easy sleeves – photo tutorial
November 3, 2009 by Lex
Filed under 2 pin (Moderately Easy) Tutorials, Clothing, Sewing, Tutorials + How Tos, WhatTheCraft.com Tutorials
Attaching set-in sleeves (the easy, cheater way).
Okay, so it’s not really cheating. It’s a perfectly legitimate way of attaching a sleeve, and it is way easier.
However, a set-in sleeve is a set-in sleeve because you’re supposed to be setting it in, and with this method, you don’t.
Anyway, I’m splitting hairs.
Keep in mind, though, that this will only work if you haven’t already sewn up your side seams. If your side seams are sewn, you’ll either have to cut them open, or use the other method.
And if your garment doesn’t have side seams that line up with the sleeve seams, you’ll also have to use the other method.
Difficulty:
Step 1
Sew the shoulder seams of the front and back pieces together.
You’ll notice that my front piece is cut in half- that’s because this is going to be a hoodie with a zipper in front. But this method will work for any top with side seams, so don’t worry.
Step 1
Find funny gifts and make t-shirts with your own design.
Step 2
I already have my sleeve piece cut out, all nice and stripey-like.
If you don’t have a pattern for sleeves, I strongly suggest you either BUY a pattern with sleeves, or cut apart an old shirt to make a sleeve pattern yourself, because they are tricky, goofy-shaped little dudes, and I can not instruct you on how to make one other than the advice above.
- Step 2
Looking for striped knit fabrics?
Try: Ebay – Fabric.com
Or take a look at our Craft Supplies Directory for a huge list of great online fabric stores.
Step 3
Mark the center of the curvy edge of the sleeve with a pin, the part that’ll be at the top of your shoulder when the shirt is on. Also mark the center of the armhole (called the scythe).
Line Mr. Sleeve and Mr. Scythe up where you’ve marked, right sides together, of course, and pin them together.
Step 3
Step 4
I like to start from the center, and pin the rest of the sleeve to the front, working outwards.
Then go back to the center and pin the other side the same way, working outwards.
Step 4
Step 5
Here it is all pinned together, from the inside.
Step 5
Step 6
Now, we sew. Or serge, if you have an overlock machine.
Step 6
Step 7
Thar she blows!
But… we’re only half-way done.
Don’t worry,though… that was the hardest part!
Step 7
Step 8
Put all the right sides back together again with the sleeve folded in half on top.
Step 8
Step 9
And again, we sew.
And bam! There it is!
Step 9
Step 10
Rejoice!
Surprised at how easy that was? I bet you didn’t even say any dirty words this time!
Step 10
Looking for embellishments and corset trims like stretch lace, grommet tape and eyelet tape?
Try Ebay!
Or take a look at our Craft Supplies Directory for a huge list of great online trim suppliers.
Related posts:
Robyn on Thu, 5th Nov 2009 2:30 pm
That peekaboo cracked me up! This is an easier way to do sleeves, and it’s how a recent pattern had me do it, but I wasn’t sure if I could just substitute it on any pattern or if there was a reason for doing it the “hard” way.
Lex on Fri, 6th Nov 2009 12:31 am
I just read somewhere that the “easy” way should only be used for stretch/knit fabrics, but I really don’t know why it would be any different with woven fabrics. I generally ignore such rules until I figure out whether it has any right to be a rule.
Aeon on Thu, 29th Jul 2010 4:26 am
Hey, I must say this is the best tutorial I’ve seen so far but I still don’t understand something.
I’m teaching myself to sew.
I can’t seem to see what happened between step 3 and step 4,
the sleeve seems to be on the other side all of a sudden and the yellow marking are so far apart.
If you could explain that to me it would be very helpfull and I would finaly know how to sew a sleeve ^^ yay
Thank you
Lex on Wed, 18th Aug 2010 7:06 pm
Hi there-
In Step 4, the sleeve has been flipped over, so that the Right sides of the body and sleeve are together.
The photo in Step 3 is just meant to show how the pieces will line up after they’re sewn together.
Also, in Step 4, the reason the yellow dots are so far apart is because I only have half of the sleeve pinned to the body of the shirt.