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Make by TFS

Cloud Sweatshirt — Sew Along

Cloud Sweatshirt — Sew Along

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.

Crew neck band pressed

If you are sewing the Crew Neck, fold the neckband in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together, and press.

Hood pressed

If you are sewing the Hoodie, fold each hood piece in half at the notches, with the wrong sides together, and press.

Crew waist band pressed

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.

New funnel pressed

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.

Funnel cuff pressing

Fold the sleeve hem back 3cm to the wrong side and press.

Ammended funnel hem pressing

Fold the front and back hem back 3cm to the wrong side and press.

Pocket pressed edges

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.

New hood fusing

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.

1 front pocket marking

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!

2 pinning pocket close up

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.

2 pinning pocket
3 pocket sewn top

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.

4 pinned pocket l side
5 pocket sewing l side

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.

6 pinned pocket r side
7 pocket sewn r side

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.

8 finished pocket

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!

Ammended 17 shoulder seam overlocked
8 pressing shoulder seam
Crew Neck

With the right sides together, pin the front to the back at the shoulders then overlock.

Press the seams towards the back.

Ammended 9 neck band overlocked

With the right sides together, pin and then overlock the short ends of neckband together to create a circle.

2 crew neck band overlocked folded 2

Fold the neckband in half, lengthwise with wrong sides together.

9 pinning neck band close
10 overlocked neck band

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.

11 cover stitch neckline

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.

6 shoulder seam pinned
8 pressing shoulder seam
Hoodie

With the right sides together, pin the front to the back at the shoulders then overlock. Press the seams towards the back.

2 buttonhole temp hood
1 hoods button hole marking

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.

3 button hole sewing hood

Sew the buttonholes as per your machine's manual.

5 hoods pinned
New 27 hoods overlocked

Pin the hood pieces together along the centre seam with the right sides facing.

Overlock them together.

7 turning hood 1

Next, turn the hood so the wrong sides are together.

8 turning hood 2
9 finished hood

Bring the seam together so it runs through the centre of the hood. Press.

New hood top stiching channel

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.

10 attaching hood

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.

New finished hood close

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.

New funnel overlock neck

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.

3 pinning neck hands
4 sewing neck down

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.

6 turning funnel neck 1
7 turning funnel neck 2

Fold the back neck facing over to the back.

8 pressing funnel neck
Ammended 9 finished funnel neck

Press the shoulder seams towards the back.

12 pinning sleeve crew
13 sleeve head overlocked
Assemble the Body

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.

15 sleeve under arm seam pinned
16 sleeve underarm finished indside view

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

3 cuffs overlocked
New cuffs pressed inhalf
Crew Neck and Hoodie

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.

18 pinning cuff to sleeve close
19 basting cuff

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.

20 finished cuff

Stitch the cuff to the sleeve, stretching the cuff as you sew. Press the seam towards the sleeve.

Repeat for the second sleeve.

21 cuff coverseam

Using a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch, stitch the cuff seam allowance to the body.

4 waist band overlocked
5 waist band folded

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.

22 pinning waist band
23 overlocked waistband

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.

25 coverseam hem close

Using a twin needle, cover seam, or your preferred finishing stitch, stitch the hem seam allowance to the body.

Ammended funnel cuff overlock
Funnel Neck

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.

Ammended funnel cuff coverseam

Using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch, sew the sleeve hem at 3cm.

Repeat for the other side.

Funnel hem turnback pinned

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.

Ammended funnel hem coverseam

Using a twin needle or your preferred finishing stitch, sew the body hem at 3cm.

12 hood cuttting buttonhole
13 hood threading drawstring

If you are sewing a hoodie, carefully cut open the buttonholes and thread the drawstring through using a safety pin or bodkin.

14 hood cord end stitched close

Fold each end of the drawstring over 1cm, two times. Edge stitch to secure.

Crew hang shot front

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!