Easy DIY Drawstring Sweatsuit
Do you want to add a little more style and flair to that comfy sweatsuit you love? There’s no reason not to embrace the fashion-comfort combo of the sweatsuit--the unofficial uniform of 2021. Check out this DIY drawstring sweatsuit tutorial to learn how to take your sweats from drab to fab.
Tools and materials:
- Sweatsuit
- Ruler
- Fabric chalk
- Scissors
- Pins
- Safety pin
- Elastic
- Drawstring
- Seam ripper
- Sewing machine
Mark where the bottom hem should fall
I put my sweatsuit on and figured out where I wanted the bottom hem of my sweatshirt to fall.
I marked where I wanted the shirt to end with a pin.
Mark where to cut
Measuring two inches of seam allowance below the pin, I drew a line across the front of the sweatshirt with the help of a ruler and some fabric chalk.
Cut the bottom off the sweatshirt
Following the line I had just drawn, I cut the excess fabric off the bottom of the sweatshirt.
Pin the raw edges
I flipped the sweatshirt inside out and folded the raw edges up two inches, and pinned the hem in place.
Sew the bottom hem
I sewed across the bottom of the sweatshirt using a straight stitch.
Measure how much rope you’ll need
With the rope I chose for my drawstring, I circled my waist and tied a generous bow to measure how much rope I would need for my drawstring. Once I knew how much I needed, I cut it to the desired length.
Make holes for the drawstring
Using a seam ripper, I cut two holes in the bottom front hem of the sweatshirt.
Pull the drawstring through the tunnel
I attached a safety pin to the end of the rope I had cut for the drawstring. I inserted the pin into one of the holes I had cut in the hem of the sweatshirt, and worked the pin through the tunnel created by the hem, pulling the drawstring along with it.
Tie knots at the ends of the drawstring
Once the drawstring was pulled through the hem tunnel and out the second hole, I tied knots on the ends.
Create a hem at the bottom of the pants
Next, I turned my sweatpants inside out and flipped the hems at the bottom up a few inches. I laid the elastic I was planning to use around the ankles on top of the bottom hem to measure how wide I needed the hem to be.
Pin the hem of the pants
Once I knew how wide I needed the hem to be to run the elastic through it, I pinned the hems in place.
Sew the hem
Then I sewed the hem on both pant legs.
I left a gap of about two inches in the hem of each pant leg, which would allow me to insert the elastic and run it through the hem.
Take an ankle measurement
I used a measuring tape to measure around my ankle.
Measure and cut elastic
I cut two pieces of elastic the length of my ankle measurement plus one and a half inches.
Pull the elastic through the hem
Using a safety pin, I inserted the elastic into the hem of the pants through the gap I had left and worked the elastic through until it came all the way around the hem and back out through the gap.
Pin and sew the elastic
I pinned the ends of the elastic together.
Then I sewed it together with a zigzag stitch.
Close up the gap
Once my elastic was in place, I sewed up the gap in the hem of the pants.
Take a waist measurement
Next, I used a measuring tape to measure around my waist.
Cut the elastic for the waistband
I added an inch and a half to the waist measurement and cut a piece of elastic equal to that length.
Open the top seam
With the pants still inside out, I used a seam ripper to open a gap a few inches wide in the top seam of the pants.
Pull the elastic through the waistband
Using the safety pin method again, I pulled the elastic through the waistband of the sweatpants until they came back out the gap I had ripped in the seam.
Pin and sew the elastic
Once again, I pinned the ends of the elastic together and sewed it together with a zigzag stitch.
Close up the gap
Once the elastic for the waistband was in place, I sewed up the gap I ripped in the top seam of the pants.
My plain sweatsuit has now been transformed into a cute drawstring crop top and trendy slouchy sweatpants with an elastic waistband. Let me know what you think of this cute set!
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Comments
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Thank u for easy to understand instructions and the video as well im only 5ft 2 and most jogger pants are way too long on me just cutting them and hemming didnt seem right somehow but the elastic idea is looking forward to altering all my long jogger pants
Yes, I want to give it a shot!