How to Sew Puffy Sleeves
Puffy sleeves have been a popular fashion trend at many times in history. They are common in period costumes, especially medieval costumes, such as peasant blouses, and Victorian and later periods. A puff at the shoulder was often connected to a long, straight sleeve. They are also popular in many more modern styles, especially for younger girls. If you have a sewing machine and a little bit of experience, you can make your own shirt or dress with puffy sleeves.
Things You'll Need
- Pattern paper or pattern
- Pencil (if creating your own pattern)
- Fabric marker
- Scissors
- Sewing machine or needle
- Thread
Instructions
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1
Take your measurements. For a sleeve, you need the measurement of your armhole and the largest part of your upper arm, or wherever the puff will gather.
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2
Select or create a pattern. You can easily make a pattern by cutting up a piece of clothing that you like along its seams and tracing the pieces onto pattern paper. For puff sleeves, start with a straight sleeve pattern and add several inches to it for the gather. For a small puff, you will add 3 or 4 inches, and for a large puff you can add 8 or more inches.
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3
Use the marker to trace the pattern onto the fabric, then cut the fabric according to your pattern.
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4
Using the longest stitch setting on your sewing machine, sew a seam along the top of the sleeve for the gather. You can also leave an inch or two on the top of the sleeve (where the shoulder seam will be) if you don't want the gather to go across the top of your shoulder.
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5
Sew a second seam identical and parallel to the first, 1/2 inch in from the end of the sleeve.
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6
Using a regular seam stitch, sew the shoulder seam, connecting the ends of the sleeve together.
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7
Gather the cuff end of the sleeve. Again, use the longest setting on your machine and make one seam about 1/4 inch from the end of the cuff.
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8
Sew a second long-stitch seam on the cuff end of the sleeve about 1/2 inch in from the end of the sleeve.
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9
For both ends of the sleeve, pull on the gathers and push the fabric together until it is a little bigger than the width of your arm. Leave a little extra room so the sleeve is not too tight.
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10
Add a cuff to the end of the sleeve and attach it to the dress or shirt.
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Tips & Warnings
Once you've gathered the sleeve, you will have some loose threads hanging down. Don't cut them off until you've finished attaching the sleeve cuff, as this will cause the gather to unravel.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
