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Sewing Circle: Amazing idea for a sweatshirt makeover!

Welcome to Sewing Circle!  Erin sent me this email about recreating this J.Crew sweatshirt.

Q: I saw this J.Crew hoodie on Pinterest and I'd really like to recreate it. Any suggestions on pattern inspiration? It looks like a basic kimono sleeve with a hood and welted pockets added—pretty simple, but I don't know how to draft from scratch, so I need a place to start. 

I've attached a pic of the front and a link where you can see the sides and back. 
A: Thanks for your email, and thanks for reading!  That is super cute.  I imagine there are similar patterns out there—maybe Simplicity sportswear?—but I would actually suggest you just cut up a men’s XL hoodie!  Waaaay easier.  

It probably wouldn’t be raglan style; it would have a shoulder seam, but it would be so dropped you could have maybe only 4” of sleeve and it would be cute, sort of a like a biiiig cap sleeve.  I would hem it.  And you might want to cut off the elastic band at the bottom, and maybe take it in some on the sides, and probably move the pocket up depending on how tall you are and how big the sweatshirt is. 

Does that help, or were you looking for something to create from scratch?

So what do you think, readers?  Any other ideas for Erin?


  1. This shirt is very similar to "Twinkle Sews" Take Manhattan pattern. You could check your local library to see if the book is available. The patterns are all pdf.s on a disk.

  2. You could also adapt the bat-wing top from You just need to add a hood and a pouch pocket.

  3. Anonymous2/16/2012

    Maybe she should check with Bill Belichick...

  4. I'm positive Carolyn from the blog Handmade by Carolyn made a top like this. It would be worth checking out her blog.

  5. I actually have this top! (Found it on super sale for $12 from J.Crew) It's actually two big rectangles with holes for the arms, so slightly-kimono styled? Everything is hemmed. I think the picture is a bit deceiving and they pinned the back on the model a bit, possibly. It's a lot more shapeless in real life compared to the picture, so if I were to make it, I would definitely add shaping.

    1. Ooh, thanks for the inside info! Great to know!

  6. I have made almost the exact same top using a kwik sew pattern which I would recommend.




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