It occurred to me a while ago that despite reaching 16 years of wedded bliss I hadn’t sewn anything for my husband AKA ‘Himself’. Actually, that’s not true, I just remembered that I made him a little dressing gown to take on his business trips. Brain fart aside, I felt a bit guilty at the lack of what I call Uniquely Designed and Created Just For You items in his wardrobe. This Blog Tour gave me the incentive to make him something for Christmas and my goal is to make him more clothes in 2018.
The Blog Tour criteria was to make a new pattern, and thought I’d make Himself a hoodie. Well, like most seamstresses I have a lot of patterns, both PDF and paper / traditional. I also have some lush French Terry from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop, which has been in my stash for at least a year or so. The French Terry is 95/5% cotton lycra, which I felt would hold its shape together longer. I haven’t sewn with French Terry before, and honestly struggled a bit identifying which was the inside and which was the outside. Of course, if I’d bothered to look back on the website (or on Simply by Ti) I’d have seen that no matter how small, the loopy side is the inside. Ho hum …
I used a Burda paper pattern, which I find to be pretty much true to size. Himself is on the shorter side but I didn’t need to alter the pattern at all: I always measure the pattern pieces to ensure the sizing is correct. My only comment on Burda patterns is that one needs to have an idea of what they mean, as the instructions are mostly pictorial or line drawings.
This pattern has two options and I sewed option B. It is a hoodie with no pockets and a HUGE cowl neck. I’m not sure why I am surprised that cowls are fabric hogs; they do look good though. I also didn’t have any matching trim for the waist and cuff bands so co-ordinated with a dark steely grey. I like the contrast – and fortunately so does he!
The pattern sewed up beautifully, the fabric handled beautifully. There was just one problem … I’d decided the fluffy side (read little loops) were the outside of the fabric. I’d attached the sleeves by the time I thought to look at other French Terry I own and discovered that probably the smooth side was the outside. I then had a wee melt down and thought about unpicking it all … and just so you know … when I sew I sew for duration. I’d used my lightning stitch AND serged / overlocked all the seams (because it looked pretty). What’s a woman to do? Well, I poured a glass of wine and made a friend’s Christmas Stocking while I pondered the options. When Himself came home I showed him a scrap of fabric and innocently asked, “Which side do you think is the outside?” He thought about it and said “this side”, which fortunately was the little loopy side. Onwards and upwards.
Probably the most fun part of making the hoodie was banging in the grommets for the neck tie to go through. Nothing like using a hammer to get rid of any stress, and pre-Christmas there was a lot of that floating about.
Himself loves the hoodie. I am thrilled it was so easy to make – even being a very slow sewer. He’d like a few more to wear when out cycling, going to and from the gym, just because etc … I am pretty chuffed to have made him something he likes. Believe me, my husband has designer tastes in clothes. Now he has his own personal designer to sew for him (when she has time!).
On that note I wish you a fabulous 2018. Sew or play away your January Blues and have fun, wherever you are!
Sunday, January 14th: Sew Like a Sloth
15th Sewing With Sarah
Sunday January 28th: Sew Haute Blog
Sew Far North 
I made my husband a denim sport coat the first year we were married, which would be 44 years ago. He loved it, but he got too demanding of my sewing time so I “forgot” how to sew for men. 😉
Roberta
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Such a great idea to sew for your husband! And awesome that he loves it! I need to get in and make my husband a whole bunch of pajama pants. He is always blowing out the knees in his rtw ones!
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I can recommend the 5 out of 4 pj’s. Happy sewing
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I made those for him last time but he really wants ones with a fly front, so I think I’ll try a pair I have in a burda magazine. But sewing from burda magazine always makes me a bit nervous lol.
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The Burda paper pattern I used is 6718. Go for it! Fly fronts aren’t hard; just take your time
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I loved your post!!! You did a great job even if it was sewn on the wrong side of the fabric. You inspired me to sew something for my husband and I think he would like this one!! Did you get this pattern from the magazine or online Burda ? I can identify with having a meltdown after putting so much work into a garment! Great job 😀
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Thank you so much.
It is Burda 6718. A paper pattern
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Thank you!
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I wish my husband was patient enough for me to sew for him. He tends to he picky about handmades (fabric choice and style but not so much on store bought), I’d love to sew more for him though. Maybe if I show him this
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