Lapped Front Infant Hoodie: Tutorial and Pattern

Last year during Top-toberfest I had a newborn baby.  I made him the sweetest little sweatshirt, made up a pattern, and then it never found it's way into the series.  So, one year later, I'm finally sharing it with you.  Unfortunately a few of the tutorial photos were deleted from my computer, so I'll do the best to fill in the gaps.

I loved this sweatshirt for a newborn.  The lapped front, allows you to pull the sweatshirt off an on with ease.  No zippers, no buttons, no snaps.  Easy on, easy off, and a relatively happy baby (what baby really loves having their clothes changed).

This sweatshirt pattern is gender neutral-hooray.  I made a really basic sweatshirt with the materials that I had on hand, but you could really dress it up with pockets, buttons, trims, etc.

What you'll need:
Printable Infant Hoodie pattern 0-3 months
1 yard of sweatshirt fleece (estimate...I used a remnant piece).
Ribbed Knit for arm bands, and waist band
Sewing supplies

*Lining pieces can be cut out of contrast knit fabric if desired
Cut a three inch strip of ribbed knit for arm bands, and a 4 inch strip for the waistband

Cut out pattern pieces according to pattern instructions.

Place hood pieces, and hood lining pieces right sides together.  Pin along the outside curve.  Sew together.  Notch the curve to ease fabric for turning.

Press seams open.

Place hood and lining pieces right sides together, match up seams, and pin along the inside curve.  

Stitch, and clip curve.

Turn hood pieces right sides out.  Press.  Topstitch along the new seam.  Stay stitch along the bottom raw edges of the hood to secure pieces for attachment.

Stitch 1/8" away from either side of the center hood seam to secure hood and lining. Contrast stitching anyone?

Take your front sweatshirt pieces, and your back sweatshirt piece, and sew together at shoulder seams.

Attach the hood to the sweatshirt. Match up the center hood seam with the center of the sweatshirt back. Right sides of fabric should face each other.  

Pin along the remaining tails of the hood, as you near the ends of the tails, angle the tails down so that the topstitched edge curves into the seam. Stitch in place.

Better picture?  Press seam down. The hood tails will not meet up with the side seams.

Topstitch hood seam down.

Next, cross the front pieces over one another. Pin along side edges and bottom edge.  The back sweatshirt piece should not be pinned at this point.

 Secure layers by stitching 1/8 inch away from raw edges.

Place right sides of sweatshirt front and back together.  Match up side seams.  Sew side seams.

Next for the sleeves.  You can attach the ribbed knit however you'd like.  sewing cuffs in the round on infant clothing isn't my favorite, so I used a cheater method.

First off, you need to measure the width of the bottom of the sleeve (because I've misplaced my notes).  You will cut your strip of ribbed knit into two  pieces that are 3/4 as long as the width of your sleeves. Once your strips are cut, press the ribbed knit in half. Find the center point of the sleeves and the ribbing.  Pin in place, right sides together, matching up raw edges. Stretch the ribbed knit to the length of the sleeves.  Pin and stitch.

 Press seam up, top stitch 1/8" away from seam to secure seam.

Now we enter the NO PICTURE ZONE. 

borrowed from separate tutorial

You are going to finish your sleeves, and set them in.  If you've sewn shirts before, it's just the same as we usually do it.  Fold the sleeve in half, sew along the length of the sleeve (bottom left).  Turn the body of the sweatshirt inside out.  Insert the sleeve (right side out), into the body of the sweatshirt, cuff first. Match up the center of the sleeve with the shoulder seam (bottom right).  Pin.  Match up the sleeve seam with the side sweatshirt seam.  Pin. Right sides of the sleeve and sweatshirt should be facing each other.  Starting at the side seam, sew around the sleeve, stretching fabric as needed, to evenly distribute fabric.  Repeat on remaining sleeve.  

Attach the waistband to the sweatshirt.  

Measure the circumference of the bottom of the sweatshirt.  Cut your ribbed knit down to 3/4 the length of the circumference, plus 3/4" for seam allowance.  Match up short ends of ribbing, stitch 3/8 inch away from raw edges.  Press seam open.  Fold the ribbing in half, reducing the width of the waistband by half. You should now have a loop of ribbing, with raw edges matched up.  Attach the waistband to the bottom of the sweatshirt by matching right sides, and raw edges.  Find quarter points on both waistband and ribbing.  Match up quarter points.  Stitch in place, stretching ribbing to equal the length of the sweatshirt material.  Press seam up.  Topstitch waistband seam.

 Enjoy.  Perfect for Fall, Winter, and Spring babies.

...do your best to try to mach up those cuffs when sewing the sleeves...