I love hoodies. And I love dark browns, crinkly linen and loose relaxed-fit comfy loungewear. Despite all those loves, it’s taken me a ridiculously long time to finish this hoodie. I started it before I left for Melbourne last year! woops!
I used Burda 09/2014-115, a tunic/hoodie pattern; and this lovely deep, deep, burnt chocolate linen, that I bought from Tessuti’s in Melbourne on our previous, 2013 trip there… extra woops! Sometimes I hoard lovely fabrics for forever and feel guilty about it, but really it’s only because I can’t think of the Perfect Project which it would like to become. Some fabrics tell you straight away, whilst others sit there and taunt you with their loveliness while never giving any hint of what they want to be.
Anyway, finally I made something.
To be honest, this is version two.
The pattern is actually for a tunic a good 6″ longer than this, and that is how I made it. I had visions of those lovely chic European lagenlook-y ladies wearing long and loose flowing clothes in earthy neutral shades. I started out with high hopes, made the hoodie/tunic. Felt really good about it, all went together smoothly, happy with my decision, almost finished it; perfectly hand narrow-hemmed shirt-hem and all. It was easily long enough to be a dress.
Tried it on, and was immediately struck by the fact that I had made myself a Friar Tuck robe. Yes, in its long version I looked exactly like Friar Tuck. Do I want to look like Friar Tuck? Emphatically, no. Disastrous. Dejectedly shoved it aside for, um; a few months. Hmmm, how time flies!
Anyway, I really did want it to work, and so just recently I drastically shortened that hem and rolled the sleeves up. Massive improvement. I left off the waist tie channel and tie. I reckon that as a boxy, shorter tunic, with rolled up sleeves, it still had that relaxed, fairly oversized, comfy vibe that I was after… stylishly chic, I hope!
The dress has pockets and so I kept those, cutting and re-hemming it to just below that level. The button placket is invisibly sewn closed, because all buttons just seemed either the wrong size or colour, or just plain wrong against the fabric.
For some reason that now escapes me, I felt allergic to the idea of self-fabric bands to hold up the rolled sleeves. At the time I felt they would look unutterably boring and/or too match-y. So I made some sleeve holder-up thingies from skinny metallic belts. It felt like a good idea at the time, and luckily I’m still quite pleased with them, feel like they bring something interesting to the table, on what is otherwise a quite plain and featureless hoodie. I’ve tried wearing the hoodie with a few other of my clothes and it’s interesting that that little bit of silver-y, pewter-y metallic on the sleeves really helps the hoodie to “go” with a lot of my other clothes far better than it would without.
The neckline/hood seam is hidden underneath a band, cut from the leftovers from this dress. It felt quite fortuitous that the brown stripes were wide enough that I could do this, with barely a hint of cream pin-stripe to be seen!
Later edit: Inside the sleeve tabs, and thank you Jenna-Lynn for asking 🙂
I made the belt sleeve tabs by buckling the belts and cutting down to size keeping the buckle area intact. Using a nail, I hand-drilled four little holes for stitching, two at each end. The outside holes are hidden underneath the belt overhang. I put a little wad of folded fabric inside the sleeve between the belts to stabilise and strengthen the stitching area, and stitched through my drilled holes firmly and securely using thick upholstery cotton.
Details:
Hoodie; Burdastyle 09/2014, 115 shortened, of burnt chocolate-brown crinkly linen
Shorts; Burda 7723, grey/cream pinstripe linen, details here and my review of this pattern here
Disclaimer; this pattern was given to me by Burdastyle; however I chose it myself from the large range of patterns on offer because I liked it. All opinions are most definitely my own. There are no affiliate links on my blog and never will be… I’m in it because I love sewing 🙂
Snap! Must be the day for hoodies! I really like yours. It must make a great sun protector. I really like the sleeve tabs.
Good choice lopping off the length!
been eyeing that pattern for some time now.. love the way it turned out with shorter hem, and those metallic sleeve details look great, i might just steal that idea from you 🙂
Some projects come together quite fast and others take forever. I like the result and the contrasting sleeve holder is a nice detail.
It's funny how in reality things just aren't what you have envisioned 😀 Good rescue though. I like the sleeve detail – it lifts the top above the ordinary giving it that little bit extra.
Great save. Those unusual sleeve tabs certainly add an element of interest.
I love your version of this top – funny sleeve ties and all! You have made a huge improvement to that pattern – which I never would have picked up to start with. And in those sexy shorts you have zero in common with the good friar! I can practically feel the texture of that chocolate linen on my finger tips. I want one – and I don't even wear hoodies!
Love your version!…. and the sleeve-holders give it a little bit of an 'edgy' feel? Very nice!
Love it! Those tunic things are hard to get right, but you definitely hit the nail on the head.
Love your hoodie…and the belt sleeve holders…how you envision things is beyond me! I wish I had your talent…just a little of it.
I just read my Vogue Patterns mag. You deserve that spread…very nice article!!! Except they left out Sienna.
thank you Judi! 🙂
Great top and love those straps!
Congratulations Carolyn!! I received the new issue of the Vogue Patterns Magazine and you were featured. I have always loved your style and find you very inspiring. Even though I don't respond often, I am an avid follower of your blog. Again, congratulations on a job well done. Balloons and confetti for you!!!!
thank you so much Angela! 🙂
I think it pulls off your original vision beautifully! That fine line we walk between frumpy and flowy! You figured it out here.
I like your version much better than the original, and using belts was a great idea!
Good call on the hoodie. I too love those long, loose styles and they definitely don't love me back (being short and curvy). I have to conclude if they don't suit you either, they possibly only suit models!! X
Great hoodie! I think your version is perfect.
love how you have all these little quirky details on a pretty basic garment. I need to think more about my makes like that!
I like this! And I have the same fabric trying to decide what it feels like being; thanks for warning me off Friar Tuck 😉 The belts are genius!
No Friar Tuck please, you have made a very cute hoodie and what a great idea to use the metallic belts.
Looks super cute with the shorts. Much nicer than the pattern envelope would suggest.
Looks great! A good save.
Looks great! A good save.
Those sleeve tabs were inspired. I love this hoodie and am so glad that you were able to save it.
My first thought was that the sleeve detail is really fun!
Great hoodie – that fabric is quietly beautiful, I like those subtle, subdued colors!
Nice save! This definitely pulls off the effortless chic look you were after. Beautiful!
Absolutely gorgeous! I made a hoodie with a similar pattern but your version is far more beautiful then I could have ever imagined the pattern turning out! I was wondering if you lined this hoodie? Also, did you take a photo of the insides of the sleeves with the tabs?
thank you Jenna-Lynn!, no, this hoodie is unlined. I've now added in a picture of the insides of the sleeve belt-tabs with a short explanation; thank you for asking 🙂
Nice shirt! I still have plan to make plaid dress with hoodie with this pattern
Great fabric choice for a casual hoodie.
REally lovely. I absolutely adore the metallic touch
What a clever use of the belt. Your hoodie is gorgeous!
I feel happiness to read the content that you are posting.click it