How to Sew a Sweater With a Cute Cropped Hem & Half Zipper

14 Materials
$20
3 Hours
Advanced

Want to feel cozy and accomplished? Here’s a sweater sewing pattern that teaches you how to sew a sweater with a half zipper that’s super cute, comfortable, and chic!


This DIY sweater has an oversized collar that looks beautiful opened or zipped up into a turtleneck, with a relaxed fit and a cropped hem.


You can use sweatshirt fleece, Sherpa, ponte knit, or French terry for sewing this sweater. Let me show you how to make a sweater!

Tools and materials:

  • Zia sweater pattern
  • 1.7 yards of medium weight knit fabric
  • 13-inch zipper
  • 2.2 yards of elastic, 4cm (1½ inches) wide
  • 1.7 yards of twill tape, 1-2cm (â…•-â…– inches) wide
  • ¼ yard of fusible interfacing, 2cm (â…– inch) wide
  • Sewing machine with needle for knit fabric
  • Zipper foot
  • Serger 
  • Matching thread
  • Glasshead pins
  • Scissors
  • Iron
  • Clapper
Sweater sewing pattern pieces

1. Make the pattern

Print the sweater sewing pattern, lay it on the fabric, and cut out the front, back, sleeves, and collar.

 

Applying interfacing to the fabric

2. Apply the interfacing

Put the interfacing to the center front, marking the placement of the zipper.

Pressing the interfacing

Press. Cool with the clapper. 

Drawing a frame for the zipper

3. Make the frame for the zipper

Use the ruler to mark the frame width about â…• inch (1cm) in a narrow rectangle.

Placing the seam on the zipper frame

Place the seam at the contour of the frame. Put a pin at the mark.

How to sew the zipper frame


Sewing the zipper frame

Sew the frame.

Cutting the zipper frame

Cut down 4-6 inches (10-15cm) in the center. 

Pinning the shoulder seams ready to sew

4. Start sewing

Place the front and back right sides together. Pin and sew at the shoulder. Serge the shoulder seams.

Pressing the shoulder seams

Press the shoulder seams to one side and cool with the clapper. 

Pinning the collar to the neckline

Pin the collar to the neckline, matching the center marks and shoulder seams with the marks on the collar. Once it’s pinned, sew all the pinned areas. Serge the seam. 

Preshrinking the twill tape by pressing with an iron

5. Prep the twill

Preshrink the twill tape by pressing it.

 

Placing the zipper tape along the neckline

6. Finish the zipper frame

Open the zipper and place the zipper tape along the neckline opening.

Pinning the zipper to the zipper frame, ready to sew

The top edge of the zipper should match the center of the collar and the last pin should be at the corner of the frame. Remember, you haven’t fully cut the neckline opening.


Sew the zipper in the middle of the tape. Stop right below the zipper teeth. 

Cutting the neckline

Turn the top to the wrong side and cut the rest of the neckline opening in a straight line, stopping ¼ inch or so before the frame.

Cutting the corners of the zipper frame

Cut to the corners of the frame on an angle, stopping 1mm (0.04 inches) before the very top of the corner. It will make a tiny triangle. 

Marking the neckline seams with a pin

Close the zipper and on the other side of the zipper tape, mark the neckline seam as well as the end of the previous seam with a pin. 

Sewing the zipper tape

Pin the zipper tape to the neckline opening, matching all the marks. Sew the other side of the zipper tape, using the frame seams as your guide.  

How to sew a half zipper into a sweater


Sewing the half zipper

At the end of the zipper, pull out a little bit of that triangle and secure it, being careful with the zipper teeth. Sew slowly. You could also do this bit by hand.

Sewing the twill tape to the zipper tape

Sew the twill tape to the zipper tape, about 2¼ inches (6cm) from the top edge of the zipper. Do not stretch or pull the tape.

Folding over the zipper bottom, ready to sew

The tape is longer than the zipper so trim it about an inch or so longer than the zipper tape, fold over the zipper bottom, and sew to secure it.

Sewing the half zipper into the DIY sweater

Do the same to the other side, but start at the bottom. Stop at the same point on your way up. 

Placing the twill tape on the collar

7. Finish the collar

Serge the outer edge of the collar to make it lay flat and easier to work with. Place the twill tape on the right side over the serged edge of the collar.

Sewing the twill tape to the collar

Sew right at the edge.

Sewing the collar over the zipper

Fold the collar over the zipper, matching the edges and sew. Turn the collar to the right side.

Securing the tape at the corner of the zipper

Secure the tape at the corner of the zipper. 

How to make a sweater with a zipper

Pull the zipper upward. Mark the other side of the collar to be symmetrical with the side you just sewed.

How to sew a collar and zipper

Unzip the zipper, and fold the collar right sides together to that mark. Pin and sew.

Sewing the tape to the corner

Sew the tape to the corner. 

Pinning the collar edge to the neckline seam

Pin the collar edge to the neckline seam, covering it. Start at the center back, shoulder marks, and then in between those points.

Sewing the collar to the neckline

On the very edge of the twill tape, sew the collar to the neckline.

Pressing the zipper and the collar

Press the zipper and collar. Cool with the clapper. 

Pinning the sweater sleeves to the armholes

8. Sew the top

Pin the sleeves into the open armholes, matching all the marks at the edges and in between. Sew the sleeves and serge. Press the armhole seam towards the sleeve. Cool.

Pinning the inner seams of the sweater sleeves

Pin the side seams of the sleeves and the bodice and sew. Press the side seams as flat as possible. Then press them towards the back. Cool. 

Sewing elastic for the cropped sweater hem

9. Sew the elastic

Sew the elastic for the hem into a circle.

Dividing the elastic into quarters and marking

Divide the elastic into quarters and mark.

Pinning the elastic to the hem, matching the quarter marks

Pin the elastic to the hem, matching the side seams and centers at the quarter marks on the elastic.

Sewing the elastic to the hem

Sew the elastic to the hem, stretching while sewing. Place a seam on the other side of the elastic to prevent it from folding inside.  

Folding the hem over the elastic and sewing down

Fold the hem with the elastic inside. Pin at the side seams and centers. Sew at the serged seam, stretching the elastic. 


For the sleeve cuffs, follow the same technique. If this is too hard on your sewing machine, sew a casing and insert the elastic instead.

 

Give your sweater a finishing press!

DIY sweater with a half zipper


How to sew a sweater with a half zipper

How to sew a sweater tutorial

You’ve just learned how to sew a sweater! Let me know in the comments what fabric you would use to make this cozy sweater with a half zipper. Thanks for joining!

Suggested materials:
  • Zia sweater pattern
  • 1.7 yards of medium weight knit fabric
  • 13-inch zipper
See all materials

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