[cybele727]

Hi all, Long time no chat.

Today I am making something for MEEEEEEE! All about meeee!

I am making the Chai Tee. So excited to have a D cup so the girls don’t bring the shirt up short!

Anyways, I would like to make the sleeves a bit more fluttery.

Do you think it would work if I just used the gathered sleeve method on page 55 of the BBB, mindful, of course of the need for symmetry for the double layer/fold?

I am thinking about adding maybe 1-2 inches at most in the easing/gathering portion at the sleeve cap, so it flutters a bit when it falls down my arm.

What says the hive sewing mind?

[with love Heidi]

Flutter sleeves on the Chai tee sound lovely. I would go the whole hog and make a flounce rather than a gathered sleeve (unless that is the look you want). I think a flounced sleeve hangs much nicer than a plain gathered sleeve. Although a gathered sleeves would be very on trend!
Look foward to seeing it 🙂

[cybele727]

A flounce? I am not sure what you mean? I can’t envision!

[Lightning McStitch]

So,…. You’re planning on keeping the dropped shoulder sleeve head the same, just changing the attached sleeve portion, is that right?
I wonder if it might be better to keep it single layer and have a narrow or rolled hem on the end of the sleeve. A double layer might be too heavy to “flutter” – flappy and saggy are not really what you want associated with upper arms, right? 🙂
Way, way back when Liesl introduced the Pinwheel dress there was discussion about the difference between a flounce and a frill. Something to do with bias v. straightgrain……

[with love Heidi]

Flounce is cut in a circular arc while gather is straight cut. One edge of the flounce is the same length as the edge it is to be sewn to while the other is longer, like a semi circle . A gather has both edges are parallel and the same length.
Sort of like the difference between a gathered skirt (apple picking ruffle) and the skirt of the pinwheel (flounce).
Here’s a link to a blog post Liesl did a few years ago. https://oliverands.com/community/blog/2013/03/flounce-vs-ruffle.html

[Lightning McStitch]

Thanks Heidi, I knew it was there somewhere but was too busy to hit the search.
Cybele, I think those sleeves need a flounce not a ruffle in order to get the fluttery effect you’re after.

[cybele727]

So funny because as I stared at the pattern and envisioned what I wanted, I realized that because it is a folded piece, it would be too bulky. So I cut the pattern below the fold line and I spread it like a “bell shaped” sleeve instructions. Because of where it sits on the dropped sleeve, that should do the trick.

On an interesting side note, my 8 year old daughter, the one for whom I started sewing again 9 years ago while pregnant and what brought me to O and S, saw the spread sleeve and looked at it (she doesn’t sew yet) and said… oh that will make it ruffly and fluttery, won’t it. I was impressed.

[cybele727]

Also, I’d like to note that I am a lawyer. Which means I follow rules and instructions. So for me to customize is a big leap. And I’d never have ever developed the confidence with Liesl and the Building Block Book. 🙂

[cybele727]

Here is the sleeve. Next time I will make the sleeve a bit longer in the stop. But still, the bell spread and lettuce hem gives it to me pretty good.

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[Liesl Gibson]

Ooh, you’re thinking like me right now! About to do something similar with one of our upcoming fall patterns as a tutorial!

[cybele727]

I love lettuce hems on knits. They add feminine, flirty, fun, without overly frilly. Plus you don’t have to measure to make sure your hem is even! Tee hee.

This is the tutorial I use because I am super lazy.