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How do I Design a Hoodie?

Kay Paddock
Kay Paddock

Hoodie designs can be basic or they can be elaborate. You can design a hoodie with a very simple graphic or opt to fill most of the space with different colors and images. The first step in any type of hoodie creation is to choose the garment and the material to work with. Hoodies come in many different fabrics, but a soft sweatshirt material is one of the easiest and least expensive to find. If the design will be very involved or you will sew a hoodie instead of purchasing one, a cheap practice hoodie or other piece of clothing could be a good idea. After the garment is chosen, then the steps are to create or find the image that will go on the clothing and apply it.

How to design a hoodie will depend on what kind of image will be applied. Iron-on transfers can be purchased in a wide assortment of styles. If these are purchased, then finishing the hoodie is as simple as ironing the transfers onto the clothing. Sew-on patches and embellishments are another option. A combination of iron-on and sew-on features can also be used to make a unique hoodie. Some people prefer to create their own artwork to end up with a truly one-of-a-kind hoodie. This process can be more involved that using pre-made designs.

A man wearing a hoodie.
A man wearing a hoodie.

An image can be created on paper or on a computer. Some people might prefer to work on paper and follow that template if they are going to paint the hoodie by hand. Paper or thin cardboard are usually better choices if the design will be cut-out and used as a stencil. Creating a stencil to design a hoodie gives you the option of painting the design by hand or even using a spray medium to apply it.

An iron is required to make a DIY hoodie.
An iron is required to make a DIY hoodie.

Computer images can be good choices if you want to use custom iron-on transfers to design a hoodie. Special transfer paper can be purchased for inkjet printers. The printed image can then be used as an iron-on transfer. Computer images can also be printed out and pinned to the hoodie to get an idea how the finished product will look. If the graphic is not the right size or color, it is typically easy to adjust it in the program before anything has been added to the hoodie.

You can create a hoodie that is very detailed using computer images. It is necessary to understand how to use a graphics program, but most have clear user instructions to help. Another option is to use one of the many "make my own hoodie" websites available. Sites like this let you upload your own graphics as well as use some from their stock of images. You can design a hoodie online in their software and then pay them for the product. They will screen-print a hoodie bearing your design, and may even make it available for others to purchase, if you wish.

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    • A man wearing a hoodie.
      A man wearing a hoodie.
    • An iron is required to make a DIY hoodie.
      By: Xuejun li
      An iron is required to make a DIY hoodie.