Last week I opened an email from Baby Gap and saw a cute grey pullover with eyelet trim for toddler girls. I immediately had a “That would be so easy to make!” reaction. With spring almost here, it’s the perfect time to alter a sweatshirt that your daughter will outgrow before the next winter. Annabel has a simple grey sweatshirt that she wore maybe twice thanks to LA’s non-existent winter (don’t hate us), so I was excited to extend its life.
You only need a few items to make this incredibly easy pullover, and the little girl in your life will be so cute – or maybe you’ll want to make this for yourself! Unleash your inner lacey-girl.
Sweatshirt (any color)
Eyelet trim (anywhere from 24-40 inches, depending on the size of your top)
Rotary cutter or fabric scissors
Measuring tape
Pins/needle/thread
I wanted to remove all of the ribbed hems that one associates with a sweatshirt. I thought 3/4 length sleeves would be cute on Annabel, so I cut off the sleeve hems plus some additional fabric (five inches total). I suggest measuring the sweatshirt while the person is wearing it so you know exactly how much you want to cut off.
I cut off the bottom ribbed hem of the sweatshirt, plus a bit more for a total of three removed inches. I also highly suggest measuring this while the owner of the sweatshirt is wearing it.
If you are a normal person, you’ll throw away those scraps of material. If you are like me, you will put them away because who knows when you might want to make something with sweatshirt material. Some may call us hoarders, but I say we are not wasteful.
Turn the sweatshirt inside-out, then fold up the sleeves about 1/2 of an inch, pin in place, and sew. I actually sewed twice around the hems to make sure the sleeves were extra-durable (a four-year-old is going to be wearing this, after all).
Fold up the bottom of the sweatshirt about 1/2 of an inch, pin in place, then sew. The fabric is going to want to roll so you will use looooots of pins to hold it in place.
This is what my hems looked like when I was done. I only sewed around the bottom hem once since attaching the eyelet trim requires sewing around the bottom at least one more time.
Pin your trim along the bottom of the sweatshirt (make sure your sweatshirt is still inside-out). Sew the trim along the new hem of the sweatshirt. I started my trim about half an inch off a side hem so that my rough edges would be on the back of the sweatshirt.
Once you’ve sewn the eyelet trim completely around the bottom of the sweatshirt, overlap where you began by about half an inch, then trim the excess.
Sew the trim together where it overlaps. Spend a stupid amount of time trying to get the pattern to line up exactly.
Pretty!
Here’s the Marled Eyelet Top from Baby Gap (currently out of stock):
And here’s the Eyelet-Trimmed Top from this tutorial:
Not too shabby, in my opinion!
Annie likes it, too. She said, “Oh Mommy, you made my sweatshirt beautifuller!”
She thinks it’s the perfect top to wear while playing her harmonica.
(Be glad this picture doesn’t come with sound)
Making the sleeves shorter and removing the ribbing at the bottom made the sweatshirt much breezier, which will keep Annie warm on cooler LA nights, but not overheated.
Any questions, let me know! Have fun!
Emily says:
Look at that sassy pose in the last photo! I love it.
Jordan says:
love the last picture. Such a little miss sassafras!
In other news, I need one of these in grown up sizes. So cute!
Heather says:
So cute!!
Jeanne P says:
When my daughter was young I did this with some summer dresses after she had a growth spurt. They still fit in the body and we got a few more months wear out of them.
Heather says:
That’s a great idea!!
Jean says:
I like this idea a lot. This would also look nice with black lace on a woman’s shirt to dress it up. I love summer black shirts with lace and they are not easy to find. This has given me ideas to make my own. Keep the diy’s coming! I am really enjoying them.
Heather says:
Oh, that WOULD look nice! What a great idea!
Donna P says:
Love the cute top. But Annie is a rock star!
Jill says:
This seems like a silly question, but I’m a beginner at sewing!
When you’ve pinned down the eyelet trim, how do you sew around the pins with the machine?
Heather says:
I pull them out right before I get to that point on the material. A lot of people (like my sewing instructor) will tell you to put the pins in perpendicular to the seam so you can just sew right over the pins, but I never sew over the pins because I’m paranoid!
Jen says:
I’ve broken too many sewing machine needles trying the “oh, just pin perpendicular!” method.
Jill says:
Thanks ladies!
Bobbi says:
I sew over my pins too – but just becuase I am too clumsy to pull them out without messing up my “lines”, LOL. But, it does prove to be a hazard for your sewing needles:)
Ines says:
Thanks so much for these sewing projects. I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas, but I am so intimidated to use it…You are inspiring me to give it a go!
Jen says:
A tip I got from my mom when she was teaching me to sew: when you use pins, put them in perpendicular to the seam you’ll be sewing. That way they don’t interfere or break the needle on your machine.
Heather says:
Oh yeah, my sewing instructor taught me that too…I am so bad about it, though! Especially when the material I’m working with is so small. I’ve always been too paranoid to let the machine sew over the pins but I know people do that all the time.
Wendy says:
That’s great and I like your trim better.
When I was at school we had to pin tack (baste) sew. I do cheat a lot now unless it’s a fiddly bit then I tack as well.
Heather says:
My grandma used to use that method when she quilted!
Jeanie says:
What a little poser! Nothing shy about Annie. She is going to be one confident girl.
Shannon says:
So cute! Another tip: if you are sewing stretchy material, like sweatshirt fleece, you may want to use a zigzag stitch or another stretch stitch to prevent your seams from breaking when the fabric stretches. You’ll probably be ok on this one because it doesn’t look too tight, but I’ve definitely learned this trick the hard way. PS you have the cutest poser in the history of ever!
Leslie says:
I’m loving how passionate Annie is about playing the harmonica.
Kristen says:
Adorable! Such a great idea and it looks really cute on Annie! I wish I could sew. Someday I’ll learn!
Becca says:
I love how Annie has a matching tattoo in that first picture!
Also – this is super cute, nice job! My parter is also “not wasteful” – but I finally made her get rid of some “ideas” when I found an ENTIRE SUITCASE full of scraps in the basement.
Maris says:
Really cute!
Michelle H says:
That is seriously cute!!!
Steph says:
I read your newest post first, & I would like to outsource being crafty to you!
Karen says:
Says Annie to the sweatshirt…”Not fully…you are not fuller, I mean more beautiful!”
I had to give you a Frozen reference!
Karen says:
Should say ”Not fuller…you are not fuller, I mean more beautiful!”
Grrr…darn fingers.
Alyssa says:
I have very little talent in using a sewing machine, but after all these DIY posts you’ve been doing I really feel the need to learn! I think my bf’s daughter would love a shirt like this. Oh and Annie… love her poses!
Christina says:
Or take the scraps, and the bedazzler, which I KNOW you gotta have in your craft stash, If I have one lol, and create wrist bands and a headband! but thats just me. lol
Lisa says:
I don’t know how you find the time to do all that you do!! My goodness lady. Oh that’s right, you don’t sleep! Mystery solved. You seriously should get a place and sell your goods! The Little Spohr Store! You could bake sweets, do updos for birthday parties with your adorable clips, hair bands, etc. Make invitations for the parties, take pics, make sparkly dressees, and give the moms hair tutorials while getting them drunk on your cocktails. And Mike could drive the drunk parents home! Ha!!!!! You have some real talents!
Jenn says:
Cute! I need one in my size! And oh em gee, that last pose!
Alice says:
OMG, that last picture. She looks 25!! Hilarious!!