How to Cut a Hoodie

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 1, 2022 References

If you've stopped wearing one of your hoodies because it pulls too tightly on your neck or doesn't seem fashionable anymore, make a few cuts. You can easily loosen the neckline or cut a deep V-neck to make the hoodie more stylish. To completely overhaul your old hoodie, crop the bottom so you can wear it with cute cut-off shorts or layer it over your work out clothes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Loosening the Neckline

1
Lay the hoodie on a flat surface. Take the hoodie that fits too snugly around your neck and lay it flat so the neckline isn't bunched up at all. Try to work on a table or counter instead of a bed so you don't accidentally cut into your bedspread.^{[1]
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2
Use your fingers to spread apart the neckline where the 2 layers meet. Pull the front of the hoodie in opposite directions so you can easily see where the 2 sides of the neckline meet.^{[2]
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- The 2 fabric layers will meet in a V-shaped point.
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3
Cut a diagonal 1 inch (2.5 cm) slit where the edges meet. Use a sharp pair of scissors to cut a slit in between the 2 layers of fabric. Make the slit go in the same direction as the upper layer of fabric so the cut isn't noticeable.^{[3]
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Did You Know? The slit will fray a little as you wash and dry the hoodie. If you don't want it to fray, you can hem the sides of the slit.
4
Try on the hoodie to see if the neckline is as loose as you'd like. Pull the hoodie on and decide if the neckline is comfortable. If it's still too tight, extend the slit you cut by another ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) and try the hoodie on again.^{[4]
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- For a rugged look, use your hands to tear the slit more instead of cutting it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cutting a V-Neck

1
Spread the hoodie on a flat work surface. Don't work on the floor or your bed since you could accidentally cut into the carpet or bedspread. Instead, you'll want to cut the hoodie on a work table or counter.
- You could also lay down a cutting mat to protect your work surface.
2
Cut a straight line from the center of the hoodie's neckline. Decide how deep you want the V-neck to be and use scissors to cut from the middle of the neckline to the bottom of the V-neck's point.^{[5]
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- For example, to make a deep V-neck, cut a 5 in (13 cm) line. If you'd like a shallow V-neck, try cutting a 3 in (7.6 cm) line.
3
Trim or fold the edges of the neckline to make smooth diagonal lines. Fold the sides of neckline away from each other so they're angled in a V-shape. Then, decide if you want to trim the excess fabric or keep the neckline folded.^{[6]
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- If you're keeping the fabric folded, you can sew it in place if you don't want it falling onto your chest.
4
Poke holes on along the V-neck and thread it to make a laced hoodie. For an easy embellishment, use a skewer to poke 3 or 4 holes on each side of the V-neck. Thread a new shoelace through the holes as though you were lacing a pair of shoes. Then, you can tighten or loosen the neckline by adjusting the shoelace.^{[7]
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- You could also thread the hoodie's neckline with thick yarn or ribbon instead of a shoelace.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Crop Top

1
Decide how short to crop your hoodie. Try the hoodie on and consider how high you want to cut it. You might want to wear shorts or pants that you're planning on pairing with the hoodie so you can see how much space there will be between your cropped hoodie and the top of the shorts or pants.
- To help you remember where you're going to crop, you can mark the hoodie with a piece of chalk.
2
Hang the hoodie and tape the sleeves so they're out of the way. Take off your hoodie and put it on a hanger. Then, hang the hoodie against a flat surface and tape each of the sleeves off to the side so they don't fall in front of you while you're cutting.^{[8]
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- If you prefer, you can lay the hoodie flat on a table or work surface instead of hanging it.
3
Pin or clip the bottom of the hoodie together. Take sewing pins, binder clips, or clothespins and use them to hold the bottom edges of the hoodie together. The edges should line up so you'll be able to make a clean cut.^{[9]
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- If you're not trying to make a completely straight cut, you can skip this step.
4
Use a ruler to draw a straight line across your hoodie. Hold a long ruler horizontally at the mark you made and use a permanent marker or piece of chalk to draw a straight line where you'd like to crop the hoodie.^{[10]
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Tip: If you're cutting a hoodie that has a large front pouch, try to use the top of the pouch as a guideline.
5
Cut across the line to crop the hoodie. Take a sharp pair of scissors and carefully cut straight across the line you just made. Then, remove the hoodie from the hanger and enjoy your new cropped hoodie!^{[11]
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- Keep in mind that the bottom of the hoodie will fray the more you wash it. If you don't want it to fray, hem the bottom edge.