Sparkle Sweatshirt DIY

I haven’t put on a sweatshirt for things other than lounging, sports or gym class in a LONG TIME. Probably since I was a pre-teen. Sure I wore hoodies like they were going out of style (were they in style?) in University but I blame that on being perpetually hung over. That and I am more of a sweater girl. I can say that I was intrigued by the Zoe Karrsen slogan sweatshirts but it was the JCREW rhinestone sweatshirt from last year that really got me wanting one of my own. But it sold out so fast I couldn’t scoop it up after its 3rd markdown like I would have liked.

Outfit details: Rhinestone Sweatshirt DIY, Plaid shirt JCREW, black jeans Madewell, boots Sorel, lipstick Nars Heat Wave, Sunglasses Marc Jacobs.

One of the other things that stopped me from grabbing the JCREW version was the fact that I look at stuff like that and say to myself “WOW that costs over $100?! I could totally make that myself.” But then of course said sweatshirt sells out and I am in fact stuck making it myself.

Now I started accumulating the items for this project before this years versions all hit the market (here, here & here, Old Navy CAD, US). But I am still really happy on how mine turned out.

DIY TRY Rhinestone Sweatshirt:

1. Find a grey (or the colour of your choice sweatshirt). Mine is from Old Navy (Can/US).

2. Source your rhinestones.

I used the sew on kind because I didn’t want any of them falling off in the wash. Or being picked off by my kids. This step actually took me the longest as many bead stores do not carry rhinestones. Even Micheal’s crafts has more glue on ones than sew on ones. Between Etsy & Bead FX I found everything I used above. Also some of the fabric stores on Queen  (the ones that have all the wedding fabric) had some options as well as the wedding suppliers on Etsy.

3. Sew on the rhinestones.

My rhinestone sweatshirt was inspired by this one from JCREW. I did not draw on any guidelines with tailors chalk but instead just followed along the seams. I felt this worked out pretty well. If I was doing more of a design (like a jeweled collar) I would have either placed them all where I wanted first, or drawn on a pattern.

And that is IT. I will likely be wearing this alot over the holidays. I would totally do another one but this time a jewelled collar line and I would use bigger rhinestones and maybe some colour.

Would you try making one yourself? Or just snap one up in stores?

And Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!