Sewing Project - Makeover Kids Sweatshirts

Sewing Friends:

Here is a gift idea for the kids on your list.  Makeover a sweatshirt into a jacket for your favorite kid.  Holiday sweatshirt jackets are particularly fun and easy to create.  Kids love sweatshirt jackets. 

There are lots of holiday fabrics available right now.  A fabric print often tells  you what to do with it.  I had no idea of what I was going to do before I saw the Santa print.  I always say that fabric talks to me.  That’s how this sweatshirt jacket idea was born.  I saw the fabric and the jacket just happened.  It is really a fun way to sew.  There are no rules.  You just create!

I used two different Christmas prints.  A Santa print and a Christmas stripe.  Cut the stripe on the bias to bind the jacket.  Use the Santa print centering the Santa design for the cuffs and pockets.

Little girls like glitz these days.  So, there are red sequins around the neck, along the binding, cuffs and pockets. 

Prepare the Sweatshirt 

• Preshrink the sweatshirt and all the fabrics
• Staystitch the neckline just below the ribbing to help keep it from stretching
• Staystitch 1/4 inch on each side of center front
• Carefully remove all the ribbing
• See the tips and techniques offered in these sewing books to help you make the best sweatshirt jacket.  They offer detailed instructions.

Here are some changes I made for this child’s sweatshirt Christmas jacket:

Bind the jacket front and bottom edges

• Cut enough binding to go down the front and around the bottom of the jacket.
• Round the bottom front corners to make it easier to bind.
• Use fusible thread in the bobbin to sew better binding.
• Bind the jacket before you finish the neckline

Neckline

• Slightly lower the front neck to create a “baseball” jacket neckline.
• Use the bottom knit band for the new neckline.
• Cut bottom band 2/3 of the new neck line opening.
• Curve seam edges of neckline ribbing ends like a baseball jacket neckline 
• Sew ribbing to neckline with seam to the outside.
• Trim the neckline ribbing if desired.  I stretched and zigzagged a sequin trim to this neckline. 
• Cut binding to go around this neckline seam plus enough for a tie on each end.
• Bind the outside neckline seam and finish the ties
• Sew some jingle bells to the ends of the ties if desired.

Finish the cuffs

• Cut off the sleeve knit cuffs.
• Shorten the sleeves to make three quarter sleeves if desired.
• Cut fabric cuffs the size desired.  (The cuff size shown here was determined by the Santa design.) 
• Remember to add 1/4 inch cuff seam allowances when you cut the cuffs.
• Place the right side of the cuff to wrong side of the sleeve
• Stitch 1/4 inch seam around the bottom
• Turn cuff to the right side enclosing the seam allowance.
• Finish the top edge of the cuff with trim if desired.

Sew Fun Santa Pockets 

Notice the Santas on the jacket front.  They are pockets.  Kids love pockets!  It is easy to sew these pockets. 

• Cut 2 layers of fabric centering your design on the front of the pocket if desired. 
• Place right sides together.
• Stitch around the edges with 1/4 inch seam using short stitches (18-20 stitches per inch or 1.5 on some sewing machines.)
• Press well.
• Trim the seam allowance to about 1/8 inch. (That’s why you need to use short stitches.)
• Slash a diagonal opening in the center of the underneath layer or lining of the pocket.
• Turn right side out through the opening.
• Press well to set the seam on the edge.
• Lay a piece of fusible web under the slash and press to seal it closed.

Trim the Pockets 

These pockets are trimmed with sequins.  Stitch the trim on to the pockets before you apply them to the jacket.  I used a wide, long zigzag stitch and invisible monofilament thread on the top of the machine to attach the sequins.  I also loosened the tension and pressure slightly.  Stitch slowly.

Attach the Pockets To The Jacket

Sew the pockets to the front of the jacket.  Leave an opening at the outside edge so the child can insert her hand.

Don’t you love it?  These jackets are so cute. Create a unique Christmas sweatshirt jacket for your favorite child.

Sewing Books

Be sure to check out these great sewing books to help you makeover sweatshirts.  Mary Mulari is well known for her creative makeover sweatshirt jackets.  Her books offer tons of tips, techniques and ideas to inspire you to create one-of-a-kind sweatshirt jacket designs.

No matter whether you call it recycle, makeover, restyle, refashion or whatever, you are sewing something different and unique.  Have fun sewing your new creations.   It just makes sense!

To Your Sewing Success,

Marian

PS:  Want to turn your sweatshirt into a hoodie?  Check out the Tee Hoodies Sewing Course to learn how. 

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Sewing Project - Makeover Kids Sweatshirts

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2007 at 10:12 pm and is filed under Sewing Projects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.