Sweatshirts Recipe
Stay cozy in this super soft poly-cotton blend. Features embroidered logo on the sleeve (for Curry and Equation styles) Available in 3 styles: Blue Logo Purple Logo Equation Prawn Curry embroidered locally | art by leah devine pokrasso
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Garment Base
Decoration & Branding
Finishing & Hardware
Tools & Equipment
Method
Garment Construction
- 1
Prepare panels
If not already pre-cut, lay out poly-cotton fabric and cut front, back, sleeves, and hood (if applicable) to the desired pattern size. Use a rotary cutter and ruler for clean edges. Transfer pattern markings (notches, center front, sleeve cap) with chalk.
- 2
Assemble shoulders
With right sides together, align front and back at the shoulder seams. Pin or baste, then sew using a stretch or ballpoint needle and a narrow zigzag or stretch stitch. Press seams open with an iron on a suitable setting for poly-cotton.
- 3
Attach sleeves
Match sleeve notches to the armhole, pin evenly around, and sew the sleeve into the armhole with a stretch stitch. Repeat for the second sleeve. Press seam allowances toward the sleeve.
- 4
Sew side seams
With right sides together, fold garment so edges align and sew from sleeve cuff through underarm to hem in one continuous seam. Finish raw edges with an overlocker/serger or a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying.
- 5
Attach ribbing
Measure and prepare ribbed cuffs and hem. Stretch ribbing slightly and pin to sleeve hem and bottom of sweatshirt, matching seams. Sew with a twin needle or stretch stitch, stretching the ribbing gently so it fits the fabric.
- 6
Neckline finish
If the style includes a neckline rib or hood, attach per pattern instructions. Use stabilizer or stay-tape at the shoulder seams to prevent stretching. Topstitch around the neckline for a clean finish.
Decoration & Embroidery
- 7
Prepare artwork
Obtain the Leah Devine Pokrasso embroidery file or transfer print. Scale the design to the desired sleeve logo size (typically 2–3 inches / 5–7.5 cm tall). Print or load the file to your embroidery machine.
- 8
Stabilize sleeve
Turn the sweatshirt inside out or hoop the sleeve area according to your machine's requirements. Place a piece of tear-away stabilizer on the wrong side of the sleeve where the logo will sit. Baste the sleeve to prevent movement if needed.
- 9
Thread selection
Choose embroidery thread color according to the style: blue for Blue Logo, purple for Purple Logo, curry/orange for Curry, prawn/pink for Prawn. Wind the machine with the correct color and test stitch on a scrap of poly-cotton with the same stabilizer.
- 10
Embroider logo
Run the embroidery machine with the hooped sleeve, or hand-embroider following the transferred design. Monitor tension and stitch density to avoid puckering. After embroidery completes, carefully tear away stabilizer and trim any loose threads. Press lightly from the wrong side with a cloth over top to avoid flattening satin stitches.
Finishing
- 11
Attach labels and tags
Sew or apply the care label to the inside neckline and attach the size hang tag to the garment. Ensure labels are aligned and securely fastened.
- 12
Quality check
Inspect seams, embroidery placement, stitch quality, and ribbing tension. Check for stray threads, holes, or puckering. Make any small repairs as needed.
- 13
Press and pack
Give the sweatshirt a final press (use a protective cloth over the embroidered area). Fold neatly, insert into a packing bag, and add any additional branding inserts. The sweatshirt is now ready for sale.