How to crop a vintage sweatshirt- an easy clothing rework idea

Sometimes you just want that perfect cozy cropped fit to wear with your high waisted jeans. An article that sits right at the waistband with no need for tucking in.

Every once and a while I will find a perfectly cropped vintage sweatshirt when I’m thrifting out in the wild… but for the times I can’t, I’ve turned to reworking an existing one into the desired fit.

I recently thrifted this adorable kitty sweatshirt. Kitschy vintage Grandma style and anything cat themed tends to sell well for me in my Depop shop. This sweatshirt happened to have a stain that was stubborn so it became the perfect candidate for a reworked crop.

Follow along to learn how you can turn your next thrifted sweatshirt find into a cropped version.

STEP 1: Figure out the measurement of your desired finished length (waistband included). I used a tape measure placed on my shoulder and pulled it down to the top of my high waisted jeans.

Taking into account the width of the waistband and a 1 inch seam allowance, measure where you will need to cut through the body of the sweatshirt.

STEP 2: Pin waistband together and mark your measured cut line with pins or chalk.

Cut through the front and back of sweatshirt using a rotary cutter and cutting mat.

STEP 3: Use a seam ripper to detach the waistband from the cut bottom piece. Save the scrap piece for another project.

STEP 4: Put a basting stitch (a straight stitch set on the longest length) into the cut bottom of the sweatshirt. Pull one of the threads to gather the hem to match the circumference of the waistband.

STEP 5: Pin the waistband and sweatshirt together, right sides facing. Use a serger or zig zag stitch to sew together. (Note: when using a zig zag stitch- make sure you have a ball point needle in your machine)

Reworking and existing article to your desired fit/look is a wonderful way to update a vintage article and give it a longer lifespan!