1 — Pre-pressing
The Cloud Sweatshirt sew along starts with some pre-pressing steps.
We strongly recommend that you use an iron to press some areas of your pieces before you begin sewing. This will help to ensure accuracy as you sew, as well as aid in giving your Cloud Sweatshirt a neat and tidy finish.
If you are sewing the Crew Neck, fold the neckband in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together, and press.
If you are sewing the Hoodie, fold each hood piece in half at the notches, with the wrong sides together, and press.
If you are sewing the Crew Neck or Hoodie, fold each cuff piece in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together, and press.
Then fold the hem band in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing, and press.
If you are sewing the Funnel Neck view, fold the neck facing to the wrong side at the notches on both the front and back pieces and press. The facing will measure 8cm.
Fold the sleeve hem back 3cm to the wrong side and press.
Fold the front and back hem back 3cm to the wrong side and press.
If you are adding a front pocket, fold the grown-on pocket facing to the wrong side, and press. The facing will measure 2cm. Fold the 1cm seam allowance along the side edges to the wrong side and press. Fold the 1cm seam allowance at the top edge under and press.
If you are sewing the Hoodie Sweatshirt you may choose to stabilise the buttonhole area on the hood with some lightweight fusible interfacing.
Fuse a 2cm x 2cm piece of interfacing at each buttonhole location, on the wrong side, using the Hood Buttonhole Template to guide you. Remember to place your interfacing on opposite sides so you create a pair!
The next step in sewing your Cloud Sweatshirt is the front pocket.
If you are not sewing the front pocket, continue to where you will sew the shoulders and neckline.
2 — Front Pocket
In this post we will sew the front pocket, follow along if you are adding one to your Cloud Sweatshirt.
Follow along with the steps in this post if you are sewing the front pocket.
If you are not sewing the pocket, move on to this post where we will sew the shoulders and neckline.
First, transfer the front pocket stitching lines to your front using tailor’s chalk or a fabric pen.
Make sure the pen or chalk can rub off easily so you are not left with marks on your sweatshirt!
The front pocket has a grown-on facing at each opening. Neaten this facing edge with your overlocker.
Now, fold the pocket facing to the wrong side and stitch in place at 2cm with a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch.
Repeat for both sides.
Next, neaten the top and side edges with your overlocker.
Fold the 1cm seam allowance at the top of the pocket to the wrong side.
With the right sides together, place the pocket on the front, matching the folded edge of the pocket to the top pocket placement line on the front. The bulk of the pocket will be towards the neck.
Pin in place and then stitch the pocket to the front along the stitching line.
Fold the pocket down and press.
Now, fold the seam allowance of one pocket edge under 1cm. Match the folded edge to the pocket placement line on the front and pin.
Fold the pocket back and sew the pocket to the front.
Now we will attach the other side of the pocket.
Fold seam allowance the pocket edge under 1cm and pin it along the pocket placement line. Hold the pocket out of the sew the pocket to the front.
Baste the pocket to the front at the waist edge.
Now continue on to the next step where we will sew the shoulders, neck and hood.
3 — Neckline and Assembling the Body
In this step we cover the Crew Neck, Hoodie and Funnel Neck. Follow along with the view you are sewing!
With the right sides together, pin the front to the back at the shoulders then overlock.
Press the seams towards the back.
With the right sides together, pin and then overlock the short ends of neckband together to create a circle.
Fold the neckband in half, lengthwise with wrong sides together.
Pin neckband to the right side of the body of the garment. The neckband seam will align with the notch at the back neckline on the left, as worn. The neckband notches align with the shoulder seams.
Overlock the neckband to the body. You will need to stretch the neckband to get it to fit. Press the seam towards the body.
Using a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch, stitch the neckband seam allowance to the body.
Skip down to 'Assembling the Body' at the end of this post.
With the right sides together, pin the front to the back at the shoulders then overlock. Press the seams towards the back.
On each hood piece, mark the buttonholes with a fabric pen, or tailor's chalk, at the place indicated on the Hood Buttonhole Placement Template, over the interfacing you placed at the beginning.
Be sure to mark the buttonholes on opposite sides to create a pair.
Sew the buttonholes as per your machine's manual.
Pin the hood pieces together along the centre seam with the right sides facing.
Overlock them together.
Next, turn the hood so the wrong sides are together.
Bring the seam together so it runs through the centre of the hood. Press.
Sew a line of top stitching 1.5cm from the folded edge to form a channel for the drawstring.
Baste the neck edges together with your sewing machine.
Now you will attach the hood to the body.
Pin the hood to the body of the sweatshirt at the neck opening with the right sides together and matching the notches.
The hood will overlap at the centre front. Match the notch on the body, to the channel top stitching on the hood.
Place the right side as worn first, then the left side on top.
Overlock the hood and body together then press the seam allowance towards the body of the garment.
Now move down to 'Assemble the Body' at the bottom of this post.
With the right sides together, pin the front to the back at the shoulders and sides of the funnel neck. Overlock them together.
Finish the raw edge of the neck with your overlocker.
The funnel neck view has a grown-on neck facing. Fold the neck facing to the front at the notches.
Bag out the neck facing by sewing the seam allowances together on each side of the neck.
Fold the back neck facing over to the back.
Press the shoulder seams towards the back.
The following steps are for all views, however only the Crew Neck will be shown.
With the right sides together, pin the sleeve to the body, matching the notches. Overlock the seam and press it towards the body.
Repeat for the other sleeve.
Pin the side seams with the right sides together.
It can help to start by matching the underarm seams, then working towards the body hem and sleeve hem.
Overlock the side seam and repeat for the other side. Press the seams towards the back.
Next up, sewing the cuffs and hems, and doing the finishes touches!
4 — Cuffs, Hems and Finishing Touches
With the right sides together, stitch the short ends of each cuff piece together.
Fold the cuffs in half, with the wrong sides together and matching the raw edges.
Pin the cuff to the sleeve with the right sides together, matching the notch and the seam.
Machine basting a few stitched at the seam and notches can help hold everything in place when you are overlocking.
Stitch the cuff to the sleeve, stretching the cuff as you sew. Press the seam towards the sleeve.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
Using a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch, stitch the cuff seam allowance to the body.
With the right sides together, stitch the short ends of the hem band together.
Fold the hem band in half, with the wrong sides together and matching the raw edges.
Pin the hem band to the body with the right sides together, matching the hem band seam to the left side seam. Overlock the hem to the body, stretching the hem band slightly as you sew. Press the seam towards the body.
Using a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch, stitch the hem seam allowance to the body.
Neaten the cuff edge of the sleeve.
Next, fold back the sleeve hem 3cm, wrong sides together. The pre-sewing pressing steps you made will help with this. Pin in place.
Using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch, sew the sleeve hem at 3cm.
Repeat for the other side.
Neaten the hem edge of your sweatshirt.
Then, fold back the body hem 3cm, wrong sides together. The pre-sewing pressing steps you made will help with this. Pin in place.
Using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch, sew the body hem at 3cm.
If you are sewing a hoodie, carefully cut open the buttonholes and thread the drawstring through using a safety pin or bodkin.
Fold each end of the drawstring over 1cm, two times. Edge stitch to secure.
Clip any loose threads and give your sweatshirt a final press.
You’re all finished!
Check out the Cloud Set patterns in our Online Store here.
Don't forget you can always email us via patterns@thefabricstore.co.nz if you need advice!
Cloud makes from our wonderful community are also popping up over on Instagram, follow @makebytfs and use #TFSCloud so others can check out your creations!