If you spend the better part of your life in T-shirts, comfortable knits, or traditional shirts, you may rarely think of gussets. But they may draw your interest with the return of fitted garments and more retro fashions, where the cut-on kimono or dolman sleeve is a part of today’s streamlined look. A gusset gives this sleeve style all the comfort you need.

A gusset can be used to add a wider range of motion to a set-in sleeve when altering a pattern to enlarge the arm and underarm section. However, the separate gusset pattern piece often is made to add the fabric back that is removed when a set-in sleeve pattern is converted to a cut-on kimono or dolman sleeve. Understanding how this is done gives you options for altering patterns to the current styles.

Kenneth D. King will demonstrate how to convert a bodice and set-in sleeve pattern to a cut-on kimono or dolman sleeve with a gusset. This will enable you to see how easily the gusset replaces fabric lost in this sleeve conversion. With this sophisticated technique, you’ll discover the freedom the gusset affords. Find out how to make a proper guesset in this article from Threads #153