I made a hoodie…
Vogue 8854 hoodie – for a ‘nice’ girl
I can’t be a bad-ass cos it’s a Vogue hoodie. Yes the hoodie for ‘nice’ girls… from the latest season release from Vogue.
I used a Marc Jacobs knit that I picked up in Sydney’s Surrey Hills The Fabric Store last month. It’s divine. Soft and cuddly. Navy on one side and royal blue on the other. And a screaming bargain at just $8 a metre. Yes, yes I know you are really jealous now… I only needed 1.6m for this top! I got the pattern for about $7 (including postage in a major indulgence haul from BMV).
Vogue 8854 hoodie – neck closed with toggle
Rachel of MyMessings in Twitter suggested making it fully reversible with flat fell seams… completely awesome idea… I eventually came to the conclusion the fabric would be a little thick (the fabric! not me thank you very much!). Good decision. I snapped two needles making this hoodie (or maybe it’s more of a bad ass hoodie than I thought).
My biggest dilemma was whether navy should be on the outside or inside. I know! Decisions!! I nearly put navy on the outside. However I have quite a few dark jeans and felt the royal blue was more versatile… and sometimes a huge chunk of shapeless navy or black just looks… well… shapeless.
This is absolutely nothing fancy (except the dead posh fabric of course) about this. I love the contrast colour that you see inside the lower back hem, hood and neck facing.
Vogue 8854 hoodie – back view
I found the hem went a little wavy/wonky but I’m not too concerned. I think it will settle down with some wash & wear. Again I think the weight of the fabric is an issue here… but it’s so snuggly all is forgiven. Despite being quite thick fabric, it’s very soft and drapey.
It’s extremely comfortable, easy to wear and I think will be a casual winter favourite. It’s not fancy wear but hey, everyone needs a little ‘slouch’ in their life right?
Vogue 8854 – hood up
- I turned under the inside edges of the neck facings. They just looked untidy unfinished or overlocked.
- I flipped over the fabric to get a contrast on my neck facing when the toggle is undone. I thought from the look of the pattern only one facing would be revealed. Doh! Not true (although I could be a little neater in my styling – this was a slap on the nearest jeans/footwear and run into the backyard photo shoot). I don’t mind it so much as I figure it’s going to be done up most of the time. Note to self: stop trying to be tricky.
Vogue hoodie – all the guts – no glory. Still need to tidy up the end of the neck/hood seam. It was tough to sew through the thickness of the fabric neatly.
- I used a wooden toggle instead of a button – a suggestion from ELH.
- I omitted the snaps which are to hold the flap down more firmly. I just think they would look messy with the neck open.
- I used a twin needle on the hem and cuffs. Yeah I know, dead fancy for a hoodie right?
- I set the sleeves in flat because… well it’s just so much easier! There is no gathering in the sleeves. I attached the sleeves and then sewed up the sleeve and side seams in one go. Why make life hard for yourself?
- I love this fabric and I like the cuffs turned back so the contrast inner shows. I haven’t stitched these back as I want the length for the colder winter days. Yes, tragically I live somewhere where winter isn’t really that cold and this will probably be quite snug most days…
Vogue hoodie – neck open.
- I hand-stitched the outside bottom of the neck opening down, rather than edge stitching along the bottom edge as the pattern says. I found the edge stitching was very obvious due to the thickness of the fabric. It created a giant puffy indentation. Not so fancy. I also stitched a little further up the bottom of the opening as I did not want to put little press studs to close the opening. I just thought it would look messy when the toggle was undone.
I figure if I get sick of the ‘bum flap’ as I have nicknamed it, I can always shorten it a little.
Next time I am fortunate enough to make it to The Fabric Store, I am going to pick up some lightweight Metalicus wool fabric, or NZ merino knit. I think this would make a gorgeous t-shirt weight top. Almost like a tunic… I suspect this is the sort of fabric Vogue have used in their top.
Good news? I’ve got the same fabric coming my way at Christmas courtesy of my mother-in-law. 🙂 this time it’s soft pink and fawn… not sure if it’s another hoodie or a jacket… I’ll have to wait ’til it talks to me…
Random interesting facts about hoodies: Madalynne recently posted about hoodies and a little about their origins.
IN OTHER SEWBUSY NEWS…
Whole Wheat Progress, the back
I’m knitting a cardigan… I think… I had a major brain explosion and couldn’t nut out the pattern. When I woke up one morning this week and went ‘Doh! You IDIOT’ (and that was being nice to myself – I can knit I’m just not very good at it – and of course I’ve chosen a pattern with lace and cables… see My Messings… I’ve been in love with this pattern ever September she posted it as a consideration in her knitting adventures… she went on to knit Miette.. and has now started Whole Wheat by Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe (you can pick up the pattern for $7 on Ravelry – where I am SewBusyLizzy if you wanna be friends) … I decided I could not live without it anymore either.Now I have figured out the pattern I don’t know what my problem was…. other than being ridiculously tired of course…
Funny… I can sew a dress with boning, lining and underlining but knitting is hard!
Final picture – taken by Miss 9 at bedtime on the iPhone…
Hoodie shot by Miss 9
Now I have to go and cut out a corporate jacket for Miss 9 who is starring as the corporate b*&^% who tries to outsource the elves work at Santa’s workshop. Cheery Christmas stuff…
Sew Busy Lizzy 
It’s a gorgeous hoody! I love the royal blue colour and the toggle is just right, definitely better than a button. The bum flap will be great if you have to sit on a cold chair outside! As you know I already think your knitting is really pretty 🙂
It definitely sounds like an interesting Christmas play Miss 9 is in! Looking forward to the review!
Thanks VK – and the play certainly doesn’t sound like the usual ‘Christmas cheer!’
Nice hoodie, looks very cosy. And WOW to your knitting, is that hard? The fanciest I’ve done is cabling, none of that other pretty looking stuff you’ve got there. I’d kinda like to come to Miss 9’s play, sounds funny 🙂
It lovely and cuddly to wear.
I find the cables the fiddly bit of the pattern. The rest is simple achieved by yarn overs, knit 2 together, slip one etc. I like knitting lace. You have to concentrate more but it’s sooo much more interesting than rows of plain & purl.
I think the play will be funny – she gets her comeuppance!
Lovely hoodie, really ritzy and gorgeous colours. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas play indeed, something a little different from the usual stuff. Good luck with the knitting, it’s looking wonderful so far (I got sidetracked rather a lot by some new books this week, so although I’ve only a few rows left on my White Caps Cowl, I might well be knitting right up till Christmas Eve to finish it).
I’ve downloaded a pattern for a cowl as well, Zuzu’s Petals. It’s knitted in the round which will be another challenge for me – but I think the cardie will take a while yet!
Who knew a hoodie could look so sexy! Really suits you and sits beautifully around your face. Wel;l done You!
Thanks! My husband quite likes it too, I just thought he was biased 🙂
What a fabric find – great hoodie. I’d love to see it made up in a merino jersey I think it’d be fabulous.
It’s my mission to get some next time I’m in Sydney, I think the pattern is perfect for it.
I am so digging street cred Lizzy! You have made me reconsider the mullet- the contrast backing makes it quite frisky! Welcome to the hood!!!
Mullet! Yes, I’m desperately needing a new haircut, perhaps I should get a ‘do’ that ties in with my street threads!
WWMMD (what would marshall mathers do)!
I dunno – better check with Slim Shady
Oh, we are so embarrassing your kids right now!!
I love it! Most hoodies are of the sweatshirt variety. This is certainly up a notch. Great job.
Thank you – I’m so pleased with it… I have moments when I wish it wasn’t summer and I could wear it LOL
Nice! It’s fun that it’s a bit more dramatic than the usual hoodie! How fun!
yes it is dramatic… almost monk-like with the huge hood!
It looks so wonderfully comfortably but still stylish. I love how the navy is seen when the collar is open. And the toggle was genius!
Yes ELH has some clever suggestions some days!
I love your hoodie, it looks so cozey and warm, and the colour is beautiful. I so understand the brain freeze with the knitting pattern! That’s happened to me too. It seems like absolute gibberish at the time, but two days later it makes perfect sense! It’s a gorgeous pattern btw, and I’m off to find you on Rav.
Im glad you found me on Ravelry – I’m going to need some sewing buddies to get me through my first project in well… years!!
I’m so impressed with your knitting! I think I tell that to every knitter I run across. But seriously, knitting is so over my head. I think it’s the instructions that boggle my brain.
Your hoodie is lovely! I think putting the royal blue on the outside was a good call 🙂
I was very impressed by the knitting that I kept seeing on blogs… then I thought ‘doh! I can knit!’ and I just HAD to make Whole Wheat. If you get started, make a beanie (one with a seam so you don’t have to tackle ‘in the round’ knitting. It’s small and achieveable. I’ve found YouTube incredible handy to watch techniques on how to knit certain styles. Ravelry also has good forums and groups where you can ask questions.
I love slouchy, too. Not everything I have is super fitted, either. Gorgeous fabric!
I sometimes think we all get too obsessed with everything being super fitted. Sometimes we just need to have comfortable clothes that we can ‘live’ in.
I was just thinking the same thing. I made a blouse that wasn’t super/over fitted and I liked it. Who knows what happens now? 🙂
Sometimes I see a dress and it’s beautifully fitted and then I think “can she even drink a cup of tea in that??”. It needs to fit and flatter but that doesn’t always equal ‘figure hugging’ – radical thoughts I know!!
Bum flap! That had me laugh out loud with a snort, no less! I like the hoodie and the posh fabric – you will be snuggly snuggly for winter.
Knitting confusion? Sounds oh so familiar which is why I have hung up my needles for the time being. I think your cardi is going to be gorgeous. So there.
Yes, hopefully I haven’t offended anyone with that description but it’s just what I keep thinking! I’ve found YouTube super helpful for watching techniques and I bought the Just Shoot Craftsy course and it came with a knitting course! Very helpful – even just for basic things when your brain feels fried!
Cute Lizzie, your hoodie has a cool cut in the back, what do they call that? It’s like a tuxedo. Those Christmas plays got an update hey? Those elves need to form a Union.
PS. that looks like a really hard knitting project, you are a force to wrecking with..pretty talented I’d say.
I’m not sure what they call that – some people call it a high-low hem which is infinitely nicer than a ‘mullet’ hem – after the infamous 1980s haircuts!
The knitting isn’t too hard once I get started, it’s just four rows of pattern. Knitting is often more about patience and consistency. Can’t get a result overnight!
True that.
Mullet hem..hehe
The hoodie looks great. Surely it’s not the weather for it anymore though?!
I’m so glad you worked out the issues with the pattern – and isn’t it so great when you get the hang of it! Easy to work out where you are too, and easy to memorise. We will be cardigan twins! I’m about 5-6″ into my right front! Then just the sleeves to go! I went and got more yarn though so I can lengthen my sleeves to 3/4 length, as then i think i’ll get more wear from it.
I’m off to alpine Tassie again in January so I think I will wear it at night there!
I don’t know why I was so confused with the pattern. Extreme exhausting I think,
Can’t beat a hoodie for comfy wearing! It looks really good, nicer than your average RTW hoodie and I bet you’ll get heaps of wear out of it, I’ve got to sew some up before next winter I think!
Funny you say that! Every single winter I think, ‘I HAVE to buy a pullover/fllecy top this year’ but I never do because they are all so daggy!! This is a great solution to that problem!
What an unusual pattern – you are working it well!!
I have added that jumper to my favourites, it is really cute. I think I would like a long sleeve version for winter *sigh* if only I could knit faster!
Knitting is a little frustrating as you get so many idea but the fingers onyl ork so fast. I’m enjoying doing a few rows at night and a few more in my lunch break. I’m trying not to go ‘too hard’ as I’m very tired and it will only lead to disaster!
I LOVE the color and how it looks so snuggly. I have tried to wear my daughters’ “badass” hoodies (Two of them are hip hop dancers) but I end up looking a little ridiculous! (Especially when I add the cap and sunglasses!) I may need to make a “hoodie for a nice girl!” 🙂
It’s a lovely pattern, I feel quite grown-up in it. I’m pretty terrible at looking tough – except for when the kids are misbehaving! Then I am positively frightening!
I love your hoodie! I think you made a great call with the royal blue – it’s such a lovely shade. I also love that you used a toggle instead of a button – toggles are totally bad-ass. Very well done, and good luck with your cardigan!
Bad-ass toggles, tucked away in the naughty corner of the haberdashery department! It’s not a work of art but I’m loving making something so completely wearable and ‘everyday’!
this is lovely! so cozy! love the colour too!
Oh and knitting! man i got so confused reading the pattern but it is funny once it makes sense how simple it can be right? i have not reached my cables yet but think I am one evening of knitting away! hehe! your knitting looks lovely and even! 😀
What are you knitting??
Owls by Kate Davies. It is a bottom up jumper in the round. The owls are made with cables. I am at the stage now, where I need to set stitches aside and make the sleeves and then the owls! wooo! or i should say “hoot” lol
Oh exciting – that is going to be very cute! Good luck!
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Love that you’re kicking it in the hood! The reversible is totes rad 😉
I tragically wore this all night when I first put it on. Not because it was cold but because it was too comfy to take off!!
I recently purchased a Butterick hoodie pattern. It’s been stashed away while I work on completing some of the other sewing projects on my list, but seeing how well this turned out, i just may move my hoodie to the front of the production line.
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