Upgrade From a Boring Hoodie to a Hoodie Dress! 

I think the whole "it doesn't get that cold here, why take it seriously?" thing those of us in warmer climates are always told is kind of silly. I heard it all my life from my parents when I lived in South Texas and believed them, but then I was freezing cold every winter! Prep for the cold you feel, not the temperature other people think is cold. I know we likely won't get a real freeze this winter, and my husband will probably be in a tee shirt, but I'm still bundling my anemic ass up. Get cozy!

if the velvety fabric is on a knit base, it's velour, on a woven base, it's velvet. Then each of those get their own adjective, like crushed, stretch, embossed (Minky bubble dots), devoure, panne, etc.

Gotta say, I absolutely love how you do the subtitles (not deaf, just have sensory processing issues). You manage to get your personality through very clearly through text and your written sound effects are hilarious. Also, just in case this was a serious question and not just checking if anyone uses subtitles, absolutely keep the theme. It's so fun and fits your channel style very well.

When you said you were going to tackle the sleeve "the proper way" the video immediately cut to an ad that started with people screaming very loudly... that was quite entertaining 😂

Ok, here I go giving up my age. I worked at Sears in the housewares department when the mushroom canisters were new. It was my first job and I was engaged to be married.

If you make the cuffs a lace-up closure and lace it with elastic cord, it would be not only handy but it would fit the elven cloak vibe!

Suggestions for the next version (and to finalize this one) 1.When you cut the front pocket, make the bottom less flat. That will give it a little more room for your hands and not pull up the bottom of the dress. 1-1. Also, sew top and sides of the pocket, and leave bottom open for turning. Then lay it downwards on the front and sew with raw edges inside the pocket. Only need to topstitch to hold the top edge on that way. 2. Make a second hood and sew all the exposed edges together begore attaching. Sew the outer on onto the body of dress and hand stitch the lining one onto the underside of the seam allowance. (Can do this with current dress. Make a second hood and hand sew it on.) 3. Cuffs. Play with your fabric and whatever direction has the most stretch should be the line that goes around your arm.

Seriously, who wants somebody doing "things properly" if you have you? Plenty of tutorials on the internet but none are as charming and spontaneous as you are. And magically everything is kinda working 😂😂😂😂 I love your channel, your dresses and your randomness.

You are one Closet Historian binge watch away from realizing you pretty much did the sleeve thing the proper way. Edit: the secret to very stretchy but close fitting sleeves is using cuff fabric. It's a kind of rib knit.

Don't think of the camera angle as crooked -- think of it as Dutch! 😁 For the cuffs, a rib knit is probably what you're looking for, like you normally find on sweatshirts and hoodies. The dress turned out beautiful!

use ribbing fabric for cuffs and it would stretch over everything needed. love the colour of the panne velvet you used

One of my first few sewing projects was with velvet, but the only velvet I could afford was polyester stretch velvet/velour and I discovered that I hate that fabric with the burning passion of a thousand suns. 😅 I could handle the slippery sewing, but the pile that gets EVERYWHERE (including up my nose so my snot was black) made me tip over into disliking it. Then what REALLY pissed me off was the static electricity. I couldn't pet my cats. I shocked myself on door handles, on the bathroom tap, on the car, on my husband! The dress was banished into my scraps bag until I can figure out something to use the fabric for that doesn't involve me wearing it.

I love the mushrooms! I would recommend giving them a lead test just in case. Idk if they were still using leaded glazes in the 70's but it's better to know than to accidentally poison yourself.

I drafted myself a very basic smock dress pattern this year and I have made a few of them in polar fleece and Teddy fleece for the winter. My god they are so cosy and comfy.

First Time Viewer (and new subscriber less than 5min in). I used to sew all of my kids’ clothes and quickly learned how to change things to be faster and look better! For the cuffs: Cut them on the bias. I know how silly that sounds with a stretch fabric but until I did that, I was forced to use rib knit which was an abrupt change which I did not like. The percent of stretch will not be the same as when cutting a woven on the bias though I do think there will be enough to push up the arms a bit. Use a stretch stitch (looks like a lightning bolt) or wide but short zig zag. Those provide structure with stretch. I agree on lining the hood. I despise exposed seams and raw edges. At the minimum I serge or zigzag all exposed seam allowance edges. When making hoodies from regular heavy knit fabrics or fleece, I look for matching satin, tricot, or a woven that I’ll cut on bias to not distort the stretch. Woven is my very last choice in this case. I love this. I love your enthusiasm and fearlessness. I am super excited because I am very not easily impressed :). I am looking forward to binging all of your previous content over the coming weeks. Yay!!!

I think the spreading technique is specifically designed for having the sleeve cap curve still fit in the armhole (as well as the bottom curve).

Personal space heaters! When I was in college, someone from the power company told us it was significantly less expensive to get little space heaters to warm ourselves than to heat the whole room we were in. The power to run a space heater was cheaper than the hvac costs.

If you're not set on having smooth cuffs in the velour, you could gather stitch/top stitch them with elastic thread. It gives a crinkly look, but that fabric looks awesome with gathering in the way the light hits it. I think you should absolutely line the hood, and do the gathering again on the sides. It would give it a very luxurious look without a lot of weight! Great time to do a little hand-sewing so you don't have to rip out the hood.

It makes me think of a wizard’s robe which is awesome

from my experience knitting a hoodie, i think you need to gather the hood slightly in the back. because your head curves back more than your neckline, you need to make room for it in the hood. basically, i think cutting the hood “too big” and gathering it is actually the proper way to make a hood.

This looks so cosy and is only intensifying my desire to work with crush velvet! Regarding the cuffs and stretch, use a zig-zag stitch or your serger to attach them - if using a zig-zag it needs to be wide and short for maximum stretchiness! Depending what other options your machine gives you, a "lightning bolt" stitch or a 3-step zizg-zag also work. I've used both these options on a double-layered cuff successfully 😊

Recommendations on the cuff. You’ll either want to make them bigger and maybe add a thumb-hole because those are fun or make the cuffs have some kind of latches or buttons that could open it to shove it to the elbows. You could get out the grommets, but you would definitely want to use an interfacing on the material to make setting easier. The downside of the interfacing is loosing the material’s stretchy properties. That material isn’t impossible to grommet without interfacing, it just makes it easier. Moving the pouch down would be cuter, but it’s fine. The pouch would also be super cute with some lace or trim.

I make cuffs with elastic in them, or add a panel of shirring (she says as if she's made more than 3 shirts) the elasticized thread works great on my knit sweaters !

I like how your large carousel horse matches your small carousel. WOW, I haven't thought about mushroom canisters in years!!! I totally forgot about them, and they were EVERYWHERE there for a while. The color, the swooshiness of the dress -- love it!

This is so similar to what I want. Except instead of the velvet fabric, I would want it to look like a more proper hoodie just very, very long. Possibly with an inner layer of Sherpa fabric for extra coziness. Even the raglan sleeves were kind of what I was thinking of, I would do them in a contrasting color (probably match the center pocket as well). I also like the sleeves, though I think I personally would use one of those stretchy cuffs that you normally get on a hoodie... God damn it, I barely know how to sew. This should not be my first project but I am so tempted....I should at least make a skirt first. In any case, I will be saving this video for future reference, thank you kindly.

I just want to say thank you for all your videos. I had a major surgery this year to remove a 7 lb tumor. As I recovered you entertain me and filled my love and need to craft when I could not. Now I feel confident to go get my sewing machine out and make some stuff.

Oh this is great!! I have this fabric in green. I believe it's called panne velour. One of my favorite fabrics to play with. As for the cuffs, you need to cut them on the bias so they will stretch

Agreed! You can never have too many pockets. I love this design.

I love this dress more than life! To the machine!! Thank you for the inspiration ❤ Also, I think the fabric is a crushed velour -Stretchy velvet.

I'm loving the strong wizard vibes. 😄 The kangaroo pocket does give a bit of a 1920s dropped waist look, which isn't to my taste, but to each their own.

The dress is amazing and so very you. Don't change the theme song, it delivers a nice Pavlovian dopamine hit to my brain when it begins.

Hilarious Fact: That kind of velvet is called Nervous Velour here in Norway. I have no idea why and it cracks me up endlessly. It has never ceased to e funny in the 16 years I've been here.

The thing I like most about doing pattern drafting/editing, other than the fact that I can actually have nice clothes because I can't buy commercial patterns that fit, is that (while it can be super frustrating an a WHOLE DAMN PROCESS to do) the next time you go to make the thing, you already have the perfect pattern. Or something closer that you only have to do some small edits to.

Mushrooms are adorable and I want a basket like that too And of course the carousel's awesome!

I have to say I just love your cable-in-front-of-the-fireplace situation. It makes me feel right at home with you ❤ 😂

You could line the hood in a different fabric. A baby blue or cream cotton would look pretty. And for the cuffs buy cuffing fabric, it’s awesome. Or thrift a hoodie and steal the cuffs.

For winter warmth under dresses, I wear leggings in a size bigger than I "need." They don't have feet so can go bare foot or wear separate socks. This prevents the whole crotch-getting-pulled-down problem. My favorite are bamboo, but lately have had a hard time finding them.

Fabrics like this have a knap. Which is a way the fibers lay in one direction. It can make some sections appear a different color. I I think this turned out hella cute tho

This is fab! It's like the most elegant version of a hoodie ever.

I have some fabric in sea green in my stash! Bought for a project that never happened. Love the elfish vibes. You could make matching slippers with fabric upper, non-slip fabric sole and sherpa lining. Warmer than socks, more comfy than hard soled slippers.

Please make a gardening/hiking/elf version! Browns and greens, and outdoorsy material. I love kangaroo pockets, and would adore one on a dress! I thought the high placement really added to the overall look of the dress, but functionality is key of course. Love, love, love this!!

18:52 is giving renaissance and I’m not saying you should 100% do this again but more renaissance/magical because heck yah. To make it more convenient to do things, you can attach ties in the sleeves to tie together behind you (or just tie the sleeves together xD)

I went to SCAD for Fashion Design, that is EXACTLY how to do a slash a spread. Cutting at elbow to add volume on one end but not the other is 100% acceptable. You nailed it.

Is it weird that I think she would just make such a cool mom. Like it seems like her and her husband are pretty focused on their careers but I just think she'd make the coolest mom. I love my mom, and I wouldn't trade her for anything, but she's not nearly as crafty as I am, and her solution to something being broken or not quite perfect is to throw it out and get something new. I'm for the the artsy fixer-upper kinda person. I just feel like it would be so cool to just spend a day baking with her, or designing a dress, or having her teach me about how to pick what seam style to use where in garment construction. I'm glad she's bringing her crafty mom vibes here to youtube though

Maybe elastic lacing on the cuffs for making them adjustable?

Love that fabric. I loved it in the 80's too! LOL. The color is stunning. You did a great job. Love your vids. Big Hugs

Can we please tell Charlie about pintucks? They were first used as a way to make being able to let a garment down or out pretty - they super elevate pinafores, and would do the same for her self-drafted skirts.

An easy way to get the hood to your liking might be to pick up a lovely blue fabric as lining (stretch charmeuse, perhaps?) and add it in. Very nice work and such a lovely dress!

An idea for stretchy cuffs is to use shirring elastic in your bobbin and sew many lines on the right side of your fabric and have shirred cuffs.

AAHG I accidentally clicked dislike and even though I immediately clicked like, the app showed a "your feedback has been shared with the creator" message. Damn you, RU-vid! Why is that message not also shown for likes? What does it mean?! ❤ This is the coziest garment ever and I desperately need it.

Love the dress. It looks so comfy. As for the cuffs maybe use broad elastic inside a larger version of what you've just made ?

Laughing at the mushroom cannisters! VERY 1970's -- I remember my mother (and grandmother) making some similar to those at the ceramic shop in town. They were so proud of those things (I won't say what I thought. Suffice it to say that there was very little in 1970's decor or clothing fashion that I liked.).

OMG my aunt and grandma had those canisters, I loved them then and I still love them today!!! Fantastic find!!🎉

Cute cannisters! My friend Debbie had these in the 70s! So adorable!

That is my favorite of everything I have seen that you made! It is beautiful, and I love that color of blue!!!

My grandmother had those exact canisters, we all loved them.

I've been thinking about doing something like this for when I'm at work (We're at 19ºC max inside the building and for some reason my bones absolutely despise it.) and I've been wrecking my brain about how, which kind of fabric, and if HR would kill me if I appear with a blanket sewn around my waist.

My mom had "Huzzah!" t-shirts custom made for us because we love your videos so much😁❤️

you could add a lining to the hood in a thinner coordinating colored fabric. nothing saying it has to be the same as the rest of it.

This is divine!! You have to make this with a zipper in the from for a jacket/robe. It would be so pretty in Sherpa fleece. Shannon makes made a historically accurate cider corset hoodie. I think the hood she makes is exactly what you want. I love that trunk you bought. I think it would be awesome as an organizer or a way to transport projects in progress.

Usually knit hoodies will have a strip of a very thick ribbed knit as a cuff, which allows it to stretch and be pulled upwards. You can put tension on the cuff as you attach it to the sleeve, so the sleeve hem gathers when you release the cuff with your velour, if possible, and that will allow the sleeve to stretch. Or you could make elasticated cuffs with the velour you already have, and simply do the pull and sew technique I just mentioned.

I'm jelly, I've been on the hunt for a set of those Sears Roebuck canisters that won't break the bank😆

When I made peasant sleeves, i just made the cuff a little big around the wrist and used 1" elastic to pull it flush. Makes so much easier to push up and you can even fit the elastic to the elbow rather than the wrist so that it doesn't cut off circulation when pushed up. Altogether really cute pay off, though. I might have to make one of my own...

My grandmother had those mushroom canisters in her kitchen! I remember them vividly from my childhood 🍄

If your question, about making the cuffs stretchy enough to pull them up your arm, is still on, then there are a few ways. 1. the easiest: stretchy material. You can either get fabric especially for cuffs that is super stretchy, or try to use the fabric you have and cut them on bias. If that works, you just mark the cuffs and sleves on half, quarter and if you want eigth point and pin them together, letting the fabric of the sleeve between the pin loose. While sewing, you stretch the cuff between your pins to the point where it's the same as the sleeve, while not stretching the sleeve part. When you take care of the seams (serging, zig zag stitching or french seaming) you just have to remember to stretch it too. 2. the other way: If you can't get stretchy cuff fabric or your fabric is not stretchy enough no matter what, you might want to opt for an inserted elastic. Then the cuff should be as wide as your elastic ofc, but there are pretty wide ones out there nowadays. For that, you make the cuff itself wide enough to fit over the widest part of your underarm, so it will be loose on the wrist. The elastic though needs to fit your wrist, but make sure it's stretchy enough. The sleeve can be gathered slightly to fit the cuff without the elastic, cause you can't stretch the cuff to align with the sleeve. And then you do the same as before, marking the points and stretching the elastic while sewint it to the cuff/sleeve. Your cuffs will bunch at your wrist though. 3. The pretty one that takes forever: Shirring. For that you don't even need a cuff, though it might make it somewhat easier. Just make the cuff of whatever material, at least as wide as your widest part of the underarm or as wide as the sleeves, or just make the sleeves longer and hem them. Wind some elastic thread on your bobbin (or several bobbins) and start the shirring. After you made several rounds, you will have a shirred cuff. Not complicated once you know what to do, but takes a while. There are other ways, that can include buttons, ribbons, hooks etc, but i think for that kind of cozy and easy home dress that would kill the purpose.

It looks so stylish yet cosy - absolute win! I should make something like this from a wool fabric. I can't stand wearing all synthetic garments that aren't sth like tights because of the static quality and how they make my skin feel but this should work in a nice drapey wool and it does actually get quite cold in Finland, so wouldn't be too warm probably... Great work! Inspired!

Idk if this would work but maybe try cutting the cuff on the bias. Tends be a little more stretch that way. I would just worry about it getting stretched out.

Love it!! Such a great idea! For the cuffs I would make them wider around then add a few rows of elastic into the cuffs. Because I hate (with the fires of someplace hot and unpopular) threading elastic throw I would tack the elastic to one side sandwich it and sew the channel. And yes I do this for draw strings too. If you do minimum stretch at your wrist it should be able to go up to your elbows.

It's nice to have a go to pattern. I have this one button down shirt pattern I go to over and over again 😊. Most of the time I make shirts. Yet the last time I used the shirt pattern instead of a collar, I used the hood from another pattern. Zippers instead buttons and I crocheted lace around the edges. I added two more exterior pockets, and I thoroughly lined it with another two interior pockets 😊. Garment made😊 to be worn mostly in the summer reflecting the sun ☀ off of me😊. I am not a fan of the sun ☀. The largest mushroom canister could be used for cookies😊. But then that just me 😊.

The word you are looking fir is "plat de résistance" (an odd/interesting expression now that I think about it). Those mushrooms canisters are very cute. The blue velvet is gorgeous and it makes such a pretty dress. I hope it's warm and cozy as you wished.

This is cute! I totally want one! Maybe with the corset hoodie trend. For tight, stretchy cuffs, maybe make them lace up with elastic cording?

From what I’ve gleaned about dart manipulation from The Closet Historian, what might be a good way to do the sleeves is by closing the dart at the heard or the sleeve which would add fullness to the bottom. Though it may not be as much fullness as you were after

You make a thing. I immediately want the thing. I've been sewing for YEARS many more years than you, but there ain't no way I'm going to make that because I don't seem to trust myself

Oooooh, is that a new iron I spy on the table? Love the dress, agree about the double hood (hide the seams). Ribbed cuff material will be your friend (or I saw another comment about lacing/buttons), and I love you kept your glasses on for the reveal. 💙

I actually remember having one of those velour-sets as a teenager, IN THAT EXACT BLUE COLOR. Now you made me miss it.. It was so comfy.. That dress looks great too. I want one! And I'm with you on the socks; I absolutely hate having anything on my feet.. My feet have always been claustrophobic and prefer to be "wild and free" as much as possible.. I put up with shoes but socks is a big no-no.

Another idea for cuffs, and apologies if anyone has mentioned it, use ribbing. Would unlikely find matching velvet ribbing but a nice matching blue or even a contrast colour could be nice too.

My kids gave me a huge purple hoody a few years ago since i hate the cold. When i put it on I always have to start strutting and singing "They call me big mom ma." Like Biggie Smalls. My kids always cringe but I cant help myself it makes me happy. 😊

To get the floppy cape hood, you just make it taller, the over the head measurement, shoulder to shoulder 😊 I love the idea of the hoodie dress, I think I’ll make one in polar fleece seeing I live in Downeast Maine area … it’s 20 degrees today 🥶

Omg... I have a PURPLE version of that velvet! Also a lot of it... I think you've started something with me 😂

It’s been a Beautiful winter where I live it was 47° yesterday and I took a walk in a hoodie and leggings… and that is UN HEARD OF in my part of nowhere North Dakota! It’s awesome 🤘

I am crazy warm in two blanket dresses/robes with hoodies and a front pocket. I have fallen in love with the front pockets! Two days later your video popped up!😅 I don't have a raglan pattern, no velour, blah blah blah. I will make this dress.

Oooh that’s pretty. If I could sew I would make the pocket a little bigger for a hot water bottle to fit 😊 now that sounds positively delightful for 3-7 days out of the month to me.

The sleeve spreading technique 10/10.

if the fabric is stretchy to begin with, how you cut the piece on grain or off grain will make a difference if it's only 2 way stretch, if the fabric isn't stretchy you could try bias cut, and when you attach it, either surge the edges together, or use a zigzag stitch. I think there's a semi elastic thread you can get, I've never used it, but the only way you'll get a straight stitch to stretch, is with an elastic type thread. The one I was thinking of is called Ecoflex by Coats and Clark.

I know this is from a month ago but OMG, the mushroom canisters! My mom had those when we were growing up. Recently I asked her if she still had them (after redecorating the kitchen, and then moving to a different house).... alas, she had given them to the church tag sale. 😞 I'm delighted you found those! And yeah, they are pretty expensive now.

You need a button cuff for that fabric. Or try cutting on the bias for more stretch. Also, read up on fabrics with nap or one way fabric designs. What you got almost looks intentional.

I too, can't stand socks and usually choose to freeze. that said, I've recently started wearing legwarmers either from my ankle or from the arch of my foot and up my leg while at home, and it's been not bad.

Most beautiful dress! Love the material and silhouette

Madame Stichery - please make a Playlist of the Pattern. I bought one. I bought fabric. I need a compilation of your videos.

Love it! In fact, you reminded me that I have a pattern very much like that, so I should go make it.

I love the vibes of your reveals. So cute and fun

Love. Love. Love. Could be my new favourite of your makes.

Im going to say this now and I’ll probably keep saying this but I always look forward to your sewing videos!

I like the theme song! And the captions with it!

I love your videos! And your practical approach to cutting out your fabric. I'm looking at the dress after you put it together and it looks like the fabric has a nap to it... the center panel is different a bit in color... I think you need to cut all your pieces so the nap goes the same for each piece... but it could also be I can't see well enough viewing on my phone! Lol I seriously love your wit and your projects. Please keep up the good work! Kentuckyweaver

LOOOOOVE this colour, love your funny subtitles (I use them as an aid when I do noisy things beside watching, like exercising or brushing my teeth...) - and, love your theme song. Keep it. 👍🏻

That fabric is beautiful, and so "liquid" you could almost just pour it over yourself and it would still look amazing. The finished dress is gorgeous, despite the things you would change next time. (I also love long sleeves but never wear them down, they're always halfway up my arms - and it ruins sweaters!)

Not sure if anyone else has suggested this, but in the process of drafting a hoodie dress for my youngest Imp (age 8) I determined that the easiest way to make cuffs that matched without needing the "traditional" tight rib knit fabric for it was to cut the cuff pieces both too small and on the bias. They're a little more fiddly to sew without torquing or stretching the pieces out of shape because of the extra stretch (I ended up hand-stitching them on with a back stitch and whip stitching them finished on the inside) but it worked! I'll put a picture up on Instagram once I've got the hood on if I can get Impling to agree to model for me. 😂😂😂

Kinsale cape hood. 😊

I love watching you sew and all of your project, but I also love your random tangents and mini vlogs ❤ when I eventually venture into clothing making i would love to try making a dress like this 😍 saving this for later