Patterns often have too much sleeve ease. Get the same professional-looking, smooth sleeve caps as in ready-to-wear by doing a little pattern work before you start construction.
Reducing the Ease on Two-Piece Sleeve
- Measure the side front and side back or all pieces of the garment involving the armhole. Begin by marking 5/8" and fold the seam allowance under, so there's no longer one under the armhole. Pin together.
- Starting 5/8" from the top, hand walk the measuring tape all the way around the armhole at 5/8". Jot down the length.
- Next measure the sleeve the same way. Mark 5/8" from the edge, fold the seam allowance under and overlap the seam line. Again mark 5/8" from the top and walk the measuring tape around at 5/8". Be exact about the measurements.
- Subtract the armhole from the sleeve. For example, 18" from 20-1/2" would give an ease of 2-1/2". But because ready-to-wear uses between 3/4" and 1-1/4", you will need to reduce the total accordingly.
- Take the sleeve pattern, and with a ruler, draw three lines from the cap to about the elbow.
- Cut apart along the lines.
- Overlap the pattern enough at each of these cuts to equal the total ease you need to lose, and tape. (If the pattern buckles, cut each line a little longer to flatten .) You want to make sure the difference between the armhole and the cap of the sleeve is between 3/4" and 1-1/4"; anything more is too much.
- When smoothing out, don't flatten the cap. Come up to meet it.
Reducing the Ease on One-Piece Sleeve
Again, the ease should be between 3/4 inch - 1-1/4 inch. Make your alterations in the area of the pattern between the sleeve's dots.
- Take the sleeve pattern and draw three straight lines from the cap to the elbow.
- Cut apart along the lines.
- Overlap the pattern enough at each of these cuts to equal the total ease you need to lose, and tape.
- Don't flatten the cap; come up to meet it.
Easing in two-piece sleeves
- You have to have a little ease because the back of the sleeve in a two-piece pattern is always bigger than the front. When you go to match the two pieces of material, the notches won't quite line up. Pin the notches with the big piece on the bottom.
- As you sew it together on the machine, slide your hand in between the two pieces of fabric to force in a little more on bottom, achieving a one-to-one ratio. (The machine's feed dogs are working below to help ease in a little more material. If there's not too much fabric, the feed dogs may be able to do it on their own.) Stop sewing at the second notch.
- On the side that is eased, press with an iron as stitched. Open up the sleeve and press seam open. (Never use more than the weight of the iron on the underside so as not to leave an imprint on the right side.)
- Turn over and press. It should turn out perfectly smooth.
- To put ease in the cap, sew 3/8" - 5/8" away, between the dots marking where you put the ease. Push the fabric with your finger, and keep the material from creeping out the back. Once it starts stitching in one place, let go. Repeat, as needed.
- To smooth the edge, cut off any extra seam allowance that sticks out.
Easing with a Bias Strip
Some fabrics are harder to ease. In those cases, use a bias strip--about two-inches wide--that has good stretch but also good resiliency, such as linen, hair canvas or mohair .
- Stretch the strip between the dots, one at the top and two or three down either side. Start with the edge of the bias at the top of the sleeve, pin and work down on both sides, using the half-and-half method.
- Pull hard on the strip (not on the sleeve), sewing 3/8" - 1/2" from the edge and letting the feed dogs ease it in. You will see that it is beginning to cup under.
- Repeat on the other half. It will be a little more awkward because of the sleeve, but it is the same principle of pulling on the strip. Trim off extra bias.
- Fit the cap around the end of a tailor's ham. Cover with a press cloth (if desired, spray a little water to shrink it in) then steam iron.
