Children's Comfy Cowl Hoodie

Comfy Cowl Hoodie

Difficulty Level = Advanced Beginner

This easy to sew hoodie pattern is super comfy and cosy. It’s perfect to wear around the house or for going out. Add an optional front pocket and hood cord or use contrasting fabric for the hood and pocket to give it that extra wow factor.

Our Facebook group is a great place to get help, share your tips and creations! We are a friendly bunch, and we love to help and see what you have made.

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Newborn – 12yrs

Size Chart

This pattern is drafted to the sizes listed below. If your child is between sizes, choose the larger size and adjust the pattern to remove the extra width/height to achieve the intended fit.

Finished Measurements (Inches)

• Measure, measure, measure – Please measure your model and check their measurements against BOTH the size chart and the finished garment measurements. Sizes vary country to country and the sizing may match what you’re expecting, or it may not. To ensure you get the best fit, please use the size you fall into on our size chart, rather than what size you’ve worn in ready to wear clothing.
• Picking your size and blending – Pick your size from the chest measurement in the size chart. If your measurements fall into different sizes, use the layers feature to print those sizes. Then, grade between the sizes by drawing a smooth line from the size for your chest measurement to the size for your waist, then to the size for your hip measurement. Continue to the hem using your hip measurement size. If you need to adjust for height, e.g., if your child measures a size 5-6 chest and a 7-8 length. You’ll print both sizes, cut the 5-6 size with the length of the 7-8 so that the pattern will be long enough. If your child is nearer the bottom measurement for height you will need to remove length from the bodice and sleeves hem.
• Muslin – To ensure you get the best fit, sew a muslin. A muslin is a test version of the pattern in an inexpensive fabric. To make a muslin for this hoodie:
  • Check the fabric recommendations and use a fabric with the same properties as your final one. You do not need to cut out and sew the full garment. 
  • Cut out the following and label each piece with tailor’s chalk / fabric pen: Front, Back and Sleeves. Baste these together using a ⅜ inch seam allowance.
  • Try on. If happy with the fit, continue to the final garment.
  • If you feel the fit needs adjusting for your personal shape, turn the muslin inside out and try on again.
  • Adjust the seams with pins until you are happy and then baste.
  • Trim your new seam allowances to ⅜ inch and pull out your basting stitches.
  • Use these bits of fabric as your pattern pieces instead of the original pattern pieces. Continue to sew your final garment.
  • Make sure to keep your adjusted pattern pieces. It is like having a tailor-made garment, so they are a valuable addition to your pattern library in case you wish to make more!
• If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources on our Pinterest Sewing Fitting Advice board.  

• Hoodie fabric – Your hoodie fabric needs to be a stretch/knit fabric. It can be any weight however best results & fit will be achieved with a medium weight fabric. Great examples are sweater knits, medium weight jersey, stretch fleece and stretch French terry. Do not use a woven fabric.
  • You can use light weight knits/stretch fabrics for this hoodie. However, if the fabric is very light-weight, it may result in a ‘wavy’ type appearance around the hood opening when the hood is up. As the hood piece is cut on the bias, lighter weight fabric has a tendency to pull out of shape slightly. Medium-weight/heavier fabric will help the hood keep its shape while up.
  • For fabric with less stretch (for the hoodie, and/or hood lining) such as regular fleece, you will need to cut & sew a size up in the size chart from the one your child would usually wear. If you use their regular size, you may find the hoodie a little snug and/or it is difficult to get the neckline seam of the finished hoodie over the child’s head. 
• Ribbing – The ribbing fabric is for the cuffs and waistband only. As per the last column above, you will only need a narrow strip of ribbing if your ribbing fabric is full width.
  • Sizes newborn to 3-4 years – Your ribbing needs to stretch at least 50% for the cuffs to fit and easily go over the child’s hands when finished (hold a piece of your ribbing up to a ruler, pull it along the stretch and see if it stretches at least 1.5 times its length). If you plan to use the same fabric as your hoodie, or any other stretch/ribbing fabric, you will need to lengthen the cuffs, so they are wider. 
  • Sizes 5-6 to 11-12 years – You can either use the same fabric as your hoodie, or any ribbing.
• Fabric quantities – If you’d like your hoodie to be all the same fabric/color, use the fabric requirements in the first column above only. If you’d like a contrasting hood/pocket, then follow the middle two columns only. You do not need to get all three columns worth of fabric!

Fabric Requirements 60 inches/150 cm wide (in YARDS)

* If you are using a narrower fabric, a directional print, or a fabric with nap you may need more.
** Make sure to wash, dry, and press all fabrics before cutting out in case they shrink.

You will also need:

• Thread to match

Tools needed are, sewing machine, pins, scissors, tape measure or ruler. Serger/overlocker is optional but not required.

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Cutting Charts – All pattern pieces are included, however if you prefer to cut using a cutting chart, the dimensions for the rectangular pieces (in INCHES) are below: 

Cutting Checklist: 

• Front – Cut 1 on the fold
• Back – Cut 1 on the fold 
• Sleeves – Cut 2 (1x mirror image pair)
• Hood – Cut 2 on the fold 
  • NOTE – If you want the inside of the hood to be a contrast color, cut one from your main hoodie fabric, and one from your contrast color. If you would like them both the same, cut both from your hoodie fabric.
• Cuffs – Cut 2 
  • For sizes newborn to 3-4 years – If you are using ribbing with at least 50% stretch, cut the Cuffs exactly as per the pattern pieces. If you are using ribbing with less stretch, or a regular knit/stretch fabric, you need to add 1 inch in width to the pattern piece. In the diagram to the right the shaded piece is the extra 1 inch added in width.
  • For sizes 5- 6 to 11-12 years – Cut out the Cuffs exactly as per the pattern pieces.
• Waistband – Cut 1 on the fold 
• OPTIONAL Pocket – Cut 2 on the fold
  • NOTE – If you want the inside (or outside) of the Pocket to be a contrast color, cut one from your main hoodie fabric, and one from your contrast color. If you would like them both the same, cut both from your hoodie fabric.

To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternatively, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges. 

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.
From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting.

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Top stitching is two rows at ⅛ and ¼ inch (can be done with double needle)

Sewing –

1. OPTIONAL POCKET – Place the Pocket Front and Pocket Lining pieces with the right side of the fabrics together. Serge/stitch all the way around the sides and top. Leave the long bottom edge open. Trim the seam allowance and cut the corners of the Pocket off. Turn the Pocket right side out and press. Top stitch across both diagonals only. Top stitch the Pocket sides and top to the Hoodie front, matching up stitching with your top stitching of the diagonals.
2. BODY – Pin the Front and Back Bodice pieces with the right sides of the fabric together at shoulder seams. Stitch/serge the shoulder. Pin the Bodice sides with the right sides of the fabric together. Stitch/serge the Bodice sides.
3. ARMS – For each Sleeve, fold the Sleeve in half, right sides together. Stitch/serge each side seam. With the Bodice wrong side out and the Sleeves right side out, pin each Sleeve into the armhole on the body so they are right sides together. Serge/stitch together (ease stitch the Sleeve caps if necessary, for them to fit nicely).
4. CUFFS – Fold both Cuffs lengthwise right side to right side.  Stitch/serge to create a tube.  Fold each Cuff in half wrong side to wrong side along the fold line as mark on the pattern piece. Working from the right side of the Sleeve, place one folded Cuff on to the end of the Sleeve so that the raw edges of the Cuff and Sleeve meet. Align the Cuff seams with the Sleeve seam and match the quarter points. Stitch/serge while stretching the Cuff gently to match the Sleeve.  
5. WAISTBAND – Repeat step 4 with the Waistband piece to attach it to the body.
6. HOOD – Fold each Hood piece in half, right side to right side, and stitch/serge the center back seam. Place the one Hood piece inside the other one so they are right side to right side. Top stitch the top edge of the Hood. Stitch/serge the Hood piece and Hood lining along the top seam. Turn the body wrong side out and the Hood right side out. Place the Hood inside the body of the garment. Pin the raw edges of the Hood to the neckline of the body. Gently stretch your fabric so it all meets nicely. Stitch/serge the neckline seam.

Congratulations, your Comfy Cowl Hoodie is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

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