Fall Into Fall Fashion With Sweatshirt Redesign
Once again, it's the time of year when we anticipate that the days will grow shorter, and we savor the lingering summer heat. Our thoughts turn to fall sewing projects, but nothing too complicated to take us away from fruitful fall activities.

One of my favorite late-summer sewing projects is to redesign a sweatshirt. It's a great project for all skill levels. Whether you are brand new to sewing and want to experiment, or if you have sewn for years, you'll love having a knit base to start your sewing project.

Sweatshirt Redesign Materials
It's hard to do an all-inclusive list for sweatshirt redesign, so I thought I'd let you in on some of my collection of trims, notions and other materials for a successful sweatshirt redo.

Besides the obvious choice of a prewashed sweatshirt in your size, use a polyester-cotton blend thread because this thread choice will stretch with the knit fabric. A ballpoint needle is a better choice of needle, because the rounded ball on the end of the needle will slip between the knit stitches of the sweatshirt fabric. However, when adding appliques or embroidery as embellishments, I prefer to use a size 90 sharp.

For stabilizing hems, cuffs or necklines, use a fusible tricot or knit interfacing. Apply the interfacing with the tip of your iron, taking care to not extend beyond the interfacing. If your ironing-board pad is worn, place a terry cotton towel between the sweatshirt and board. The extra padding from the towel will help to prevent distortion of the knit stitches on the sweatshirt as you press.

For seaming, I love to use my serger for these types of projects. A serger seam is great for knits because of the stitch formation. The seam will stretch with the fabric. And if your tension is set properly, you'll have no stitch show-through on the front side of sweatshirt. To stabilize sweatshirt seams when no stretch is desired (shoulders), serge over twill tape. I place the twill tape between the serger presser foot and the fabric, being sure to catch the tape with both serger needles.

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Sweatshirt Embellishments
Applique adds interest to your sweatshirt redesigns, but may distort the knit fabric if it is not done correctly on a knit fabric. For a successful sweatshirt applique, start with a medium weight double-sided iron-on adhesive. Take care to use an adhesive that can be stitched through. Some of the heavy weight adhesives will gum up your needle as you sew, or will stretch the fabric as you iron the applique to the sweatshirt.

Use the tip of your iron to press the applique to the fabric, taking care that the applique lies flat against the sweatshirt, and the sweatshirt is supported by the ironing board. A draping sweatshirt can cause the fabric to pull, and fusing on top of the pulled fabric will set the pull, resulting in an ill-fitting redesign. I use a small tabletop ironing board set on a counter to avoid the "pull" problem.

As an alternative to satin-stitching around your applique, try using fabric paint as an accent edge for your redesign. Apply the fabric paint around the outside edge of the applique for instant sealing and additional color. Another simple alternative is to use a straight stitch on your sewing machine. I use a short stitch length with matching or contrasting thread. Stray threads can be easily clipped with applique scissors.

Be creative when adding embellishments. Use odds and ends of trims for neckline finishes, use old jeans for cuffs and collars, and add a scattering of buttons for interest.

And as always, wear, enjoy and create.

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Sweatshirts With a Twist
For more inspirational sweatshirt fun, check out Sweatshirts With a Twist pattern book. This 50-page pattern book has 12 sensational sweatshirt redesign ideas, plus more information about how to adapt a sweatshirt into wearable art. Visit: Clotilde.com for more information.

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No-Sweat Denim
I'm sure this simple sweatshirt redesign will get you inspired to stitch your own piece of wearable art.

No-Sweat Denim Design by Julie Johnson Use the legs from an old pair of jeans to transform a sweatshirt into a causal jacket. Finished Size Your size Materials Demin jeans Sweatshirt in your size Fat quarter coordinating fabric 1/8 yard 60-inch-wide fusible tricot interfacing 2 no-sew snaps 2 sets hook-and-eye closures Water-soluble thread Water-soluble tape Fusible tape Assorted coordinating buttons Basic sewing supplies and equipment Instructions 1. Prewash and dry the sweatshirt. Determine the center front of the sweatshirt by placing wrong sides together and matching shoulder seams at neck intersection. Pin side seams from the bottom rib to the beginning of the armscye. Lay the sweatshirt flat; lightly pat toward center front (Figure 1). Mark center front at neck and lower rib edges. 2. Turn the sweatshirt to the wrong side. Slide a narrow mat between the sweatshirt front and back. Use a long ruler to connect markings and mark with marking pen or chalk. Prior to cutting, stabilize each side of the center front with water-soluble tape positioned 1/4 inch from the centerline (Figure 2). Use a long ruler and rotary cutter to open center front. Turn sweatshirt to right side. 3. Set sewing machine to a narrow zigzag. Staystitch 1/8 inch from the ribbing on the sweatshirt fabric with water-soluble thread to stabilize the neck, cuff and waist edges before removing ribbing. Trim ribbing using a 5-inch embroidery scissors by clipping between staystitching and ribbing (Figure 2). Assembly Note: Use 1/4-inch seam allowance throughout. 1. Face the back of the sweatshirt by placing the sweatshirt flat with the front open. Place paper behind the back neck and draw the back neck curve. Trim. Place paper pattern on top of the inside shirt back. Measure about 5 inches down the center back and draw a semicircular shape to the shoulder seam, leaving a 1-inch width from the neck point (Figure 3). Shape shoulder seams. Use paper template to cut facing from denim. Fuse tricot interfacing to the wrong side of denim. 2. From fat quarter of coordinating fabric cut 35 inches total of 1 1/2-inch-wide strips on the bias. Sew the strips together by placing wrong sides together to make an L and sew diagonally (Figure 4). Trim and finger-press seam to one side. Fold in half lengthwise with wrong sides together; press. Fold raw edges to meet at center fold and press to make bias tape. Note: Try using the Clover Bias Tape Maker to make bias tape. 3. Place bias tape on wrong side of back facing, matching raw edges. Stitch into place. Fold tape over back facing. Fold raw edge under and sew in place. Lightly apply temporary spray adhesive to the wrong side of the facing and position along the neck seam. Topstitch back facing into place. 4. Cut a 1 x 5-inch piece of denim for back loop. Sew by folding in half with wrong sides together and turning raw edges under. Press. Topstitch on each side. Fold back loop in half, and position in the center back of sweatshirt; press (Figure 5). Stitch into place. 5. Measure the length around the bottom of the sweatshirt; divide by two and add 1/2 inch. Cut two 3-inch-wide strips of denim this length for hem strips. With right sides facing, sew the two hem strips of denim together along one short side. Press seam open. Fold hem strip in half, wrong sides together, matching long edges. Press. Open fold to apply fusible tape on the wrong side of one long edge of the hem strip. Using your serger or sewing machine, edge-finish the edge of the hem strip over the tape. 6. With right sides together and raw edges even, serge or stitch the unfinished edge of the hem strip to the lower edge of the sweatshirt. Lightly press seam toward the hem strip. Refold hem strip and press finished edge into place on the wrong side of the sweatshirt. Trim center front edges even. Topstitch top edge of hem strip. 7. Measure the length of the center front opening and add 2 inches. From denim, cut two 3-inch-wide strips this length for center front facings. On the wrong side of each front facing, apply fusible tape on one edge; edge-finish as before. Turn lower edge of front facing under 1/4 inch. Match turned edge of front facing to lower edge of hem facing with right sides together and serge or stitch the unfinished edge of the front facing to the center front of the sweatshirt. Trim upper edge of front facing to match sweatshirt neck edge. Lightly press seam toward the front facing. Fold facing to wrong side and press into place. Double-topstitch center and serged edge. 8. Measure the neck edge and add 1/2 inch. Cut a 2 1/2-inch-wide strip from denim this length for neck binding. Press one long edge of binding under 1/4 inch. Press the other edge under 1/2 inch. Position the end of neck binding 1/4 inch past the center front facing with the right side of the binding against the wrong side of the sweatshirt and the pressed 1/2-inch line along the raw edge of the neckline. Pin binding to the neckline, taking care to not distort the neckline and to cover the raw edges of the back loop. Extend the neck binding past the opposite center front by 1/4 inch (Figure 6). Sew the binding to the neckline. Clip neckline as needed to lie flat. Lightly press neckline facing over the raw edges. Note: You may need to steam neckline for shaping. Fold neck binding to the right side of the sweatshirt. 9. Turn under 1/4-inch binding ends even with center fronts. Fold binding over raw edge to the front of the sweatshirt and topstitch along folded edge, taking care to catch the extended ends in the seam. 10. Cut two denim strips each 1 1/2 x 8 inches for sleeve placket bindings. To make the placket opening, measure 1 inch from the sleeve seam on the back side of the sweatshirt sleeve. Using the knit stitches in the sleeve as a guide, draw a straight line 3 inches long on the sleeve with a marking pen (Figure 7). Note: The straight line will not run parallel to the sleeve seam. Cut open. 11. Fold sleeve placket binding in half with wrong sides together. Turn raw edges under to center fold. Position right side of placket binding against the wrong side of the placket opening. Pin together with the center of the placket opening barely catching on the binding (Figure 8). Sew a scant 1/4-inch seam, angling seam toward the center of the placket opening (Figure 9).   12. Fold placket binding to right side of placket opening catching the raw edges of the placket in the fold. Topstitch into place. Crease center placket binding and sew diagonally on the binding fold. 13. Measure the length of the cuff opening and add 1/2 inch. Cut two 5-inch-wide pieces of denim this length for cuffs. Fold each cuff in half with right sides together. Stitch short seams. Clip corners and turn cuff to right side. With raw edges even, place right side of one cuff layer against the wrong side of the sleeve, and sew cuff to sleeve. Lightly press seam into cuff. 14. Fold under remaining cuff raw edge. Pin folded edge of the cuff to the right side of sleeve. Topstitch into place. Continue topstitching around remaining three edges of each cuff. Finishing 1. Mark placement of snaps on cuffs. Follow manufacturer's instructions for attaching. 2. Sew two hook-and-eye sets to neckline binding for front closure. 3. Arrange and sew buttons to front in a pleasing design. Sources: Snaps from Snap Source, Wash-A-Way Wonder Tape, Wash-A-Way thread, Fray Block, Sullivan's Quilt Basting Spray, Clover Bias Tape Maker, Clover Pen-Style Chaco Liners, Water-Erasable Blue Marking Pen from Clotilde.com. From Designer Denim. Copyright © 2010 DRG. 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