Gabe's Jacket

I scored a big stack of fabric for $3 at the thrift store last month (love it when that happens-unfortunately it is rare and far between when it does!).  It was all non-girly stuff so I thought it would be nice to sew for the boy for once. I saw this gray-checkered fabric and right away I knew that it's destiny was to be a zip-up sweater for Gabe.  This is one of the few projects that turned out pretty much spot on the way I had it in my head.  Despite this jacket being fairly basic and mostly non-creative, it still makes me happy that it turned out the way I envisioned it!
I had purchased some white fleece at Joannes on black Friday, so I got it at a very reasonable price (still kicking myself for not buying MORE fleece...), plus its nice and soft and warm.  I used/altered the same pattern I used for Gabe's pea-coat last year, only this time I made a hood instead of a collar.  This was my first time making a hood, and it was super easy.  I just traced around a hood from another one of Gabe's jackets.  I just winged it for the pockets, and Gabe agreed to put a "G" and a train (no surprise there!) on the pockets.  The zipper was really easy to put in, but unfortunately it is a bit shorter than it needs to be, so I just might have to take a trip to Joannes to buy a longer one.  Last but not least, I got to work with hem tape for the first time! I bought a couple of big 'ol bags of hem tape at the thrift store way back in Arizona, not really knowing what they were, but I figured they would come in handy some day.  They did :P  I am pleased with the way the hem tape looks--very professional!
Here is the cute jacket on the cute boy:

Hem tape