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No active fashionista’s wardrobe is complete without a half-zip sweatshirt! Designed with a high-neck collar and dropped shoulders, this version features a slightly cropped length that’s stylish, yet suitable for a day spent alfresco. The elasticated hem fits snugly on the body and highlights its oversized fit, ideal for soft, fuzzy fabrics like fleece. A fun sewing project for confident beginners looking to level up.
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade sweatshirt now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- FABRIC: 1.1 m (1 1/4 yd) fleece, sherpa, teddy or french terry
- RIB: 0.2 m (1/4 yd) tubular ribbed knit
- All-purpose thread
- Universal needle
- Fusible stay-tape, 1 cm (3/8″) wide
- 1x Bottom-closed metal zipper, 23 cm (9″) long
- Roughly 0.5 m (5/8 yd) twill tape, 1 cm (3/8″) wide
- Roughly 1 m (1 1/8 yd) knitted elastic, 2.5 cm (1″) wide
- OPTIONAL: zipper foot
Important: Fabric requirements are based on a fabric width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, additional yardage may be required.
Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you proudly wearing your new handmade piece with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
| Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
| Hips | 94 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Keep in mind that the final measurements have a significant amount of ease built in to create a more relaxed silhouette.
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 93 cm (36 3/4″) | 97 cm (38 1/4″) | 101 cm (39 3/4″) | 105 cm (41 1/4″) | 109 cm (42 3/4″) | 113 cm (44 1/4″) | 117 cm (45 3/4″) |
| Waist | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) | 92 cm (36″) |
| Biceps | 35.6 cm (14″) | 36.8 cm (14 1/2″) | 38 cm (15″) | 39.2 cm (15 1/2″) | 40.4 cm (16″) | 41.6 cm (16 1/2″) | 42.8 cm (17″) |
| Length | 47 cm (18 5/8″) | 48 cm (19″) | 49 cm (19 3/8″) | 50 cm (19 3/4″) | 51 cm (20 1/8″) | 52 cm (20 1/2″) | 53 cm (20 7/8″) |
Sewing Notes
Here are some tips we recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- Choose a size based on your bust. Take a look at the body measurements chart to guide you.
- To get your bust size, measure around the fullest part of your chest. Take a nice deep breath before you check the number just to make sure the measuring tape isn’t too tight. You want it snug, but not squeezing you.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, see how long the garment is and if it’ll work for your height. It’s a good idea to compare the length with something similar you already own. Just keep in mind this top is slightly cropped, so the hem should hit below the belly button.
- If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
Fabrics
- This pattern works best with heavier textured fabrics with a slight mechanical stretch, such as French terry or fleece. Mechanical stretch refers to the natural stretch created by the fabric’s weave without the addition of spandex.
- Since this garment is unlined, make sure that the back of the fabric is soft so it’s comfortable against the skin.
Cutting out
- Before you start cutting your fabrics, wash and dry them like you’d do for the finished piece. Keep in mind the fabric type and what it’s made of so you choose the right cleaning method (like how hot the water should be or what kind of cycle to use…). Plus, the dyes used on certain fabrics tend to bleed when washed, so wash yours separately, or with similar colors.
- After you wash and dry the fabric, give it a good press to get rid of any creases. Just make sure your iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric. Generally, synthetic fibers like acrylic, spandex, or polyester should be pressed on low heat, while natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen can handle higher heat.
- When you’re set to cut the fabric, just fold it lengthwise right sides together. Make sure the fold is straight and doesn’t twist up. If it does, unfold it and refold until it’s nice and flat. Then, lay out the pattern pieces so the grainline runs parallel to the selvages.
- Make sure you don’t cut the notches too long; aim for them to be around 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″).
Sewing
- Before you start sewing, grab a scrap piece of fabric and try out a few stitches to see how the tension and stitch length look. If the seam isn’t turning out great, try re-threading your machine first. Still not working? Then go ahead and adjust the tension. As for stitch length, thicker fabric usually needs longer stitches, so adjust that as needed. And if your stitches are skipping, switch to a new needle or to a bigger one.
Sewing instructions
Just a quick reminder that, unless stated otherwise, your seam allowances should be 1 cm (3/8″) wide. Then, to finish the seams, use a 3-thread overlocker or sew with a zigzag stitch along the fabric edge.
- SHOULDERS: With right sides together, sew the front yokes to the back panel at the shoulder seams. Finish the raw edges and press them toward the back.
- COLLAR: Apply twill tape to one long edge of the collar, enclosing the raw edge, and stitch in place. I needed, trim underneath the tape so the raw edge of the fabric is no longer visible. With right sides together, sew the other long edge of the collar to the neckline. Trim the seam allowances and press them down. Finish the center front edges on both the collar and yoke.
- ZIPPER: Fuse stay tape along the back of the center front edges, from the collar notch to the bottom of the front yoke. Tuck the top zipper tapes to the wrong side and press.
- Position one side of the zipper, face down, along the center front edge of its corresponding side. Place the top stopper 0.3 cm (⅛”) below the collar notch and the bottom stopper 1.5 cm (⅝”) above the yoke seam. Stitch in place using a zipper foot if needed. Mark the collar seam placement on the opposite zipper tape, then attach it in the same way, aligning the marking with the collar seam.
- ZIPPER TAB: With right sides together, fold the zipper tab lengthwise and sew one of the short edges. Turn the tab inside out and push out the corner. Finish the long raw edges together and press the tab.
- Place the zipper tab underneath the zipper and sew the finished edge to one side of the zipper. The seamed top edge should line up with the top stopper, and the raw edge at the bottom should be 1.5 cm (5/8″) below the bottom stopper.
- COLLAR (FINISHING): Slide the zipper pull all the way down, keeping the zipper face down. Fold the collar lengthwise, right sides together, letting the taped edge extend 1 cm (⅜”) past the neckline seam. Sew the center front edges of the collar, catching the zipper and the zipper tab. Turn the collar right side out, push out the corners, and tuck the zipper inside the garment.
- Ensure the taped edge of the collar covers the neckline seam, then stitch it in place, securing it to the garment. Topstitch around the top edge of the collar and down the center front to secure the zipper. Lift the zipper tab away, as needed, so you don’t catch it when topstitching the opposite side of the zipper.
- FRONT HORIZONTAL SEAM: With right sides together, join the lower edge of the front yoke to the top of the front panel, keeping the zipper centered in the seam. Finish the raw edges and press the seam down. Topstitch 0.5 cm (¼”) below the seam.
- SLEEVES: With right sides together, sew the sleeves to the armholes. Finish the raw edges and press them toward the body. Topstitch on the body, 0.5 cm (¼”) from the seam.
- UNDERARM AND SIDE SEAMS: With the front and back panels right sides together, fold the sleeves lengthwise and sew the side and underarm seams, matching the armhole seams. Finish the raw edges and press them to the back. Turn the garment right side out.
- WAIST ELASTIC: Cut the elastic according to the pattern. Overlap the ends by 2 cm (¾”) and stitch them together. Divide both the elastic and the garment hem into four equal sections and mark them.
- Pin the elastic to the inside of the hem, matching the markings. Sew in place, stretching as you go, and remove the pins as you work. Stretch the elastic by pulling both in front of and behind the presser foot. Use a zigzag stitch or overlocker.
- Fold the hem up 2.5 cm (1″) to the wrong side, enclosing the elastic, and stitch in place. Stretch the elastic as you sew to avoid puckering.
- CUFFS: With right sides together, fold each cuff in half along the short edge and stitch. Use a zigzag stitch or the overlocker for this step. Lay each end of the seams in opposite directions to reduce bulk. Fold the cuffs lengthwise, wrong sides together, aligning raw edges.
- With right sides together, sew the raw edges of the cuffs to the sleeve ends, stretching the cuffs as you attach them. Before you start, make sure to align the cuff seam with the underarm seam. Fold the cuffs down and press. Use a zigzag stitch or the overlocker for this step. Give the garment a final press and you’re done!
Good luck with your sewing project!
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So excited to see this one
Lovely however I cannot get the layers for this one?
Did you open the file with your phone? I think the Acrobat mobile app version doesn’t have this feature yet… You need to open the pattern with a computer to see the layers.
Hi there, I am also unable to open with layers and I use the desktop version of Adobe Acrobat
Is it because you can’t see the layers icon?
Hi I can’t see anything in the layers panels for this file on computer as well.
Do you have any solution ? Thank you so much
Hi, the layers are visible on Acrobat only. If you can’t see them, delete the file and try to download it again.
Hi Zelena!
Really excited to use this pattern, looks great!
Could you please double check the layers though (download the file and check, whether they’re present in there). I opened it in Adobe Acrobat and Layers panel is empty for me (and I can see that a lot of people mentioned the same above). Never had that problem with any other pattern before.
Thanks and have a good day!
Yes I did and I can see the layers without a problem. I’ll need to look into it.