Sleeves On Saturdays

A few weeks ago I received a message from Felisha and she had attached this picture.

She said that she really liked the sleeve and would like to know how to draft it. It's a lot like a kimono sleeve, but the bodice is fitted. Since I am not able to see it in person, all I could do is study the photograph and try to interpret what I see.

On a little side not, I was just reading Knitmachinequeen's blog, http://smokingneedlesknitting.blogspot.com/. She made a comment, "Reality shows are getting dumber and dumber..if that is even possible." I agree, but as I was putting this post together, I thought, we could do a show called Stump The Seamstress. Sadly, I think the viewership would be quite low. Hey, it's an idea!

Okay, so back to our sleeve. I have decided to do this as a two part post. If you look at the picture above, the sleeve is elongated under the arm so we will first draft a basic elongated sleeve and then in the second post I'll draw in the style lines for the sleeve which makes this one very dramatic. 

The Elongated Sleeve

Begin with your front and back bodice. The elongated sleeve can be done on a blouse, dress, jacket or coat.

Measure down 2 1/2" on the side seam of the bodice.

Draw in a line from upper part of the armhole opening as you see above and blend it to the dropped points on the side seams.

The final pattern for the bodice.

 Take your sleeve and draw in a squared line at the bicep as you see above.

On a separate piece of paper, draw in a vertical line. Draw in a line that you will label bicep line. 2 1/2" above the bicep line, draw in the line labeled guide line in the picture above. 

Fold your original sleeve as well as your paper in half. Match the sleeve to the paper, making sure that the bicep line on your sleeve lays directly over the bicep line on your paper. Trace the sleeve cap of your original sleeve to the guide line and trace the underarm seam of your sleeve as well. You can see this has been done in the picture below. 

Now, take your sleeve and pivot the sleeve at the guide line until the underarm hits the guideline as you see below. 

I am showing you the same step in the picture below, just a much closer picture. You can see that the point of the underarm hits the guideline exactly.

 Draw in the lower portion of the sleeve cap. You can see the line in the picture below.

 On your guide line, measure over 2 1/2" from the tip of your drawn in sleeve cap. This is the red dot below.

 The traced line of our sleeve cap is a little too severe, so draw in a nice curved line as you see below.

From the red dot, draw a straight line to approximately your elbow line on your sleeve. Just about the midpoint of your sleeve will be fine.

The straight line under the arm is also a little too severe, so give that line a bit of a curve as you see in the picture below.

Now, cut out your sleeve. You can see in the picture below that when you cut the sleeve cap, you will cut on the curved line that you drew in and cut all the way to the red dot on the guide line.

 From that point, cut down to the wrist of your sleeve.

 Unfold your sleeve and it will look like the sleeve pictured above.

The final pattern.

Elongated sleeves are easy to sew, very easy to set in to the garment, and they are easy to wear as well since they have added room under the arm. 

As I said above, I will do the next post on the style lines of the sleeve that Felisha sent to me.

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday!