A hoodie is a sweatshirt with a hood in place of the neckband: a front and a back, two sleeves, a hood made of two halves and lined with two more, ribbed cuffs, a ribbed hem band and, if you like, a kangaroo pocket. Sew the shoulders, make and attach the lined hood, add the pocket, set the sleeves in flat and close the sides, then attach cuffs and a hem band cut shorter than the openings, at around 80–85 %, so they hug. A regular sewing machine with a stretch stitch handles French terry well.
Which fabric and ribbing should you buy?
- French terry: smooth outside, small loops inside, about 250–350 gsm. Easy to sew and comfortable most of the year.
- Sweatshirt fleece: brushed soft inside, warmer, a little thicker at the seams.
- Brushed-back or organic cotton sweat: similar fabrics under different names, depending on the shop.
For the bands, buy rib knit with strong recovery: stretch a piece and it should spring straight back. About 40 cm (16 in) of ribbing usually covers the cuffs and the hem band; buy it with the main fabric so the colors match, and prewash both together.
For a relaxed, hip-length hoodie, plan on about 1.8–2 m (2–2 1/4 yd) of 150 cm (60 in) wide fabric; oversized fits and larger sizes need more.
Which fit should you choose?
| Fit | Ease at the chest | Shoulder |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | +5 cm (2 in) | At the shoulder point |
| Relaxed | +12 cm (4 3/4 in) | Dropped about 3 cm (1 1/4 in) |
| Oversized | +24 cm (9 1/2 in) | Dropped about 8 cm (3 1/8 in) |
The hem band is 7 cm (2 3/4 in) deep and is counted in the length, so a hip-length hoodie still ends at the hip. The sleeves are long and stop 6 cm (2 3/8 in) short to make room for the cuff.
How long should the cuffs and the hem band be?
Ribbing is cut shorter than the edge it finishes so it draws in and sits close to the body.
| Band | Length | Finished height |
|---|---|---|
| Hem band | 82 % of the hem circumference | 7 cm (2 3/4 in) |
| Crew neckband (no hood) | 80 % of the neckline | 2.5 cm (1 in) |
| Cuffs | about 1.25 × your wrist + 4 cm (1 5/8 in) | 6 cm (2 3/8 in) |
For a 16 cm (6 1/4 in) wrist, the cuff is 24 cm (9 1/2 in) around. Each band is cut at twice its finished height plus seam allowances, folded in half lengthwise, with the stretch running along its length.
No ribbing to hand? Cut the bands from the main fabric if it stretches well and recovers, and make them a little longer, around 85–90 % of the opening, because sweatshirt fabric grips less than rib.
How is a lined hood put together?
The hood is two mirrored halves joined by a curved seam over the top of the head, and the lining is identical. Its size comes from your head circumference: about 62 % of it plus 1 cm in height, and 44 % plus 2 cm in depth. For a 56 cm (22 in) head, that is a hood about 36 cm (14 1/8 in) tall and 27 cm (10 5/8 in) deep. The neck edge is matched to the neckline.
- Sew the center seam of the outer hood, then of the lining.
- Place them right sides together and sew along the front edge.
- Turn, press, and topstitch the front edge if you like a crisp line.
- Baste the neck edges of the outer hood and the lining together.
- Pin the hood to the neckline, with its center seam at the center back and the front edges meeting at the center front, and sew.
- Cover the neck seam with a strip of jersey or twill tape for comfort, or zigzag it flat.
In what order do you sew a hoodie?
- Prewash fabric and ribbing, then cut: front and back on the fold, two sleeves, two hood and two hood lining pieces, the pocket, two cuffs and the hem band.
- Shoulders: sew front to back.
- Hood: assemble and attach it as above.
- Kangaroo pocket: hem the two curved openings on their 2 cm (3/4 in) allowance, press under the top and side edges, and topstitch them to the front. Baste the bottom edge to the front hem so the hem band catches it.
- Sleeves, flat: match the top notch of each sleeve to the shoulder seam and sew.
- Side seams: from the sleeve end through the underarm to the hem, in one seam.
- Cuffs: sew each into a loop, fold it, mark quarters, and stretch it to fit the sleeve end as you sew.
- Hem band: the same way, matching its seam to a side seam.
- Press lightly with steam, without flattening the pile.
How do you sew sweatshirt fabric on a regular machine?
Use a 90/14 stretch or ballpoint needle, a narrow zigzag (about 1.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm long) or the stretch stitch, and a 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance. A walking foot keeps thick layers moving together. Where seams cross, at the underarm and at the band joins, press the allowances in opposite directions to spread the bulk. The guide to sewing knits covers the settings, and if you have already made a tee, the first T-shirt post used the same flat-sleeve order.
Can Sewly draft the hoodie to your measurements?
Sewly's sweatshirt and hoodie pattern is a single pattern with a crew neck or a lined hood, an optional kangaroo pocket, three fits and five lengths. The band lengths above are calculated from your measurements and listed as cutting dimensions, and the hood is drafted from your head circumference.