SWEATSHIRT

NIKKI

SIZES 34-52

DIFFICULTY

SUITABLE FOR
BEGINNERS
 FROM THE FOUNDER
OF THE #VIKISEWS BRAND

Back in 2016, when I was working on my first

set of sewing instructions, I was trying to write
them in such a way that even a complete beginner
could easily understand and use them to create
their very first garment. These instructions laid
the foundation for the Vikisews brand, its vision
and its mission. I wanted to create modern patterns
with the most detailed and clear instructions.

Now, with each new collection we are constantly

improving our instructions, amending them and
adding more relevant details. By the time the final
product reaches you, our drafters, correctors, and
editors would have spent weeks perfecting every
word and every photograph. If you compile a few
of our instructions together, you will get a sewing
manual that will assist you in sewing all kinds of
garments at any difficulty level.

And I would be very happy if these instructions

helped you to turn your hobby into a lifelong
passion… Enjoy the process! Create your ultimate
dream wardrobe! Wear your garments proudly for
years to come!

If you have any questions, please contact us at

[email protected] - we are always there to help.

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 NIKKI PATTERN DESCRIPTION
Nikki is a straight cropped semi-fitted sweatshirt. It features long
drop-shoulder sleeves that are sewn in flat. The neckline is round and finished
with a neckband made from ribbing. The sweatshirt is topstitched along the
shoulder seams, armhole seams, bottom hem and sleeve hems. Nikki is below
waist length.

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 IMPORTANT!

The contents of this pattern are copyright protected and belong exclusively
to VikiSews. You may use VikiSews patterns for personal use. It is prohibited
to share VikiSews patterns and instructions with third parties, as well as to
publish patterns and instructions online for public access. According to part
1 of clause 1252 and clause 1301 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation,
failure to comply with the mentioned rules constitutes a breach of the legislation
in force in the field of copyright and entails liability of the violator. Illegal use
or distribution will be prosecuted in accordance with legislation.

You may use VikiSews patterns for commercial use, to sew custom-made
garments and/or create fashion collections, on the condition that the patterns
are solely used in a manufacturing setting and are not further shared with
individuals.

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TOTAL EASE ALLOWANCE
Bust ease, Waistline ease, Hipline ease, Upper arm ease,
cm cm cm cm

28.8-34.8 46.9-52.7 18.3-24.3 20-24

GARMENT LENGTH, SLEEVE LENGTH

Height, cm Garment length at Sleeve length including
center back, cm shoulder width, cm

1 (154-160) 54.5 71.7-73.5

2 (162-168) 57.5 73.7-75.5
3 (170-176) 60.5 75.7-77.4
4 (178-184) 63.5 77.7-79.4

SUGGESTED FABRIC
To sew this sweatshirt, choose knit fabrics with the following properties:
• soft, breathable, non-stretch or with little stretch, medium weight
• the fiber content can include natural fibers (wool, cotton), artificial (viscose), blends (wool + polyester,
cotton + polyester, cotton + elastane, etc.) and synthetics (polyester, polyester + elastane)
• the following fabrics are recommended: sweatshirt fleece, thick French terry

Attention! We do not recommend lightweight sheer fabrics (chiffon, organza, stretch lace).

Additionally, we recommend using rib knit material for the neckband.

The sweatshirt in the photos is made from sweatshirt fleece. The fabric is soft, durable, with little
stretch. The fiber content is 50% cotton and 50% polyester. The neckband is made from ribbing.

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FABRIC AND NOTIONS REQUIREMENTS
1. Main fabric, 160cm wide, in meters: 2. Main fabric, 180cm wide, in meters:

Size Size
Height, cm Height, cm
34-40 42-52 34-38 40 42-46 48-52

1 (154-160) 1,2 1,25 1 (154-160) 1,2 1,2 1,2 1,25

2 (162-168) 1,25 1,25 2 (162-168) 1,25 1,25 1,3 1,3
3 (170-176) 1,3 1,3 3 (170-176) 1,3 1,35 1,35 1,35
4 (178-184) 1,35 1,35 4 (178-184) 1,35 1,4 1,4 1,4

3. Additional material (ribbing), 120cm wide, for all sizes and heights - 6cm.

IMPORTANT! When purchasing fabric, please account for

shrinkage and buy 5% more than required.

4. Matching thread - 5 spools (1 spool for the sewing machine and 4 spools for the overlocker).

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• sewing machine for construction
• overlocker for construction and for finishing raw edges. This may be replaced with a stretch overlock
stitch or a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine (overlock or zigzag stitch width 2-3mm, stitch length
2.5mm)
• coverstitch or coverlock machine for flatlocking seams and finishing the bottom hem and sleeve hems.
If you don’t have a coverstitch machine, it can be replaced with a twin needle on any regular sewing
machine capable of sewing a zigzag stitch.

IMPORTANT! We recommend using specialty needles when working with knit

fabrics (for example, STRETCH, SUPER STRETCH, JERSEY, etc.). These are ballpoint
needles, so they part the threads of the fabric you are stitching rather than
piercing them.

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PATTERN PIECES LIST
1. From main fabric:
• Front - cut 1 on fold
IMPORTANT! Don’t forget to transfer all the
• Back - cut 1 on fold
notches from the pattern to your fabric.
• Sleeve - cut 2

2. From additional material:

• Neckband - cut 1

SEAM ALLOWANCES
Pattern pieces include the following seam allowances:
• All edges - 1cm
Take this into account when laying out pattern pieces on the fabric.

CUTTING LAYOUT

Main fabric, 160cm wide, for all sizes and heights,

for a non-directional print or without nap

1st part with two folds 2nd part on fold

Fold Fold

Selvedge

Fold Selvedge

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Main fabric, 180cm wide, cut on fold, for Main fabric, 180cm wide, cut on fold, for
sizes 34-48 in all heights, for a non- sizes 50-52 in all heights, for a non-
directional print or without nap directional print or without nap

Fold Fold

Selvedge Selvedge

Additional material, 120cm wide, single layer, for all sizes and heights,
for a non-directional print
Selvedge

Selvedge

READY? LET’S GET SEWING!

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 FITTING

First fitting.
We recommend doing a first fitting for any garment.
Why? The first fitting is done to check the garment balance, adjust ease (in case you didn’t make a muslin
and didn’t make any adjustments to the pattern before cutting) but only to make it smaller, adjust the
length of the garment, sleeve length and neckline depth.
How? We recommend constructing the entire garment (including sleeves) along the major structural
seams (shoulder seams, side seams). Baste the bottom hem and sleeve hems. To ensure a well-fitting
garment, it’s important to properly assemble it for the first fitting, so pay attention to the notches. First pin
the pieces at the notches and then between them making sure the fabric is laying smoothly.
Use one of the following two construction methods:
• use a long machine stitch (4-5mm stitch length)
• baste by hand (approximately 1cm stitch length)
If after basting one of the pieces ends up longer than the other, don’t rush to trim the longer piece or
stretch the shorter one. First make sure that the notches match, lay out the pieces on a flat surface and
try basting again. If the pieces still don’t match because they've stretched or there has been a cutting
mistake, you can always trim the pieces after the fitting during the construction of the garment.
After assembling the garment, press it lightly, press the seams to one side or open.
What to look for during fitting?
The right and left sides of the garment should look symmetrical.
Check the garment balance: side seams aligned vertically, correctly positioned center front and back,
shoulder seams lining up with the natural shoulder line.
Check the sleeve fit: there shouldn’t be any wrinkles, the sleeve should hang smoothly, without draglines.
After the fitting, make adjustments making sure the right and left sides are symmetrical, and then do
another baste fitting if necessary.

Place the front and back pieces right sides

together, aligning the shoulder edges. Pin the
shoulders, baste by hand if necessary, stitch on
a 4-thread overlocker. Overlock with the back
piece facing up. The overlock stitch width is 0.7cm,
so you should be cutting off 0.3cm.

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 Press the seams. First, press the seams flat.

Press the seam allowance towards the front

with the help of a tailor's roll.

Topstitch the shoulder seams using a flatlock

stitch. If you are using a coverlock machine, stitch
from the right side of the garment. If you are
using a coverstitch machine, stitch from the wrong
side of the garment. The sample in the photos
was topstitched from the wrong side on a coverstitch
machine. The topstitching was done on top of
the seam allowance, with the left needle positioned
over the back of the sweatshirt, and the middle
and right needles positioned over the front. The
photo shows how the seam looks from the right
side. Press the seam.

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 With right sides together, align the armscye
edge with the sleeve cap edge, match the notches.
Pin. Baste the sleeve into the open armscye by
hand if necessary. With the sleeve facing up, stitch
on the overlocker.

Press the seam flat, press the seam allowances

towards the garment.

From the wrong side of the garment, topstitch

the seam with a flatlock stitch. Position the left
needle over the sleeve and the middle and right
needles over the body of the garment. The photo
shows how the seam looks from the right side.
Press the seam.

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 With right sides together, align the underarm
and side edges, match the notches and underarm
seams. Pin. Baste by hand if necessary, stitch on
the overlocker. Overlock with the back of the
garment facing up.
Press the seam flat and then press the seam
allowances towards the front.

Fold the neckband in half, right sides together.

Pin, baste and stitch on the sewing machine.

Press the seam flat and then press it open with

the help of a tailor's roll.

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 With right sides together, align the edge of the
neckband with the neckline. Match the notches
and seams.
Pin in place, baste by hand if necessary. Stitch
on the overlocker.

Press the seam allowances towards the neckband.

Fold the neckband over to the wrong side of

the garment so that it covers the stitch line, baste
by hand. Press.

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 Topstitch the neckband using a coverstitch
machine or a twin needle on a regular sewing
machine around the perimeter. Stitch along the
outer edge of the neckband. Press.

Finish the raw bottom edge and sleeve edges

on the overlocker. Overlock with the right side of
the fabric facing up. Mark hemlines on the right
side of the garment: 2.5cm for both the bottom
hem and sleeve hems. Fold the hem allowance
towards the wrong side along the marked lines,
pin in place and baste by hand. Press.

From the wrong side of the garment, topstitch

the hems using a flatlock stitch on a coverstitch
machine. The photo shows how it looks from the
right side.
Press the seams. Give the garment a final press.

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SEW TOGETHER
WITH #VIKISEWS!
CREATE YOUR DREAM
WARDROBE!

#vikisews_ nikki