I was amazed how easily this hoodie came together! I was expecting it to be a lot more complicated when I saw all the various pieces, but the directions were clear and easy to follow. I finished it over the course of a couple evenings, a very reasonable amount of time for such a great garment :)
MAKE SURE YOUR SWEATSHIRT FLEECE HAS STRETCH! The first time I went out for fabric I got this great navy blue "Sweatshirt Fleece" from Joann's, washed it, and cut it out only to realize that it had 0% stretch! Apparently all sweatshirt fleece is not alike, as I painfully realized ($$$ down the drain). I was so frustrated that I almost gave up on the project.
The fit of this hoodie is great, especially for slim guys like my hubs. I made a size Small and it fit almost perfectly - it's a little tight at the chest but remember, this was test version. The finished product pics look looser. All the seams lined up perfectly, which is key in a lighter-colored fabric. I also love the look of the hood, with the contrast color of the wrong side of the fleece. FUN!
As if the sewing pattern wasn't enough, Mari also includes fun facts about avocados, a recipe, and a printable pattern envelope! I had a little trouble putting this together, but now there is a handy dandy video tutorial! She really thought about every last detail with this pattern.
My overall take on this pattern was: AMAZING! Not only it is a great fit and well drafted, but it is also quite affordable and supports independent business in our sweet home Chicago! I can get excited about that. In the end the most important thing is, did the hubs like it? He says "Definitely!" and as hoodies are his all-time favorite, this will be getting tons of wear! Now I just need one to match :)
It's most distinctive feature is the back pockets. As Mari describes it:
"Back pockets allow your partner to slip their hand in while walking with an arm around you."
Seriously. How cute is that. A good way to keep my always-freezing-cold-hands warm. Someone was thinking!
Other features include front pockets finished with tabs, long sleeve cuffs with a thumb opening, and two hood variations - overlapping or non - depending on how warm you want the hoodie to be. I thought the fabric I used would be a little too stiff for the overlapping hood, which is recommended for drapey fabrics. Speaking of fabric...
"Back pockets allow your partner to slip their hand in while walking with an arm around you."
Seriously. How cute is that. A good way to keep my always-freezing-cold-hands warm. Someone was thinking!
Other features include front pockets finished with tabs, long sleeve cuffs with a thumb opening, and two hood variations - overlapping or non - depending on how warm you want the hoodie to be. I thought the fabric I used would be a little too stiff for the overlapping hood, which is recommended for drapey fabrics. Speaking of fabric...
MAKE SURE YOUR SWEATSHIRT FLEECE HAS STRETCH! The first time I went out for fabric I got this great navy blue "Sweatshirt Fleece" from Joann's, washed it, and cut it out only to realize that it had 0% stretch! Apparently all sweatshirt fleece is not alike, as I painfully realized ($$$ down the drain). I was so frustrated that I almost gave up on the project.
Thankfully later that week was our Chicago Bloggers Meet-Up, where I got to hang out with THE Mari herself and found some great new fabric. This stretchy sweatshirt fleece is from Vogue fabrics in Evanston and has a avocado green right side and cobalt blue fleece wrong side! I loved the color combo - you can even see bright blue flecks in the green fabric.
The fit of this hoodie is great, especially for slim guys like my hubs. I made a size Small and it fit almost perfectly - it's a little tight at the chest but remember, this was test version. The finished product pics look looser. All the seams lined up perfectly, which is key in a lighter-colored fabric. I also love the look of the hood, with the contrast color of the wrong side of the fleece. FUN!
As if the sewing pattern wasn't enough, Mari also includes fun facts about avocados, a recipe, and a printable pattern envelope! I had a little trouble putting this together, but now there is a handy dandy video tutorial! She really thought about every last detail with this pattern.
My overall take on this pattern was: AMAZING! Not only it is a great fit and well drafted, but it is also quite affordable and supports independent business in our sweet home Chicago! I can get excited about that. In the end the most important thing is, did the hubs like it? He says "Definitely!" and as hoodies are his all-time favorite, this will be getting tons of wear! Now I just need one to match :)
