Sewing A Child's Zipper Hoodie: A Guide

Sewing a child's zipper hoodie is a simple project that can be completed in a few easy steps. While it may seem daunting at first, with the right tools and guidance, anyone can create a cosy garment their child will love. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of sewing a zipper hoodie, from preparing the necessary materials to adding the final touches. So, get your sewing machine ready, and let's begin!

Choosing the right zipper

When choosing a zipper for your child's hoodie, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, you need a separating zipper, which separates completely. These are usually marketed for jackets or sportswear and are often made of plastic or polyester. You can also reuse a zipper from an old windbreaker or jacket if you don't want to buy a new one.

The type of zipper you choose will depend on the desired characteristics of flexibility, durability, and strength. There are three main types of zipper chains: coil, vislon, and metal. Coil chains have small teeth and are the most flexible option. Vislon chains are made of plastic with larger teeth, offering less flexibility but more durability. Metal chains, as the name suggests, have metal teeth and provide superior strength and durability.

The length of the zipper is another important consideration. You will need a zipper that matches the centre front length of the hoodie. If you need to adjust the length, you can shorten the zipper by following online instructions. The zipper should be the same length as the centre front plus the hem band, minus the neckline seam allowance.

In terms of width, the standard zipper width options are 3mm or 5mm. A 3mm zipper will provide more flexibility, while a 5mm zipper will be stronger.

Lastly, consider the stop type of the zipper. For a hoodie, you will want an open-ended stop, which allows the zipper to be opened while keeping the slider in place. This will enable you to open the front of the garment fully.

Preparing the hoodie fabric

To prepare the hoodie fabric, you will need to gather the right materials and tools. These include:

• A hoodie. It is recommended to practice on a thrift store find if you are nervous about cutting up a beloved hoodie.
• A separating zipper in the same length as the front of your hoodie, or longer.
• A quarter yard of lightweight, fusible interfacing. This is optional but helps stabilize the centre of the hoodie where you will cut it.
• An iron and ironing board to attach the fusible interfacing.
• Miscellaneous sewing supplies: pins, scissors, thread in a matching colour, and either a needle or a sewing machine. Make sure you have a zipper foot for your machine.

Once you have gathered your materials, follow these steps:

Step 1: Find the Centre Line and Attach the Interfacing

First, find the imaginary line down the middle of the hoodie where the zipper will go. The top is where the two sides of the hood meet. To find the bottom, lay out the hoodie with the side seams together, and the point halfway between them is the centre bottom. Mark it with a safety pin or chalk. Turn the hoodie inside out. Cut strips of interfacing wider than the zipper (about three inches) and iron them to the centre line on the inside of the hoodie.

Step 2: Prepare the Pocket Pieces

If your hoodie has a kangaroo pocket, you will need to prepare the pocket pieces. Clean the outer edges of the pocket—the top, bottom, and pocket opening (slanted edge). Fold the cleaned edges to the reverse side and sew through them from the face side of the pocket.

Step 3: Sew the Pockets to the Front Pieces

Use pins to mark the future position of the pockets on the front pieces. The pockets must be positioned exactly the same on both sides. You can baste (temporarily stitch) the pockets to the front pieces if you are afraid they will shift when you sew them. Sew the top and bottom edges of the pockets to the front pieces, close to the edges. Be careful not to sew shut the pocket opening.

Step 4: Shoulder Seams and Reinforcement

Take the back piece and lay it face-side up. Put both front pieces on top of the back piece, with the face sides facing each other. Reinforce the shoulder seams with Lastin or strips of one-sided fusible interfacing. Pin both shoulder seams. If using fusible interfacing, sew and clean the seams. If using Lastin, place the strip on top of the pinned shoulder seam, allowing about 2 cm of the strip to protrude beyond the seam. Sew the shoulder seams without stretching the Lastin strip, then finish and cut the excess.

Step 5: Topstitch the Shoulder Seams

Press the seam allowances towards the back piece and topstitch both shoulder seams.

Step 6: Sew the Sleeves

Spread the torso part on your table and lay the first sleeve piece on top, with the face side to the face side. Pin the top of the sleeve cap to the shoulder seam. Pin the mark on the sleeve to the mark on the front piece, then pin the edges of the sleeve cap to the armhole. Sew the sleeve to the torso and clean the seam. Sew the other sleeve in the same way.

Cutting the fabric

Before you cut the fabric for your child's zipper hoodie, you'll need to gather the right tools and materials. These include a hoodie, a separating zipper, measuring and cutting tools (such as a self-healing cutting mat, metal ruler, chalk, and fabric scissors), and an iron and ironing board if you plan to attach fusible interfacing.

The first step is to find the centre line of your hoodie, which will be where the zipper goes. Mark this line with chalk or a safety pin. The top of this line is easy to find: it's where the two sides of the hood meet. The bottom is a little trickier. Lay out the hoodie with the side seams together, and the point halfway between them is the centre bottom.

If you're using fusible interfacing, cut strips that are wider than the zipper (around three inches) and iron them to the centre line on the inside of the hoodie. Don't worry if the strips are too short; just stick them next to each other.

Now you're ready to cut the fabric. Get your sharpest pair of scissors and carefully cut right up the middle of the hoodie, between the two seams you marked.

If your zipper is longer than your hoodie, you'll need to trim the excess zipper tape at the top. Don't just cut it, or the zipper pull will slide off the top. Instead, fold the tape back at a right angle and secure it with a stitch or two. Then, trim off any excess.

Attaching the zipper

Now you’re ready to attach the zipper. First, make sure your separating zipper is the same length as your centre front plus the hem band, minus the neckline seam allowance. If you need to, shorten the zipper.

Place the zipper right sides together with one of the front pieces. The zipper stop should be just below the neck seam allowance line. Baste the zipper in place. On the back of the zipper, on the other side of the tape, mark lines even with the top of the pocket and the hem band seam. Separate the zipper, then match the other half right sides together with the other front piece. Match your marks to the top of the pocket and the hem band seam. Baste this half of the zipper in place.

After the zipper is basted, zip up the hoodie to double-check that your pockets and hem band seam will match across the front. If they don’t, pull out your basting stitches and try again. If they do, unzip and then stitch each half of the zipper in place with a straight stitch close to the zipper teeth and right sides together.

Turn each half of the zipper so that the teeth face the centre. Topstitch close to the zipper teeth with a straight stitch. This will help keep the zipper tape turned to the inside of the hoodie.

Now we come to the genius of this method: cutting the front of the hoodie is the last thing you do, so you can take your time making sure that you get everything perfectly right. Try on the hoodie—the last time you’ll ever pull it over your head—and make sure that nothing went horribly wrong. Are the lines of stitching straight? Is the zipper making weird lumps on your belly? Did you sew the sleeve to the chest? Don’t be afraid to pick out the seam and try again. When you get it right, cut the front of the hoodie right up the middle, between the two seams.

Now it’s time to look at that excess zipper tape at the top (if your zipper was longer than your sweatshirt). Don’t just cut it, or else the first time you zip up your hoodie the zipper pull will slide right off the top. The simplest way to finish off the top is to fold the tape back at a right angle, and secure it in place with a stitch or two. Trim off any excess.

Finally, sew the hood pieces right sides together. Match the hood seam with the centre top of the back piece at the neckline, right sides together. Leave the casing allowance hanging past each neckline edge at the centre front. Stitch the hood to the jacket along the neckline using a stretch stitch. Wrap the hood casing amount around the top of the zipper tape at the centre front. Continue folding the hood casing all along the face edge of the hood. Stitch the casing.

Finishing the neckline

Now that you have sewn the shoulder seams, sleeves, and cuffs, it's time to finish the neckline. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: Prepare the zipper

Before attaching the zipper, you need to prepare it. Fold the top of the zipper towards the outside edge and pin it in place. Make sure the fold starts outside the neckline seam allowance. Repeat this process for the other side of the zipper.

Step 2: Attach the zipper

Now, attach the zipper to the hoodie. Place the zipper right sides together with one of the front pieces, making sure the zipper stop is just below the neck seam allowance line. Baste the zipper in place. On the other side of the zipper tape, mark lines even with the top of the pocket and the hem band seam. Separate the zipper and match the other half with the other front piece, aligning the marks with the top of the pocket and hem band seam. Baste this half in place as well.

Step 3: Check the alignment

Zip up the hoodie to check that the pockets and hem band seam match across the front. If they don't align, remove the basting stitches and try again. If they do match, unzip the zipper.

Step 4: Stitch the zipper

Stitch each half of the zipper in place. Use a straight stitch close to the zipper teeth and make sure to keep the pieces right sides together.

Step 5: Topstitch the zipper

Turn each half of the zipper so that the teeth face the centre. Topstitch close to the zipper teeth with a straight stitch. This will help keep the zipper tape turned to the inside of the hoodie.

Step 6: Attach the hood

Finally, it's time to attach the hood to the neckline. Sew the hood pieces right sides together. Match the hood seam with the centre top of the back piece at the neckline. Leave the casing allowance hanging past each neckline edge at the centre front. Stitch the hood to the jacket along the neckline using a stretch stitch.

Step 7: Finish the hood casing

Wrap the hood casing amount around the top of the zipper tape at the centre front. Continue folding the hood casing along the face edge of the hood and stitch it in place.

Now you've finished the neckline and attached the hood! You're one step closer to completing your child's zipper hoodie!

Frequently asked questions