Hoodies are very popular. But, maybe you have a favorite jacket that didn’t come ready-made with a hood. What can you do?
How do you add a hood to a jacket? All you need is a little fabric, some thread and a bit of ingenuity. A sewing machine and a pattern also help but aren’t totally necessary. You know what a hood looks like, so recreating one is a snap, even without a pattern. Or, you can use the hood from another garment as a guide.
There is no limit to the type of hood you can add or what you can add it to. Do you have a cool sweatshirt that needs a special touch? Maybe your sleek silk shirt needs a draping hood for a more dramatic effect?
Maybe your favorite jean jacket needs a little pick-me-up? Jean jackets are actually one of the most popular types of jackets for adding a hood.
This trend is so popular that manufacturers actually make some of them like that from the start. We have all seen the cute little jean jacket with a cotton hoodie attached. The most common colors for these hoodies are pink and grey. But, you can use any color you like.
That is the best part about learning how to sew – you can create anything your heart desires! Make it from scratch or change an existing garment into something new. Whatever you can imagine, you can create.
How To Add A Hood To A Jacket in 5 Easy Steps
Today we will work on creating a hood that you will then attach to your jacket. Whether you want a hood for style or warmth, this easy to follow guide will help you every step of the way.
You will need:
- The jacket you want to put a hood onto.
- The fabric you want to use.
- High-quality thread.
- A pattern for the type of hood you want.
- Scissors, measuring tape, pins, needles, chalk or fabric pencil.
- Sewing machine.
This project can successfully be completed by sewers of all skill levels. Of course, the more experienced you are, the faster you will finish, but even a novice won’t have any trouble.
Step 1: Select your jacket and fabric
First, find the jacket you want to improve. It can be any type of jacket, but a jean jacket is the most logical choice and the easiest to work with. However, a cotton jacket or sweatshirt will work just as well.
The jacket can be a pull-over, have a buttoned front or a zipper. The important part is the neckline.
Select the fabric you want to use to make the hood. This can be a coordinating fabric (the same color and fabric as the base garment) or a contrasting color and fabric. Both look equally great. It is all a matter of personal taste.
Some people like the contrast while others want the finished product to be all the same color and same fabric.
Also note, if you are making a hood with a lining, you can use the same material for both the exterior portion of the hood and the lining. Or, you can mix and match. However, it is advisable to keep the exterior and lining fabric similar in weight and elasticity.
Step 2: Measure and find your pattern
Second, using a measuring tape, carefully measure the neckline of your jacket. If your jacket is open in the front, measure from edge to edge. The hood will be two halves, so the total of the two halves will be the length of the neckline. Plus, of course, a little extra for the seam.
Creating your own pattern. On a large blank piece of paper, cardboard or brown packing paper, draw a straight line that matches half of the neckline of the jacket. Since the back of a jacket normally sits a bit higher than the front, one side of the bottom line will be about an inch lower than the other.
If you are using a pattern, simply trace the outline of the pattern onto the fabric.
The hood will be in two parts, so repeat this step to get two identical pieces.
Step 3: Cut and sew
Third, make sure to allow enough room for the seam. Draw another line around the first one, approximately half an inch from the outside. You will need this space for the seam on all of the sides of the hood.
The next step is to cut out the pattern pieces. Cut carefully, you only want to do this once to avoid wasting material. If you are going to use the same material for the outer shell and the lining, fold the fabric into four and try to cut all four layers in one shot.
Most hoods that you attach to a jacket don’t need a lining, especially if you are using a cotton blend or some similar material.
A simple cotton hood, like the ones you see on most hoodies, don’t have a lining. They are simple hoods with a drawstring closure.
Sew your hood together. This should be very straight forward. You simply take all of the pieces you cut and sew them into a hood shape. If you followed the pattern, this step will be obvious. The lining might be a bit complicated, so be careful with that step.
Just remember that the lining and outer shell should be sewn with the right sides together so that when you turn it around, the outside will be on the outside and all of the stitches will be on the inside.
It is important for the hood to be complete with the outer shell on the outside before you try to attach it to the jacket. If you don’t have a lining, it is still important for the completed hood to be “face out” before sewing it onto the jacket.
Iron the hood to make sure that all seams lay flat. The hood is much easier to work with if all of the seams are in ironed out flat. Plus, it will look better in the end.
Step 4: Add the Drawstring
A hood on a jacket looks much more complete if it has a drawstring. However, the choice is yours. You don’t need to add one if you don’t want.
To make the space for the drawstring, you will need a seam around the outer edge of the hood. Make sure the bottom of the hood is still open.
For a hood without a lining, simply sew a hem all around the outer edge. Fold the outer edge in about one inch. Pin and mark your hem to ensure it is the same width all around. Then sew along the marked line.
Cut a hole about two inches from the base of the hood for the string to enter and one on the other side for the string to exit. Most hoodies use a shoelace, but you can use a ribbon or anything you like.
The easiest way to string your shoelace through the hood is by tying one end to a large safety pin and feeding the pin through the hem. The pin should be large enough for you to feel it through the fabric. This way you will be able to guide it all the way to the other end.
If you are using fabric that tends to fray, you will need to sew up the holes like a buttonhole before feeding the string through. This should not be a problem if you left the bottom of the hood open, but be careful as it can be a bit tricky.
You may need to do this with a needle and thread rather than your sewing machine to ensure you don’t sew all the way through. The hole should only be on the side facing forward. You don’t want to sew the hole on to the back part of the hem.
Step 5: Attach the Hood
There should be enough of a seam on the neckline of your jacket for you to attach the hood without any trouble.
Lay the hood onto the seam of the neckline and pin together. The edges should match up perfectly, but if they don’t you might have to get a little creative. Just center the hood as best as you can.
A little extra on either side won’t make much difference. A little short won’t matter either. But, if the measurement is way out, you should adjust the seam at the back of the hood.
For a hood that is way too short, undo the stitches and decrease the size of the seam. For a hood that is way too big, simply increase the size of the back seam. Iron the new stitches flat.
Once you have the hood just the right size and pinned to the neckline of the jacket, sew them together. And there you have it! A jacket with a hood!
This video by Rockstars and Royalty on YouTube shows you exactly how to add a sequin hood to a denim jacket. Sparkly and cute!
