I’m sure we all know the power of Pinterest to suck you into a black hole of infinite ideas of things we know we’ll never make. However, I recently found the following pin of the cutest sweatshirt, and just loved it:
I was determined to try to create this look, but I wanted something that was going to be usable, and I thought the thin mesh used for my pinspiration would not hold up to an actual run/workout. Phee Fabrics to the rescue!! I chose the Black Powernet and Black Poly Spandex from Phee. The quality of the Powernet from Phee Fabrics is amazing…definitely the best I’ve found. And while you might normally think of using Powernet only as a supportive layer, it was just the thing to get the look AND functionality I wanted.
I could have just used any sweatshirt pattern and color-blocked the top, but I really liked the dolman shoulder look of my pinspiration, and I didn’t have or know of any dolman-style sweatshirts. So, in order to make my version, I needed to get creative. Here are the “pieces” I used to get the look:
- I started with the Slim Dolman pattern from Hallå Patterns.
- I used the hood and front kangaroo pocket from the Constance Top, Tunic, and Dress by Sew a Little Seam.
- I used the thumbhole cuff tutorial found in the Hallå Patterns Facebook Group. (Search the group for “thumbhole cuff” and it will bring up a few posts that cover it.)
Once I had decided on the patterns/pieces I was going to use, it was time to start making some changes. The first thing I did was to size up the slim dolman about 2 sizes. You can definitely size up or not based on your preference for how you want your finished sweatshirt to fit.
To color block the pattern:
- Take your front/back pieces. For my pattern, the front/back are the same except for the neckline, so I only had to deal with 1 piece.
- Decide where you want the color-blocking to be and mark or draw a line on your pattern.
- Now draw 2 more lines – one .5″ above the first mark/line and one .5″ below the first mark/line. The “top” line will be the cut line for the bottom of the shirt, and the “bottom” line will be the cut line for the top of the shirt. (I marked mine on the pattern so I wouldn’t mess it up!) This will give you a .5″ seam allowance when sewing the top/bottom together.
4. You can now trace each piece to make 2 new pieces if you want.
To alter the neckline for a hood:
The pattern I picked wasn’t drafted for a hood, so I needed to alter the neckline a bit so I could use the hood from the Constance.
- I traced the front/back necklines for the Constance at the hood lines.
2. I then lined up the pieces with my Slim Dolman shoulder to see where the new neckline should be. The back neckline was similar enough that I didn’t bother changing it, but I did need to draw a new line for the front neck.
Make these changes on your new pieces if you already traced them.
Your pattern should be ready to go! Cut out and sew your top/bottom pieces together with that .5″ SA and then top-stitch the SA towards the bottom.
You can now assemble your sweatshirt using the rest of your pieces. Some other things I did to get the look:
- I cut the bottom sleeve for the Slim Dolman on the “hemming” line, not the “band” line, as I wanted the sleeve to be longer to accommodate the thumbhole cuff. Using the band line on my test version, the sleeve was too short for my arms.
- The Slim Dolman pattern includes instructions/measurements for the bottom waistband, but didn’t go by the measurements. I actually made it almost the same circumference as the bottom of the sweatshirt to get the more boxy/loose fit look. I just measured the bottom of my sweatshirt and doubled the measurement. I took off about 1″ when sewing the band together using a .5″ SA so that it was only slightly smaller than the bottom of the sweatshirt and needed minimal stretching.
- I didn’t use the binding called for in the Constance pattern for the kangaroo pocket – I just turned under and top-stitched the pocket openings.
- I didn’t line my hood, as I didn’t want it to be too heavy. The Poly Spandex looks almost the same on the inside, so it worked out great.
And here is how mine turned out:
The Poly Spandex is warm and cozy, so it will be perfect for the cooler weather coming, but with the Powernet at the top, it will keep me from getting too hot on a run or hike. I’m loving my new hoodie, and that’s at least one pinspiration that I can actually mark as “done”!!
So, what can you make with Powernet? The possibilities are endless!!
Happy Sewing!
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