How to make a kids' hoodie

1. Materials & tools

Materials (size 110 cm)

• Main fabric (French terry or sweatshirt fleece) — about 150 cm wide × 110 cm (59 × 43 in)
• Ballpoint machine needle and stretch thread
• Optional: ribbing for the cuffs and hem

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Kids' clothes” → “Kids' hoodie” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter chest, length, shoulder width, sleeve length, cuff width, hood height and ease. Presets cover 90–130 cm.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Trace the front, back, sleeves and hood.
2. Cut
   Cut one front and one back on the fold, two sleeves and two hood pieces.
3. Finish the edges
   Optional on knit.

4. Sewing

4-1. Shoulders and sleeves

1. Sew both shoulder seams with a stretch stitch.
2. Match the center of each sleeve head to the shoulder seam and sew the sleeves in.

4-2. Sides and underarms

1. Sew from the cuff along the underarm and down to the hem in one continuous line.

4-3. Make and attach the hood

1. Sew the two hood pieces right sides together along the curved back edge.
2. Turn the front edge of the hood under twice and stitch.
3. Pin the lower edge of the hood to the neckline and sew all the way around.

4-4. Cuffs and hem

1. Turn the cuffs and hem under and finish with a stretch stitch, or attach ribbing stretched slightly as you sew.

✏️ Children put clothes under real strain. Backstitch over the underarm and side junctions — those two points are where a home-made garment gives way first.

5. Tips & variations

• Size up: children grow fast. Making the next size and turning back the cuffs buys you a year.
• No drawcord: hood cords are a strangulation hazard on playground equipment. Leave them off for small children.
• Add a name tag: stitched inside the hem, it saves the lost property box.