Big hoodie made smaller!

I bought my husband this hoodie hoping he'd love it. A great colour on him, snazz up his life. He never worn it. It sat in his closet for a year, moved across the country, then continued to sit sadly until today. 

The kids were napping, and I was freezing in the A/C. Hmm I thought, I could use a new hoodie. 

Total time was about 10 minutes, plus the optional 'bonus shoulder tuck' was another 10. 

Here's what to do:

Turn the sweater inside out, and smooth it out. Follow its seams, don't fight them because you will be cutting away all the extras and it will be wonky if you work against them. (See the armpits below- that's working with the seams) 

Next:

Lay a hoodie on top that fits the way you like. Pin, trace or just cut the excess off. I just cut. I'm a bit of a rebel that way. 

Now:

Pin the sides up. Normally for me, pinning is optional, but since I wanted my armpit and wrist seams to match up, I actually took the time. 

Sew that bitch up. When you get to the armpit, don't round the stitch, lift your foot and rotate the fabric. I could give you reasons why, but just trust me. 

Boom!

BUT BUT BUT, if you look closely, the shoulders are a little too long. 

So if you are feeling like a little extra credit, here's what I did. It's not pretty on the inside, but looks good on the outside. 

Cut about an inch triangle out. 

See the little seam? That will now make your new opening fit with the existing shoulder. 

Turn your sleeve right side out, this will make the shoulder easier to see/sew. 

Pin and sew. 

 Hello smaller shoulder.