Not all things I sew are going to be a grand old time. In fact, some will be fraught with issues. This garment was one. I made M6614 in View D, the hoodie in XXXL. Admittedly, I should have cut out the XXL. I meant to cut out the XXL. I think I might have been watching Gilmore Girls and that’s what made me cut the XXXL instead. Even if I had cut out the XXL, I still would have taken the hoodie in several inches. The finished measurements were listed as 58 across chest/hips (it’s all straight), but it was definitely bigger than that. Good old McCall’s built in ridiculous ease. Size down people…size down. I took in about 4 inches from the sides of the garment (that means 4 inches from the front and back on each side… 16 inches left and it’s still big on me, dudes!). I shaped for my hips. I decided to leave the width at the hips for wearing ease, because it’s a long hoodie on me.
On the one hand, the hoodie was a great make for scrapbusting. I used bits from several projects (ribbing from my pink/gold Jenna cardi & white textured double knit from my cranberry/white Jenna cardi; both blogged here) and a small amount of mint sweatshirt fleece I got at the thrift store for the arms/pockets. Great use of 1 yard or less pieces.
On the other hand, there were major issues with the pattern. Other than being drafted far bigger than is necessary (I guess the unisex qualities mean that the hoodie fits super large), the pattern envelope erroneously lists a 24 inch zipper for all sizes of the hoodie, which would be great if the hoodie’s length didn’t increase in length the bigger it goes. I found a wonderful separating mint green zip on etsy at Zipper Stop. When the zip arrived, I cut out the pattern and started constructing the garment to find that the zip was off by several inches. I had already put the ribbing at the bottom and was not in the mood to cut it off and shorten the whole hoodie. After some instagram advice, I decided to cut down the neckline, because the hood wasn’t installed yet and deal with it that way. I’m very upset at the zip. It’s very simple to see that the zip should be longer for the larger sizes since they all increase in length. It’s not that difficult to print that on the envelope and say: 24″ to 26″ or longer. I just feel like McCall’s should know better… Or have been checks for those things. I shouldn’t have such a large issue as the wrong size zipper. It’d be great if I had a bunch lying around, but I ordered it off etsy because it was a special colour. And another thing: if this is meant to be unisex, why are the bleeping pockets so bleeping small?! Every other hoodie on the bleeping market has bleeping huge pockets and this one has bleeping tiny ones and if I had enough leftover mint material I would have bleeping made them bleeping bigger, but I bleeping didn’t! BLEEEEEEEEP!
You can see how the zipper doesn’t reach the neckline and how tiny the pockets are in comparison to the sleeves…. hrrmph.
Anyway….*counts to ten and calms down* /end rant. I dealt with it. I moved on. I’m fine. Calm blue ocean.
Sometimes when a garment is this frustrating to make, I never wear it and then throw it into a charity pile, but I didn’t want to do that to hoodie! So, how do you get over a frustrating garment? You make it your own and be proud about it in spite of all the annoyances as you made it.
In other words, if you are Andie, you embroider Hello Kitty on it.
I’m happy again! Yeay!
I used white embroidery floss and followed a template. I reinforced the back with thick sewn-in interfacing and then put thin iron-on interfacing on top of that. I ran it through the washing machine over the weekend and it came out perfectly. I am going to get a ton of wear from this hoodie and the embroidery will definitely hold up for that. I love hoodies for all weather and often wear them to work or pop them on for the cold AC/poor heating of my office or any other place.
For readers who are not aware, which may be most of you, I love Hello Kitty. I have since I was young and will continue to do so until I am granny clutching my Hello Kitty pens and writing Happy Birthday on a Hello Kitty card to my great great step-grandchildren. I have two Hello Kitty tattoos, plans for more tattoos, and tons of Hello Kitty stuff. Now, I’m not as laden as some (not even close actually), but I do restrain myself quite often. I could probably just put Hello Kitty on everything. Also, I want every single Liberty Hello Kitty fabric print out there. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. I will never buy them all….of course….I restrain myself. I actually don’t own any at the moment. I will also not justify buying it for my wedding dress. I have promised not to have a Hello Kitty wedding theme…. (I might make a Hello Kitty garter belt, though……hehhe).
Back to the hoodie, I put a Hello Kitty on it, because I was determined to not feel bitter about it and to love it and want to wear it all the time, because that’s me and hoodies. I freeaaaaking love hoodies and comfy knit jackets.
Left: my mood before putting HK on it. Right: my mood after!
I love the hoodie! I am pleased with the shape of it and the style of it. I have to say…I really considered adding little kitty ears to it, but restrained myself. So. Much. Restraint.
TL:DR Review
- Pattern: M6614 View D
- Pros: Unisex pattern with several options. Raglan sleeves. Good basic hoodie shape and nice pullover tops for the other views.
- Cons: Based on the pattern, the zipper was too short by several inches. There was too much ease in the pattern beyond what the envelope stated as the finished measurements. Pockets are far too small for anyone and should be a lot bigger.
- Make again?: For me, with tons of alterations in the smaller size with hip shaping into the pattern; I do want more hoodies. For others, I would, but with bigger zipper for the larger sizes. It’s a strange thing to give a pattern 1 star review and say I would make it again, though, but I would, because I do love hoodies and I’d rather make a pattern I own than buy a new one that will be very similar.
- Rating:
1/5 stars (I’m very upset about the zipper issues)
Andie Wells Studio 
Oh man, that’s such a bummer that you had issues with that pattern. But at least yours turned out cute! That embroidery is adorable. I originally tried making my Moogle hoodie from this pattern and HATED it. Scrapped it really fast! I wasn’t fond of the teeny tiny pockets either.
http://www.thegeekyseamstress.com
I love the hoodie. Hate the pattern, but am too cheap to buy another hoodie pattern. lol. Why are the pockets so small? Who would ever draft a pattern and think: oh geez a hoodie doesn’t need big pockets!
I love your Moogle hoodie. I want to make some cosplay hoodies, but I dunno…maybe I should just buy a new pattern…. Hmm…
I highly recommend the Avacado hoodie! It’s pretty easy to sew. I do hate that you have to set in the sleeve. I may draft in a side seam to avoid that in the future.
I keep looking at that pattern…. I’m on a pattern/fabric buying freeze for now, though…. 😦 Dang it.
It looks like it all turned out well in the end! Its pretty adorable so I’m sure it will get some good use.
It definitely turned out okay in the end. It’s too bad it was so frustrating to make during. Definitely getting a ton of wear, too! I throw this and my pj pants on the moment I get home from work and go straight to the sewing room. 😉
I like the addition of the embroidery! I’ve seen a few other people struggle with this pattern, which is unfortunate since you’d think the McCalls would be able to get a relatively basic piece like a hoodie right. Still, your modifications look great and I’m glad you were able to make this project work for you, even if the process was a pain.
I think it’s insane that the pattern is such a pain! I feel almost certain that I read somewhere that when the big 4 do pattern testing their mock-ups are only in one size and it’s a smaller size. This is why I tend to make indie patterns…
Very cute and cuddly! I may be enabling your addiction here, but I say you should add the ears. I’ve been thinking about making myself a version of the Pusheen hoodie here: http://www.heychickadee.com/products/pusheen-the-cat-costume-hoodie-unisex. It will definitely have the ears. 😉
That is an awesome hoodie! I definitely think a future version will have ears. 😉
Despite the frustrations of a crappily drafted pattern, I think you did great getting this to a point where you will actually be able to wear it. That whole zipper thing would really piss me off too. It is such a basic thing, and I really expect better than that from McCalls. Not to mention those good for nothing pockets. Shoddy work on their part, but great recovery on yours!
Thanks so much, Alicia! Yeah, i expect more of McCalls. So it really upset me. If I had glanced at the pattern pieces before hand, I would have seen the zipper would be too short, but I trusted the pattern envelope. 😦 Oh well! It worked out and I am so in love with the hoodie now. 😀
A hoodie is something you will be wearing in cold weather, thus you really need pockets that swallow your arms almost up to your elbows…stupid pattern…I really like the colour combination you chose, and hooray for Hello Kitty!
Right? I need big pockets! 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much. 🙂
Oh I’m so glad you managed to save it, I remember the issue with the zipper, my advice is always cut sth, hence I refrain from offering it lol! Anyway, I love the colours and they looks so good on you, it’s all cuddly and comfy and hello kitty, your embroidery is amazing. I don’t understand why some patterns build in so much ease, you want to be comfortable but you don’t want to be able to fit in it another half person, grrr. Well done though, you should make some more! xx
Thanks so much. 😀
Ugh, the ease. Yes, I think I could have fit in another half person! 😉
I was really expecting there to be kitty ears on your hood!! Haha my daughter would love you, she is also Hello Kitty mad… Check out my second most recent post to see the Hello Kitty dungarees I made her last week! (Sorry, I’m on my phone so it’s too much effort to do a link!!) You should make yourself some!! Or maybe that’s a bit much… I love your little embroidered kitty 🙂
I really wish I had put ears on now! Next time. 🙂 I love your Hello Kitty dungarees. So cute! 🙂
This is too cute on you. We need to get together for a photo shoot. I’ll bet it would be so much fun!
Cheers,
Lyric
Thanks so much, Lyric! That would be a ton of fun! 😀
Well, way to persevere! I’m not sure I would have struggled on, but your end result is pretty great. And I had no idea that there was such a thing as Hello Kitty liberty fabric – it’s amazing!
Thanks, Chloe. 🙂 I’m glad I persevered, because I have been wearing this all the time since making it. 🙂
OMG, I need all the HK Liberty fabric, but it’s soooo expensive. I keep my eye out for fat quarter bundles, because I would love to make myself an HK liberty quilt. 🙂
What a turnaround with a pattern that wasn’t working. And bonus on the hello kitty. Adorable
Thanks so much! I’ve been living in it ever since I made it. 🙂 So glad I persevered.