I’ve got three hacks in one to share with you today! You can mix and match these hacks to suit yourself and get a custom look for your Jackson Pullover. When we designed Jackson, we wanted an easy-to-sew, wearable, timeless pullover. No bells and whistles or trendy design elements, just a great basic pattern that we can use for years to come! These hacks are a great way to incorporate some fun trends and details into this design.
I love the fit of Jackson and have several in heavy rotation, but I kept thinking about a more voluminous sleeve (no surprises there) and a cropped length (also shocking, I know). I was envisioning a sweater that I would wear with high-waisted jeans and leggings and not have so much fabric overlapping in my waist area. I love that this sweater sits right at the top of my pants and it feels like something one might wear to a dance or aerobics class. The sleeves are just so much fun and an easy change to make.
Before we get into this hack, you may have also noticed that I added a hood! This is something I have been toying with for a while and I would love to know—would you be interested in a hood for Jackson? It may be something we draft and grade if people want it so let me know! In the meantime, you can try adding a hood from a different pattern. I recommend using the hood and the neckline from another pattern so everything matches up nicely.
How to Make Balloon Sleeves
This hack is so easy and the result is really fun to wear. Simply straighten out the sides of the Jackson Pullover sleeve. I made mine straight, but you can do a smaller angle to make less volume in your balloon.
I also added length to my sleeve so there would be more fabric vertically to create that blousing effect. I added 4” (10 cm) to my sleeve. I also decided to make my cuff 1” (2.5 cm) smaller for a tighter fit here. Again, this just helps to accentuate the balloon sleeve. Only go as tight as your fabric allows. In my case, I was using really stretchy ribbing so I could take it in and still stretch it to fit the sleeve.
How to Crop and Cinch the Waist
Again, this hack is pretty easy and quick to make! Simply cut the shortest view of Jackson and open up the pattern at the Lengthen/Shorten lines. Slide the bottom up until you are happy with the length. I took 6” (15 cm) off my pattern. If you are unsure, cut it a bit longer and then you can always trim away more later.
I also made my bottom band tighter by taking 3” (7.5 cm) off either side. If you want to cinch it in, it works best in a ribbing fabric with plenty of stretch. The amount you tighten this band is totally up to you and dependent on your body and what is comfortable for you. You can leave it as-is for a loose fit, or you can cinch it way in for a super snug fit.
I sewed this up pretty quickly and then added the hood. I won’t get into the details of how I sewed the hood here, but if you are interested in a pattern add-on, let me know in the comments!
I also managed to squeeze a matching hoodie for my niece out of the scraps from this project. For her sweater, I used the Mini Page hoodie. I love that Chalk and Notch includes kids versions of some of their patterns. This was a quick sew and I added a striped jersey to the hood for fun. I also took the waist in on this pattern too, just so our sweaters matched even more.
I love love LOVE this sweater and I wear it every chance I get. I was a bit skeptical that I would get wear out of it because of the trendy details but it has surprised me in the best way! I would love to make another one in black or grey. I hope you enjoyed this hack!
Happy new year!
Helen
