You might have noticed how much I’m loving the versatile, extra useful things in my life lately. When the Rebecca Page Double Duty blog tour popped up, I knew just what I wanted to share with you!!

I hacked the Comfy Cowl Hoodie with a moto style zipper forever ago and just have not had time to write it up. This was the perfect opportunity to make another one and share it with all my favorite people!! It turns out this is a pretty simple hack. I highly recommend making yourself a comfy cowl as written first. This helps make sure the fit is what you’re looking for and gives you a better understanding of the pattern before we go changing it up.

My first Comfy Cowl was a few years ago and I still get so much wear out of it. It is fancy enough to wear to work, but comfy enough to lounge in. Win/win! Since this one fits great and I’m familiar with the pattern, I’m ready to hack away! I traced off a copy of my graded pattern to work with (so I can keep making regular Comfy Cowls!), traced off the mirror image of the front, and marked the center front. From here, I lengthened the front and back pieces. I wanted to eliminate the band at the bottom, though, I do think it would be super cute to leave it on! But without the band, and because I’m 5’8″, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of length for a comfy zip up.

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Then I picked up a really long zipper, 30 inches! I used this really long zipper to play with the angle I wanted. Once I had an idea of what look I was going for, I made sure to center it on my front piece. (So the bottom of the zip was the same distance from center front as the top.) I drew in this line, sliced it, and added seam allowance to the new edge. Then I just cut one of each front piece out of my main fabric.

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There is just one completely new piece I made for this and it is a little harder to describe, but I promise it is actually really easy! All I did to create this piece was overlap, right sides together, the two front pieces. The part that overhangs is my final piece. With seam allowance added, of course. With this piece, we’ll call it the facing, I cut one from my main fabric and two from my accent fabric. The two from the accent fabric are NOT mirror image. Ask me why I’m emphasizing this… 😀

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For the hood piece, I traced off the hood per pattern, but added the same distance from center fold as my zipper, plus seam allowance. Instead of cutting this on the fold, I cut two outer and two inner pieces, each as mirror images. Be sure to transfer all your markings. You can see in the fabric photo below I’ve marked the center front as well as placed a clip along the neck edge.

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Other than adding length for the missing cuffs, I didn’t make any changes to the back or sleeve pieces. Just cut them per instructions out of my main fabric.

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Now I have all my pieces and am good to start sewing!! I start with the front pieces and the zipper. The right front piece and the facing piece in my outer fabric are layered over the right side of the zipper. I like to line up the zip 1 inch from the bottom. This gives me room for hem and to actually sew the hem without hitting the zip. Since I prefer to work in batches (clipping all the sewable bits, then sewing all the seams), I also clipped the inner fabric facing piece to the outer fabric facing piece along the outside edge, right sides together.

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The left front piece is layered with one of the facing pieces from inner fabric, also right sides together.

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Once my zipper was installed, I placed each inner facing right side together along the hem to the main fabric and stitched at 1/2 inch. This will created a clean corner for your hem and make it easier to start the hem! Then flip the facings right sides out and press. I chose to topstitch along the zipper edge and down the open edge of each facing. I think it gives it a really beautiful finished look, as well as holding the facing in place! I also basted along the neck edge of the facing pieces, so it would be easier to attach the hood later.

From here, sew the back edge of the hood inner and out as per the pattern. Now, place the inner and outer hood right sides together. Sew from one front edge, all the way across hood edge and down to the other front edge. I did this on my serger, so did three separate seams, but if you use a regular machine, it can be done all in one pass. Flip right sides out and topstitch the edges.

Now we will basically construct as normal. This is a super quick order of operation for how I completed these last steps. Attach front to back at shoulders. Attach sleeves. Sew side seams Attach hood, matching center back and front edges. Hem sleeves and bottom. You’re done!!

There are so many cute ways to wear this thing. I keep saying I’m going to add a button to the hood corners and little loops to attach them on the shoulder seams so the hood can be held in place when wrapped. But I live in Atlanta and rarely need that much warmth. For my next one, I’m definitely adding welt pockets!!

I’ve worn this new one quite a few times already and love it!
Is this a hack you’ll make up? Are you excited about all the other Double Duty posts this week?

Can’t wait to see your version!!

Stephanie xx

More Inspiration

Please visit all the stops on the Rebecca Page Double Duty Blog Tour for more great inspiration:

• Monday, February 25: Rebecca Page (Intro), Sarcastic Sewist, Sewjourns
• Tuesday, February 26: Stitched by Jennie
• Wednesday, February 27: SimplyKyra
• Thursday, February 28: bigflynotions
• Friday, March 1: Patchwitch
• Saturday, March 2: twofiveohnine, Soul Fed on Thread, Sequoialynn Sews
• Sunday, March 3: Livality, Mama Sew Vintage

Prizes

We will be giving away 7 one-month subscriptions. Each one-month subscription prize contains:

• Ladies XXS to 5XL Strappy Cami pattern
• Bonus Ladies XXS to 5XL Comfy Cowl pattern
• 1 pattern credit to use for a pattern of choice during the month of subscription
• A further 20% discount on any other patterns (including those already on sale) during the month of subscription

For a chance to win a One-Month Subscription, please comment on the blogs each day and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

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