Sew Easy #18: How to Put a Sleeve on a Dress

today i'll show you how to join  the cuff units to sleeve units then set in the sleeve so it'll be smooth without  gathers or tucks it's really very simple i'll start with the sleeve and the cuff unit make sure  that your cuff is right side out and slip it into the sleeve so the right side of the cuff  will be on the wrong side of the sleeve then if you match the notches the seam line over here will also match if it doesn't you probably have the wrong  cuff for the sleeve you're working on so just change it now i have the cuff pinned to the sleeve stitch these together right on the seam line trim the seam off down to the  fourth financial stitching and then press that seam up here's an additional step which  will help you hold the cuff in place while still in this position stitch the seam down to the sleeve put the stitch  about 1/8 of an inch outside the seam here's where the stitch  comes on the finished sleeve now to get the blouse unit ready for the  sleeves to be set in turn it wrong side out match the notches at the side seam and then here on the left side put one more pin at  the top under the arm but leave the lower part of the side seam open for the placket then repeat the  same thing on the other side match your notches pin up under the arm and put  one more pin down the lower seam stitch these seams on the seam  allowance and then press them open i want to put a sleeve in a contrasting  or solid color so that you can watch the sleeve and the blouse as the  sleeve goes in and keep them separated and so i don't have to rip that sleeve out later  i'm going to change this for another blouse and by this time i'm sure that you've all  noticed that all sleeves have a single notch and a double notch so lay your sleeves down by the side of the blouse so if you have a single notch on the top side of  your blouse you will have a single notch on the top side of your sleeve this is to make sure that  you have the right sleeve for the right armhole slip your hand inside the blouse  and hold on to the single notch in the blouse and the single notch on the sleeve turn the blouse wrong side out over the  sleeve and pin the two single notches together match the mark at the top of the sleeve to the  shoulder seam if your dress has a drop shoulder or yoke this mark at the top of the sleeve will  match a similar mark on your garment come on around and match the double notch of the sleeve  to the double notch of the blouse and pin it and then the underarm seam to underarm seam now let's review those four  points the single notches the mark at the top of the sleeve to the shoulder  seam the double notches and the underarm seams now we're ready to pull up the threads from  the e-stitches we put in at the very first step of making the sleeves these e-stitches will help  us get the sleeve fit into the armhole smoothly here are the two threads from the bobbin we'll hold on to these threads and  ease the fabric over the threads Starting down here under the arm and easing them up all the way  over this half of the sleeve until we get the sleeve fitting into the  armhole and then distribute those gathers are the fullness so there'll be no tucks  or gathers up over the cap of the sleeve repeat on the other side hold on to the  two bobbin threads and slip the fabric over them don't just pull on the  threads and then distribute the ease hold these two edges together accurately as you  stitch some experienced seamstresses will have enough control over the machine and the fabric  that they can stitch this without any further pinning others may want to put some pins in a  few more places placing them the points into the seam so that they the pins can be stitched  over as the seam is stitched still others may want to pin with the seam line Pointing the pins in such a way that they can easily  be removed as you stitch up to the pins or you may want a thread base so that  you can check and see how smoothly your sleeve fits before you stitch it permanently stitch with the sleeve side up so that you  can watch and control the ease as you stitch when you come to a seam stop and make sure  that the seam is flat before stitching over stitch right on the ease line  that was put in on the seam line if you're not completely sure of yourself  after stitching around your sleeve once stitch in the other sleeve try your blouse on and  check the grain of the sleeves and the smoothness before you stitch around the second time experience will give you confidence  so that you can go right on and stitch second row stitching an eighth  of an inch outside the first row the second row of stitching reinforces the seam  so it'll take more strain without ripping out this also makes it possible to trim away part of  the seam so the sleeve will fit more comfortably and leave your seams together and press from  the sleeve side let the tip of the iron extend a little beyond the seam line itself then  here's how your sleeve will look when finished following these suggestions i'm sure you'll  find it easy to set in a smooth sleeve