Hi fellow sewists, I don’t remember calling myself Johnny Canuck but it popped up when I hit new post. Sounds like a name my husband would have come up with. I haven’t been on this site in a long time. I just used the Threads index to find an article I remembered reading about adding a sleeve to a sleeveless pattern. Found it in the index easily – issue #91, page 32. – its a good article. I’m thinking about adding a sleeve to the very pretty blouse in the 2570 Simplicity pattern. It’s rather unique with a scoop neck, pleated at the centre and the front pattern piece shaped with a curved triangular piecing. I’m not sure that it’s worth the trouble though. I’ve already tried overlaying another Simplicity pattern with a sleeve but its difficult to align the two patterns, problably because of the different angles caused by the pleating and the shaped pieceing.
Any thoughts?
Replies
I think that blouse would be pretty with sleeves. I remember reading the article, but don't remember what it said. Usually a sleeveless garment has a smaller armhole than you would want with a sleeved garment. If you can draft a sleeve rather than use one from another pattern it will work. You drop the armhole on both the back and front and draft with the new armhole. I am doing this from memory, but I think you should drop about 1/2". Maybe someone else will chime in with the correct amount. I will read the article later today and then I can talk about it more intelligently. Once you have created the sleeve cap to fit, you can create any style sleeve for that blouse.
Don't forget to make a muslin with your new pattern.
Edited 9/7/2009 10:32 am ET by marymary
Johnny, I read the article. While it is possible to merge two patterns, it seems to me to be more trouble than it is worth. I would rather draft a sleeve from scratch than do that. But, if you don't know how to draft a sleeve then it is hard. I would suggest you find another pattern similar, but with a sleeve. That is a very popular style so there must be a pattern out there just waiting for you.
Thanks, Marymary for the response. I haven't seen a pattern that I liked nearly as well. Perhaps, I should try drafting my own sleeve. Threads probably has an article on how.
Johnny, if you google "drafting a sleeve pattern", you will find several sites that will help you. Here is one from "sewstylish". http://www.craftstylish.com/item/7864/create-a-custom-sleeve-pattern
Thanks again, Mary. I printed the instructions for drafting my own sleeve and will try it, some time in the fairly near future. Starting a new school year tomorrow (I'm a teacher) so it might be a little while before I tackle it.
The dress in that pattern that looks like a short version of the blouse already has a sleeve, doesn't it? At least it has the top part of the sleeve. You could start with that and if it isn't the complete sleeve you will need to add the underarm part. Use the underarm part on the garment front and back from the notch to the side seam to draw you lower part of the sleeve. I agree that sleeveless armholes are tighter that those with sleeves. If one you make is too tight, you can always lower the underarm seam. Be sure to try this in a similar fabric first.
Hi Sue. Thanks for the response. Always nice to know some one is listening. The dress view does include a little cap sleeve and it might help some in drafting a whole sleeve cap.
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