Introducing Project 004—Funnel Neck Pullover
Our next project is inspired by an old, yet treasured, sweatshirt that I rediscovered last year and just could not stop wearing.
Welcome to Sewing With Numbers, a newsletter about sewing, math, design and how to draft your own sewing patterns. Through simple pattern drafting exercises, I'll show you how fun, useful and empowering math can be. ✂️ Every 6 to 8 weeks, I feature a different drafting project, with each lesson building upon the learnings from previous ones.
Today, I’m excited to share our next project here on Sewing With Numbers. <drumroll please!> Our next project is a Funnel Neck Pullover sweatshirt, inspired by the classic 1990s era L.L. Bean fleece. I owned two of these back then and rediscovered one when my parents were packing to move early last year. Since uncovering it in a box of sweaters in the garage, I have been wearing it nearly nonstop.
Last winter was my first year back in Washington state (after 16 years in Southern California) so I was pressed to find clothing that would keep me warm and comfortable. The fleece is lightweight yet warm and I found myself reaching for it over and over again.
This design is a classic and L.L.Bean STILL sells it. I think the only update is that they now use a recycled polyester.
And, speaking of fabric, I must admit, the polyester is my biggest quibble with this sweatshirt. I really prefer to work with natural fibers. I think it’s better for the environment. So, when I make my own version, I have a sweater knit that’s 80% cotton. I’d feel much better about 100% cotton but it is what it is.
Fabric choice is one reason you might want to make your own version. Another reason is if you want custom sizing. I’m almost 6 feet tall and it’s really hard to find the right garments with the length that I like. When drafting my own, I can make sure that the body and sleeves are long enough. And, I can make design changes. Like maybe I want the interior pocket to span the entire front and be lined with something soft and warm. Sounds dreamy!
By the way, this is how we’ll feel when we have drafted and sewn our own pullovers! Look how much fun they’re having! Climbing mountains! Staying warm! Imagine if they had also drafted and sewn their clothes. The power! The self-reliance!
I decided to feature this design as a project because I think it’s something a lot of people can wear, it’s useful and the boxy shape makes it beginner friendly. I like project that are approachable, aka an easy win, because it builds confidence. Let’s look at the details of this design.
To get started, we need to dissect the design. This sweatshirt is a pullover style with an oversized, boxy fit. It has shoulders that extend past the edge of the body’s shoulders (aka a drop shoulder), a large front and back yoke, a snap placket in the top half of the center front, and a funnel style collar. The hems are finished with a stretchy contrast binding. The placket and collar edging appear to be a non-stretch nylon. And let’s not forget there are in-seam front pockets just above the hem.
In all, we will need the following pattern pieces:
1. Lower Body
2. Front Yoke
3. Back Yoke
4. Placket
5. Sleeve
6. Funnel Collar
7. Binding (This is technically 3 different lengths: collar, sleeve and hem)
8. In-seam Pocket
Here’s a rough sketch of what the pattern pieces will look like. (Note they are not made to size or scale.) The body will be drafted by first drawing the body and sleeve together and then cutting it down into our different pattern pieces. After that, we can draft the collar and placket.
I’m planning to share this project in 5 parts:
How to draft the body of the sweatshirt
How to draft the funnel collar
How to draft a placket
Design Variations
Project Journal
As always, let me know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you enjoyed this post, you can tap the "heart" at the top or bottom to help other people find it.
Happy mathing!
Beth
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Could you write 'cut one pair' or 'cut two pairs' rather than 'cut two' or 'cut four'? I always find this helps see how things fit together.
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Thank you for your generous teaching. I love cotton too, but safety issue: You absolutely do NOT want cotton if climbing mountains. Hikers say, "Cotton Kills" because when wet, it sucks heat from the body and hypothermia is a major killer, even in summer. For outdoor activities, synthetics are better. They continue to insulate when wet and dry faster. Wool is worth considering. I have some cotton French terry I'm earmarking for a tunic version of this project. Excited!