DIY Athletic Pullover: Hacking the Oversize Tee Sewing Pattern Blog Tutorial. Free sewing tutorial to make a cool athletic pullover.

DIY Athletic Pullover: Hacking the Oversized Tee Pattern

Learn how to hack the amazingly versatile Oversized Tee Pattern to be a half-zip pullover top! In this blog post you'll learn how to modify the pattern pieces, how to add a zipper, how to sew piping, and how to color-block the bodice and sleeves. Tap to start reading now!

By Lindsey EssaryApr 11, 2025

Let’s go!

I've sewn this pattern several times, most of them in the crop top version.

First of all, you’ll need the pattern and you can find in the shop section, you can find here my affiliate link, just in case ;)

https://www.ellieandmac.com/products/oversized-tee-pattern?aff=3320

Sewing Level: Intermediate

MATERIAL:

EAM Oversized Tee Pattern
Sweater fabric in two different colors (yes, I love color-blocking)
Piping
Pattern paper to draw the changes
20 cm (~8") zipper x 1
Shoelaces or drawstring
10,5 mm (~1/2") eyelets x 2

Instructions:

I chose to use black and lime green colors to give my top a punchy effect!

Of course, choose what you want, the most important thing when you create clothes, is to enjoy it and love the outcome. Something you'll want to wear again and again! Choose colors to make you shine.

Now, let’s go.

How to Modify the Pattern Pieces

1. Trace the pattern on the paper, I chose to sew the crop top banded version, with the kangaroo pocket and the hood.

So, draw the hood neckline on the bodice pieces.

2. Now, on the front piece, measure 8 cm (~3") under the neckline, trace a perpendicular line to the sides (red line in second picture below). The upper part on the top of the line will now be the FRONT TOP, and the bottom part will be the FRONT BOTTOM.

3. Cut the pattern to separate the two parts.

4. Cut the FRONT TOP in the middle, to create two pieces in mirror, add 1 cm (3/8") of seam allowance where you just cut (at the center front), and at the bottom (where it will connect to the new FRONT BOTTOM).

5. The FRONT BOTTOM will stay cut once on fold as in the original pattern. Just add 1 cm(3/8") of seam allowance at the top.

6. Draw the hood following the pattern, but add 1 cm (3/8") in the middle center front because it won’t be cut on fold anymore but four times, two pieces in black for the outer, mirrored, and two pieces in lime green for the lining, cut in mirror too.

How to Color-Block the Sleeves

I choose to add color-block style to the sleeves.

1. To do this, trace the long sleeve following the pattern, draw the short sleeve line on too.

2. Trace another line 4 cm (1.5") above the short sleeve cut line.

3. Separate your two new sleeve pieces, an Upper part I’ll do in lime green and the Bottom part I’ll do in black. Add 1 cm (3/8") of seam allowance at the bottom of the upper part and at the top of the bottom one so that when you sew them together they will be the same length as the original sleeve.

Top or Upper sleeve is shown below.

Pattern Pieces to Cut

Once all those changes are done, you can cut the fabric.

2 Lining Hood mirrored
2 Outer Hood mirrored
2 bottom sleeve
2 upper sleeve
2 top front bodice mirrored
1 bottom front bodice cut on fold
1 back bodice cut on fold
2 sleeve cuffs
2 waistbands
1 kangaroo pocket on fold
2 pocket bands

Sewing Instructions

As shown in the original instructions, you can prepare the sleeve cuffs and the waistband. Put aside.

Prepare the hood pieces. Mark the hole on the outer parts, position the eyelets.

Put the eyelets at 1 inch from the middle edge, and at 1/2" inch from the top edge.

Sew the lining hood pieces together and outer hood pieces together as shown in the pattern instructions.

Sew the front of the hood Right Sides Together, but don’t sew the rest for the moment.

In the picture below, the unsewn short front area of the hood is called the hood collar. Later, this will be sewn into the zipper.

Sew the Top Front pieces to the back bodice at the shoulders (right sides together of course).

With Right Sides Together, Sew the outer hood part ONLY around the neckline of the bodice leaving the hood lining pulled away.

How to Install the Zipper

Time to position the zipper.

Pin the zipper, right sides together, along one side of the Front top bodice and the outer hood collar area. Then sew.

Repeat on the other side. Check twice if the zipper is well positioned before sewing.

Finish the Hood

Once done, you can finish the hood :

First, fold 1 cm (3/8") of the hood lining to hide the zipper on the chin place (hood collar area). Pin or clip and sew the hood pieces together, the zipper is sandwiched between the two.

Topstitch along the zipper to get a better finishing look.

Do the same on the opposite side.

Topstitch along the front edge of the hood.

Now, create a casing, sew a line of stitches at 1 1/2" inches from the edge. Put the shoelaces or drawstring through the eyelets, then you can secure the neckline by sewing the inner hood to the rest.

Fold the seam allowance of the inner hood against the neckline, and sew all around the inside neck line.

How to Sew Piping and Join the Fronts

Time to join the Top Front to the Bottom Front. Close the zipper to help you to check the position.

Take the piping (you can choose to use an already done one or to create it yourself, as you prefer. I used the already done one), pin or clip it to the Top Front bottom, then put the Bottom Front on the top, right sides together and the piping between the two.

You can use the zipper foot to sew your piping..