Do you (Ned or Klaus or anyone) ever wash them according to the tag? Or do you do the 'tub soak and wear-dry' every time they need 'washing' for as long as you own them? After all my reading of the blog and posts I am still not clear on whether your STFs ever see the inside of laundry machines. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-51 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:41:53 +0000 Edmund X White 51@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>sorry Eric, I was just asking for clarification...not out of shock!</p> <p>Thanks for the tip on Kohl's...nice find.</p> <p>Personally, I love the raw denim look. I'm not sure if the 501's are specifically different then other raw denim jeans, but I have never heard of or experienced bleeding with the raw denim outside of the tub. I suppose it could happen if you get them really wet, or like go running in them or something, but I know there are a lot of quite expensive jeans on the market that are sold to be raw and never washed. I'm keeping my new pair raw and unwashed for a while and will probably buy a pair soon that i will never wash. My sofa is white too so I'll let you know &lt;img src=&quot;http://forums.nedsferatu.com/my-plugins/bb-smilies/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;:wink:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> <p>I would have to say that they will most definitely shrink even if just dipped in cold water without soap. After the initial soak however you are entirely right that less heat, less water, and less soap will keep them from shrinking and fading the longest.</p> <p>great questions! </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-45 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:10:57 +0000 Eric 45@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Hey, Ned, please don't go into shock when I say I own 36X36 STF 501's. Or was it more confusion than shock. Besides, I agree with others that the quality and consistency are about the same as with many jeans these days. I tend to try on 2 or 3 identical pair of any brand and style of jeans to make sure the fit is right. I've got a pair of STF with 35 waist from 2007 that are a hair larger than a 3 year old pair of 36's! They're all on the loose side, due to my last 34s from a few years ago being TIGHT. But maybe sizing has changed.</p> <p>Now I have a new Q to ask, and I will try to summarize as best I can so I don't write a full chapter. The other day I was at Kohl's, my new favorite place to buy STF because they have blue and black, for $37, and very nice dressing rooms with a 3-way mirror. I found a pair of black ones I had every intention of buying, but my intuition told me to grab a pair of blues in my true size of 33X32. And when I tried them on I LOVED them! I had no idea I'd be so attracted to the raw, unwashed look. I figured I could wear 'em half a year or so, using the Air Fluff setting on my dryer to freshen 'em up now and then. But after googling and reading several articles and sites about raw 501's I learned that even if they never come into contact with water they will probably still bleed onto things such as white shoes and light colored furniture. I can't have that. My living room sofa is off-white. </p> <p>After all that research I thought of another idea. My plan is to wash this new true-size pair in Cold water, inside out, with laundry soap and a few old towels to balance the load. After that, run the jeans through the dryer on Air Fluff (no heat) for a while to take the excess wetness out. Then wear them damp until dry.</p> <p>My question – Does anyone know if they will still shrink in the waist and/or inseam? Or has anyone done this 'no heat' method before to know what will happen?</p> <p>Today I ran a 3 month old pair through both machines using no heat and was surprised that I did not mind wearing them damp. They dried within about 4 hours, having spent an hour or two at Costco where they have excellent ventilation. Always comfy and dry in the warehouse. Interestingly, 7 hours later and this pair of 36X36 feels noticeably stiffer (very cool) and looser (way too loose now) than when I wash and dry them on Warm/Medium, which I've done to this pair about a dozen times. These were too big to begin with even after a few trips thru a Hot dryer. They'll make good car washing pants.</p> <p>So, I'm eager to hear if anyone has experience with 501's shrinking from a wash and wear even when using no heat. If so, I'll take this new pair back and size up, but not sure by how much. Damn, I feel like I'm becoming a 501's laboratory. It's alive! </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-43 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:24:58 +0000 Edmund X White 43@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Thanks for the questions Eric! I'd say use your judgment on where best to post, but always feel free to start a new thread!</p> <p>The jeans are much more fluid then I think people realize. It's not like they are going to shrink once and then never change again, but that makes it much more difficult to talk about and predict of course!</p> <p>I recommend getting your true waist size because i find that that way it will fit much better through the butt and thighs. They might feel a bit tight when you first put them on after washing, but it will loosen and conform to your body after a few hours (and over time as well).</p> <p>Do you mean that you've tried shrink to fits in 34, 35 and 36 waists?</p> <p>I do notice them shrinking in the tub and as they dry. I also notice them changing and tightening very slightly for about a year after. I notice them loosening again as the denim breaks down when they get really old. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-38 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:38:49 +0000 Klaus 38@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>My size is W29xL30,5 or L31 and when buying STFs I get a perfect fit with a 30x34 (this is with the pre-2003 14 3/4 oz fabric). I reckon if waist size is higher, they might shrink more than 1 inch (as the paper tag suggests). Mind, the waisband stretches again after a day of wear.</p> <p>When sitting in the tub with the LVC 1901 501xx I could almost see how the inseam got shorter, but this was with 9 or 9,5 oz denim. </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-36 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:09:36 +0000 Eric 36@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Is this a good place to ask questions? Or should I be starting a new 'thread' &lt;img src=&quot;http://forums.nedsferatu.com/my-plugins/bb-smilies/default/icon_wink.gif&quot; title=&quot;;-)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; so to speak.</p> <p>Ned, in your initial instructions and tips you say to buy ones actual waist size and go at least 3 inches extra in length. I do buy 36's for my 32 inseam, but if I buy 33 waist isn't that going to be too tight to wear once they do shrink at all? That part confuses me, as I have bought 34, 35 and 36 and find 35s to usually be about right.</p> <p>Also, in everyone's experience, when you are sitting there in the tub do you notice the jeans actually changing/shrinking? Or is the soak mainly for just getting them softened up and a bit of the dye out? While I'm in the tub am I gonna experience the jeans snugging up around me, kinda like the opposite of putting a dry sponge in water, or will I not notice much difference in the fit until they dry? </p> http://forums.nedsferatu.com/topic/re-ideas-for-soaking-and-drying-levi%e2%80%99s-501xx-shrink-to-fit-jeans#post-16 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:36:48 +0000 Edmund X White 16@http://forums.nedsferatu.com/ <p>Discussion of the article: <a href="//blog.nedsferatu.com/ideas-for-soaking-levis-501-shrink-to-fit-jeans">Ideas for soaking and drying Levi’s 501xx Shrink to Fit Jeans</a>. From the article:</p> <blockquote><p> Let’s all admit it, soaking and drying your 501’s is a huge part of the appeal of these pants. It’s the personal touch and the messiness and the smell of wet denim and the looks your significant other or friends give you when you tell them of bathing in your new blue jeans. What seems to be always true though, is if someone asks — and sometimes even if they don’t — you are eager to share the story of your shrink to fits starting with that initial soak.</p> <p>So why not make it an interesting story? Here are some great ideas — some mine, some from the readers — of ways to start your jeans off with an adventure and a good story to boot.</p> </blockquote>