Sleeve Alterations

Asymmetrical sleeve caps:

(scroll down for how to widen for fuller upper arms)

Currently being edited – thank you for your patience!

European Sleeve
Determining sleeve length and biceps circumference (with ease)
3
4
5 Shaping sleeve cap
7 master to working pattern

Widening a sleeve pattern for a fuller upper arm:

1 wider arms and old and new patterns
The sleeve, its placket and its cuff. The difference in width between the cuff and the sleeve at its hem is how much gets pleated out (under the narrower rectangle of the placket)
6-20-23 sleeve 4b
All changes are made using the sewing (not cutting) line
6-20-23 sleeve 2b
6-20-23 sleeve 5b
6-20-23 sleeve 6b
6-20-23 sleeve 8b
6-20-23 10b
6-20-23 sleeve 11b
6-20-23 sleeve 12b
6-20-23 14b
6-20-23 15b
Replace pins with registration marks 16b
Redraw armscye “under cord” using washable marker as reference 17b

The Cap Master to the full length sleeve:

On a piece of paper long enough (plus a little), draw a grain line. Copy the armscye length.

Transfer the registration marks.

Label.

Old and new sleeves when finished.
The underarm lengths from armpit to cuff must remain the same.
Many pattern instructions have you taper the sleeve from the armscye to the cuff. This leaves no room to go around the biceps.
Instead, draw the upper sleeve the measured width of the biceps almost to the elbow (halfway along the seam) and then taper it down to the cuff. Do not lose the slight curve right under the armscye.

The Beta Test Sleeve pattern PDF