T-Shirt To Hoodie: Diy Guide

Turning a T-shirt into a hoodie is a fun and creative way to upcycle old clothing. This DIY project requires some basic sewing skills and tools, such as a sewing machine, scissors, and pins. You can use two old T-shirts to create a unique hoodie, customising the colour, pattern, and style to suit your taste. The process involves carefully cutting and sewing the T-shirts to form the body, sleeves, and hood of the hoodie, with optional additions like pockets, wristbands, and a zipper. With time and patience, you can transform your old T-shirts into a fashionable and functional hoodie.

Cut up the T-shirt

To cut up the T-shirt, first, cut open the T-shirt from the side. You can also cut along the seam up either side and around the sleeve. Next, cut out a T-shirt shape from old newspaper, which will be your pattern. For the front piece, take the neckline down a little bit. Then, draw a hood shape. You can watch a video tutorial to help you draw the neckline of the hood. Now, place the back and front patterns on the T-shirt, pin it, and cut it off.

Cut down the centre of the front piece for the zipper. You can also cut the sleeves off of the second shirt, and lay them out flat next to the body of the shirt. Draw a chalk line from where the armhole is and taper it down to the ends of the sleeves, then sew on the chalk line and trim the excess fabric. Now, cut two pieces for the hood. The top straight edge should be half the distance of the neck measurement. Flip the two pieces so they are right sides together and sew from corner to corner along the curved side.

You can also cut a strip of fabric for the binding for the edge of the hood. Put the edge of the hood inside the binding and sew it on. You can also cut two pieces for the pocket from the second shirt. Flip the two pieces so they are right sides together and sew around the edges, leaving a little space to flip it right side out.

Sew the hood

Now it's time to make the hood! Start by measuring the neck hole of the shirt. Then, cut two pieces of fabric in a semi-circle shape. The top straight edge of the semi-circle should be half the distance of the neck measurement you've just taken. Place the two pieces with their right sides together and sew from corner to corner along the curved side, leaving the "neckline" edge open.

Next, you're going to make a binding for the edge of the hood. Cut a 2-inch strip of fabric long enough to go all the way around the opening of the hood. Fold it in half and press, then bring each edge up to the middle crease line and press again. Put the edge of the hood inside the binding so that it's sandwiched inside, and sew the binding on.

If you don't have enough fabric to cut a long enough piece, you can make two separate pieces and sew them to each side of the hood before sewing the two hood pieces together.

Now, attach the hood to the neck hole of the shirt, first lining up the hood so it's centred with the shirt. Sew it down, and you're done with the hood!

Attach the hood to the T-shirt

Now that you have your hood ready, it's time to attach it to the T-shirt. This is where patience and pins come into play. First, take your T-shirt base and turn it inside out. Next, take your hood piece and turn it right side out (so that if you were looking at it, it would look like a normal hood, with the sewn edge of the fabric on the inside of the hood).

Now, take the bottom edge of the hood, which is facing right side out, and line it up with the open edge of the collar on the backside of the T-shirt (the backside being where the collar would run along your back if you were wearing it). You will start by lining it along the backside of the shirt until you have lined it up all the way along the front collar. All you need to do is make sure the bottom edge of the hood lines up along the top edge of the open collar. Don't worry if the hood doesn't meet all the way in the front.

Now, keeping the two edges lined up together, push the hood down into the opening of the collar so it turns inside out. It will now have a bowl-like appearance when looking down at it. Take your pins and pin the two edges together. Then, sew them together. You can use a sewing machine or sew by hand. Once again, it doesn't have to be technically perfect, just somewhat close.

When you are finished sewing, trim the long threads and flip your shirt inside out. And there you have it! You've successfully attached the hood to your T-shirt.

Cut and attach sleeves

Firstly, lay your t-shirt flat on a surface, and smooth out any creases. Then, place your hoodie/sleeve shirt on top of the t-shirt, and cut around the sleeve, keeping close to the seam. Repeat this process for the other sleeve.

Now, place your hoodie/sleeve shirt on a flat surface, and cut off the sleeves by making a straight cut across the sleeve, close to the armpit. This will be the point at which you attach your new sleeves.

Take your t-shirt and place it on a flat surface. Cut the sleeves off, cutting as close as possible to the seam. You should now have two separate sleeves.

Place one of the t-shirt sleeves on top of the hoodie/sleeve shirt, lining up the edges and armpit areas. Pin the sleeve in place, and sew along the pinned edge. Repeat this process for the other sleeve.

Your new sleeves are now attached!

Add a zipper

Turning a T-shirt into a hoodie is a fun and creative way to upcycle your clothing. Here is a step-by-step guide to adding a zipper to your creation:

Materials:

First, gather your materials. You will need a zipper, preferably a separating zipper that is the same length as the front of your hoodie or longer. You will also need a quarter yard of lightweight, fusible interfacing, which is a thin fabric that will stabilise the centre of the hoodie where you will be cutting. Other supplies include pins, scissors, thread that matches your T-shirt, and either a needle or a sewing machine. If you are using a sewing machine, make sure you have a zipper foot attachment.

Find the Centre Line:

Before you start cutting, you need to find the centre line of your T-shirt where the zipper will go. The top of the centre line is where the two sides of the hood meet. To find the bottom, lay out the T-shirt with the side seams together, and the point halfway between them is the centre bottom. Mark the centre line with a safety pin or chalk.

Prepare the Interfacing:

Cut strips of interfacing about three inches wide, or wider than your zipper. Iron these strips onto the centre line on the inside of the T-shirt. Don't worry if the strips are too short; just place them next to each other.

Pin and Sew the Zipper:

Now, it's time to attach the zipper. With the T-shirt inside out, pin the zipper down, making sure it is straight and the fabric is neither bunched nor stretched. The zipper should be face down, so the pull is accessible when the hoodie is finished. Before sewing, make sure to attach a zipper foot to your sewing machine, as this will allow you to get close to the zipper teeth. Double-check that the machine is set for a straight stitch.

Stitch the Zipper:

Turn the T-shirt right side out and stitch down the zipper tape, leaving about a quarter-inch space between the stitching and the zipper teeth. This space will allow the zipper pull to move freely without getting caught in the fabric.

Cut the Fabric:

Now, it's time to cut the fabric. Carefully cut right up the middle of the T-shirt, between the two seams. If your zipper is longer than your T-shirt, don't cut the excess zipper tape; instead, fold it back at a right angle and secure it with a stitch to prevent the zipper pull from sliding off.

And there you have it! You've successfully added a zipper to your T-shirt-turned-hoodie. Enjoy your new creation!

Frequently asked questions