Hack || Louise Sweater with zippers || By Cella

April 24, 2021 2 Comments

When it comes to collecting treasures, big pockets are key. Luckily, the Louise Sweater comes with a big kangaroo style pocket, big enough to hold those newly found goodies! So when Cella proposed to hack our Louise Sweater to create a kangaroo pocket with zippers, I was immediately excited! These zippers will keep those found rocks and bugs in! Even when you forget to take them out before washing! Read all about it below.

 

 

You can read more about Cella's other inspiring makes on her Instagram account @cael_sewing. And did you know she's designed some super cute FREE doll patterns (in Dutch)? You can find those here! 

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Hi There!

I’m Cella from @cael_sewing. I’m 34 years old and live in a small town between Arnhem and Zutphen. I have two girls and a lovely husband. I started sewing about 5 years ago and never stopped since. I love to hack a pattern and when Elles asked my for the hackologue I immediately said yes! I choose to hack the Louise sweater. I love the fact that you can both use woven and knit in one pattern. It opens a whole new world of possibilities. When I first made this pattern I made it accordingly  the pattern, but the idea of zippers popped in my head after I finished it. So here’s my Louise zipper hack! I hope you have the same fun making it as I had. 

Supplies

• The Louise pattern (please note: instead of pattern piece 3 and 4, you are going to use pattern piece 4 twice)
• Sewing supplies as listed in the tutorial
• Zipper (preferable on a roll) and 2 runners
• Interfacing
• triangular protractor (or a normal ruler) and pen
• erasable pen 

Adjusting the pattern

For the adjustments on the pattern you need pattern piece 1 – sweater front.
First you have to draw a straight line were the rounded pocket is. Then you draw a vertical line from 1 cm at the beginning and end of the pocket.
Now you connect those two lines with another straight line which is linear to the first line you drew. Now you make another rectangle around the one you just drew. In the picture it’s the dashed line. It’s at 1 cm distance all around the solid line. Connect the solid line and the dashed one in the corners. Cut the pattern pieces like the second photo.

Sewing the hack


                                                                   

Step 1 - Preparing the sweater front. First you have reinforce the fabric for the zipper. I used interfacing about 2 cm around the zipper opening on the wrong side of the fabric. Mark the dashed line you drew on your pattern piece with an erasable pen on your fabric.  

Step 2 - Sewing the zipper on the sweater front. First cut you zipper in the right size. I made sure I had about 2,5 cm extra on each side. The zipper on a roll is nicest to work with, but it’s also possible with normal zippers, but make sure you don’t  buy them to small.  Put your zipper with the right side on the right side of the fabric. Make sure that they are aligned with the opening

 

Step 3 - Turn the pattern piece around. Sew a straight line on the marking. 

Step 4 -  Sewing the lining of the pocket. Instead of pattern piece 3 you have cut two pattern pieces 4 back side pocket. Grab one back side pocket and  place the right side on the right side of the front piece.

 

Step 5 - Turn the pattern piece to the other side. Stitch again on the same place as you did in step 2. Cut in the corner with a scissor until the stitching, but make sure you don’t cut in the stitching.

  

Step 6 - Attaching the top parts of the zipper. We are only going to attach the zipper ends to the top parts first. Fold the corner of the fabric of the pocket and front piece to the other side of the zipper. See picture. Pin or use a clip and sew on the red line until you reach the stitching. 

It should look like this. 

 

  

Step 7 - Attaching the runners to the zippers. Turn the bodice with the right side up. Open up the zippers by pulling them apart. Now put the runner at the bottom end of the zipper and pull the runner up. Now repeat step 6 for the bottom part of the zipper.

 

Step 8 - Cut the zipper ends. Leave about 1 cm on. Optional: You can seal the zipper teeth with a lighter.

 

Step 9 - turn your front pattern piece to the right side. Iron around the zipper, but be careful that you don’t touch the zipper. It will melt away ;-) Now you can top stitch around the zipper.

The hack is finished, now you can continue sewing the sweater by following the tutorial. Just a little tip! When you sew the back and front part together make sure that your zipper is all the way up or down. Depending on which side you start. When you reach the runner lift your presser foot up, but leave the needle in. Carefully pull the runner to the other side of the zipper. Now you can continue sewing.

Good luck with this hack and I hope to see many more!!

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Thank you so much Cella for showing us this hack! If you make your own Louise Sweater with zippers, make sure to tag @cael_sewing and @misusupatterns - we'd love to see your version!

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