How to Design Your Own Zippered Hoodie

Creating fashion collections is usually associated with haute couture designers. With sewing and embroidery manufacturers using advanced technology, home crafters have the opportunity to create and personalize their own designs and fashion. Hoodies, which were once only part of the athletic industry, are now mainstream and seen in most designer collections. You can design your own zippered hoodie and incorporate your expression and personal style.

Things You'll Need

• Sketch pad
• Colored pencils or markers
• Pre-made hoodie pattern
• Fabric (your choice) 2- to 3- yards
• Zipper (your choice)
• Pattern paper
• Dark pencil
• Ruler
• French curve ruler
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Fabric scissors
• Dress form
• Sewing machine
• Trims (optional)
• Sewing machine straight stitch foot
• Sewing machine zipper foot

Instructions

1. Draft your design in your sketch pad. You can look through your local mall or fashion magazines for inspiration. You can also view music videos as another source for inspiration during the creative process. It is best to work with colored pencils and markers to depict any special trim placement such as embroidery, rhinestones, decorative zipper pulls or decorative taping.

2. Purchase a pre-made zippered hoodie pattern at your local fabric store. Look through the shop's reference book for a silhouette that resembles your sketch's fit and style. Although you can make your own pattern, the hoodie pattern is challenging. Hoods have to be shaped correctly. The neckline seam has to match the hood neckline's shaped seam for your garment to fit correctly. The chest and sleeve specifications are significantly altered for your garment to fit over other garments comfortably.

3. Choose your fabric and coordinating zipper. Keep your pattern and zipper length in mind. Although most hoodies are made from fleece, you can use a heavyweight Lycra jersey, velour, mesh or French terry. You can also opt to coordinate a brass, nylon coil or a ykk delrin zipper with your hoodie. The ykk zippers are normally used in the outerwear industry and are weatherproof.

4. Trace your hoodie pattern onto pattern paper. Keep your pattern for future reference. Use a dark pencil, ruler and French curve ruler to shape contoured seams. Make sure you transfer the pattern's notches onto your new pattern.

5. Draw in your hoodie's seams on your pattern. For example, if you added a contrasting color underarm insert, draw the seam on your sleeve pattern. Refer to your draft while altering your pattern.

6. Cut out your paper pattern with your scissors. It is important to add seam allowances to any seamed inserts. By skipping this step, your hoodie will not fit correctly and appear smaller than your pattern.

7. Draw the necessary seam matching notches. This will be beneficial during construction. The more contrasting inserts within your design, the more fabric parts your pattern will have, which need to be matched properly prior to stitching.

8. Pin your patterns to your fabrics. Cut all your fabric parts out with your fabric scissors. Pin your fabric parts together on your dress form. Carefully try on your hoodie and make any necessary fit adjustments.

9. Stitch all contrasting inserts together. Attach significant trims such as appliques, embroideries or heat-seal rhinestones separately to the individual fabric parts prior to fully constructing the hoodie. If your design has a decorative drawcord for your hoodie, insert it prior to attaching your hood to the neckline seam.

10. Assemble your body, starting from the shoulder seam and then attaching your hood, followed by the sleeves. Fit your hoodie on your dress form once again and pin your zipper. Carefully try on.

11. Change your sewing machine's straight stitch foot to your zipper foot. Stitch the zipper in slowly. You can opt to turn in the seams along the front zipper placket and press with your iron. It is recommended to remove the pins while stitching to avoid the zipper from shifting during the stitching application process. Cut away all loose threads prior to wearing your zippered hoodie.

References

• "The Sewing Book"; Alison Smith; 2009
• "One-Piece Wearables: 25 Chic Garments and Accessories to Sew from Single Pattern Pieces"; Sheila Brennan; 2008