My First Avocado Hoodie

 My first Avocado Hoodie:

I'm calling this my "first" because there's definitely going to be more!

Seriously, I love this!

Pattern: Avocado Hoodie by the amazingly talented Mari of Disparate Disciplines.  I choose Option B, non-overlapping hood with back pockets.

Fabric: Double-sided sweatshirt fleece from Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. It's chocolate brown on the outside and a lighter tan on the inside. I used green jersey left over from my Burda gathered top for the pocket lining.

Size and Modifications: I cut out a 6 at the top and graded to an 8. The only other intentional modification was that instead of using clear elastic to stabilize the bottom pocket edge, I used a strip of the fleece selvage. Time will tell how well this holds up.

By "intentional" modifications, I kind of made a few mistakes along the way with construction. The instructions are great, but I just spaced out from time to time and forgot to follow them in a few places. It's all on me. Most of the time, it just meant me spending some quality time with my seam ripper (we've been very close the past few weeks), but I will need to go back in an either redo the topstitching along the neck or tack down the facing. I was in the home stretch and didn't see that I was supposed to sew 3/4" from the neckline. I think mine is about 1/4".  It just means the facing sticks up a bit, but I'll probably go in and correct this soon.

Check out the back pockets!

I do have just a bit of bunching around my hips and lower back. The instructions do suggest using a fabric with 4-way stretch if you have a swayback or a proportionally larger bottom (Check and Check). They also suggest making sure you have positive ease. I haven't measured, but with jeans on I should be right at the finished garment hip measurements. None of this bugs me in the slightest because I think it still rocks and is super comfy, but I will probably grade my next one a bit larger at the hips, or pick a lighter weight fabric.

And can we talk about the thumb holes!

I'm thinking of stealing this pattern piece and adding it to other tops because I really do love this.

The best news, my husband wants his own hoodie! There are a few (hundred) projects ahead in line, and I'd have to figure a way to grade the men's pattern up for him because he has crazy huge shoulders, but it should be fun!

I'm just sad that the weather is so nice out, because I really want to wear this more (or at least for longer than this photo shoot)! This is some seriously warm fleece, and I'm pretty sure I'd die if I wore it outside this coming week.