How to Add Sleeves to a Sleeveless Dress

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Image Credit: Beth Huntington

The perfect dress, both flattering and modest, can often be so hard to find. But not if you know how to add sleeves to a sleeveless dress. If showing those upper arms just isn't your thing, go ahead and buy that sleeveless dress anyway because you're about to learn how to easily make any sleeveless garment more work-friendly, comfortable and cool weather appropriate.

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Sleeveless dress

  • Coordinating long-sleeved T-shirt

  • Sharp scissors

  • Measuring tape

  • Pins

  • Sewing machine with a 90/14 universal needle

Video of the Day

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

1. Cut off T-shirt sleeves

Cut off the sleeve from the T-shirt right along the existing seam.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

2. Measure dress armhole

Measure around the armhole, or armscye, of the dress and around the top of the T-shirt sleeve.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

3. Pin the sleeve seam

If the measurement of the top of the sleeve is larger than the armscye measurement, you'll need to take in the sleeve. You can do this by subtracting the armscye measurement from the top of the sleeve measurement and taking in the sleeve by that much at the underarm seam.

Advertisement

For example, if your armscye measurement is 16 inches and your sleeve measurement is 18 inches, use this equation to determine how much to take in your sleeve: 18-16 =2/2=1. You will need to take 2 inches off the circumference of the top of the sleeve. Do this by measuring 1 inch in from the underarm sleeve seam and pin along this line.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

4. Sew the sleeve

Sew along the pin line, removing the pins as you sew.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

5. Trim the sleeve seam

Trim the new sleeve seam. Leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

6. Line up sleeve to armhole

Turn the sleeve right-side out and place it inside the armhole so the right side of the sleeve is against the wrong side of the dress armhole.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

7. Pin the sleeve

Pin the sleeve in place.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

8. Sew the sleeve

Sew the sleeve in place, and be sure to remove the pins as you sew.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Now you can wear your dress and feel more confident, modest, and warm.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Advertisement