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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Sleeves On Saturdays

The Cowl Draped Sleeve 
Today's sleeve is beautiful when paired with a draped front top but will also make a simple top look special.
 The folds fall gracefully from the top of the sleeve. I think you'll be amazed by how easy it is to draft.
Begin with your basic sleeve pattern. This sleeve will also look wonderful when made from a fitted sleeve.
Find the approximate elbow area of the sleeve. Draw a horizontal line at this point. At the cap, measure over 2" from the center of the sleeve and approximately half way down the sleeve cap and draw in the diagonal lines you see pictured above. 
Now cut from the top of the sleeve to the elbow line and across to the side seams, being careful to not cut through. In the cap area cut on the diagonal lines once again being careful to cut to the seam line but not through. Spread your pieces as you see above and tape or pin in place. 
 Draw a horizontal line at the top of the cap that will connect the two pie shaped pieces. This sleeve will need a facing. The second line that you see above is 2" from the line that connects the two pieces of the cap that have been spread. You can spread more than I did. The more you spread, the deeper the drapes will be. Also note in the above picture that you will straighten out the area where the cap has been spread.
The final pattern. I made mine out of a knit, so I cut my sleeve on the straight of grain. If you would like to do this sleeve out of a woven, draw in a bias grain line.
 You can see in this picture that the top of the sleeve cap is open which looks lovely with an arm peeking through.
 Here you see the soft drapes.
A very pretty, feminine sleeve. Enjoy! 



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41 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing how you drafted this lovely sleeve.

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  2. Thanks for sharing how you drafted this pretty sleeve.

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  3. What a fantastic look! I definitely want to try this and appreciate your directions. It will probably be very obvious once I actually cut it out and do it but can you clarify one thing. Is the additional horizontal line 2" up from sleeve the actual facing?

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  4. This is a dramatic result. Thanks for sharing

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  5. I love it. It looks so simple with such a dramatic result thanks for sharing

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  6. Love that sleeve...thank you!

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  7. That is lovely! Thank you for showing us the draft.

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  8. Thanks for sharing! I need to try this.

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  9. thank you, it's fantastic. I love this sleeve

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  10. Nice sleeve block you are starting from. That's the key!

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  11. Wow! This is great! Thank you for the tutorial on drafting that sleeve.

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  12. Replies
    1. Thanks for coming by Sassy. So glad you like the sleeve!

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    2. Would love to see that on a real, live person to see the arm showing through.

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  13. What an elegant sleeve! You really have a creative eye.

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  14. What an elegant sleeve! You really have a creative eye.

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  15. Thanks for sharing this lovely sleeve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  16. I have a dress with this sleeve and always wondered how they made it. S thank you. Maybe a tutorial on how to sew it in? It's a bit confusing with the facing line and the square top of sleeve. Thank you! Btw: new follower!

    Reyna
    www.GlamourGlory.com

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  17. if I do not want that opening then I can sew it off at the top isnt it??

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  18. thanx Ronda 4 teaching me the cowl sleeve

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  19. Hi Rhonda, Thank you for the pattern. Did you pleat the cowls/darts when you sewed the pattern? I am wanting to do something similar for a project that I am working on. Thanks, Nia

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    1. Hi Nia,
      There are no pleats in the sleeve. It willndrape naturally once sewn.
      Good luck!!!

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  20. Thank you! Awesome tutorial, clear instructions!

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  21. You have sewn seeds that continue bearing fruit! I am looking forward to using this sleeve to complete an outfit I started last night. 7 years after your original post. Thank you Rhonda@

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  22. So in thinking about sewing, I misspelled sown.

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  23. This sleeve is so in trend with this year's dramatic sleeves we have seen by designers, thank you for a clear tutorial!

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