Charlotte dress Part 3: sleeves

Download and print here.

Ok, first off today, we’re gonna cut some pieces from our accent fabric for the sleeve binding.

 

See more after the jump!

I cut mine to be 1.75″wide by 8″. The length should be your kid’s arm measurement+seam allowance- measure around the arm where the sleeve will be, the bicep area.

Then, iron them in half lengthwise, and then fold both sides in and iron those in too. It’ll look like bias tape at this point. (does not need to be cut on the bias though!)

Then take your sleeve pieces and sew gathering stitches on the top and bottom of the sleeve.

Then, pin the two ends of your tape to the sleeve like so, then gather the bottom of the sleeve to fit the tape.

Pin that really well.

Then sew that on close to the upper edge of the tape. Repeat with other sleeve.

Next, gather the top of the sleeve to fit the arm hole on your bodice, then pin those right sides together. You may need to fiddle with it to get the gathers even, but it’s not hard.

Then sew the sleeve in and finish your seams with a serger or zig zag stitch.

Next, with the bodice right sides together and pin the sides together, then sew and finish your seams.
I also like to tack down the seam on the sleeve with a few hand stitches so that it lies flat.
Tomorrow: the skirt! You’ll want to know how long you’d like the skirt to be, so make sure and get any measuring done today that you may need tomorrow!

Comments

  1. Thank you for such fabulous pictures. They help so much!

  2. I love that you are teaching us all this.

  3. I should make one of these for my new little Charlotte!! (She’s a week old!) Thank you for sharing such an awesome tutorial, it makes me want to try making my own patterns for other types of clothing!!

  4. Jess, these tutorials are AMAZING. You make everything so easy! Thanks for inspiring me! I just posted some pics about the sew-along on my blog.

    http://monkeybeanmomma.blogspot.com/2011/02/back-in-groove.html

    I hope you do more of these. I love it!

  5. Those sleeves look so teeny tiny:) Love the idea of tacking down the sleeve seams. Great tip!

  6. Well, I am all caught up and ready for day 4. Sadly, my sleeves are quite poofy and it is not a good “look” for my daughter. Like princess poofy. 🙂

  7. As someone fairly new to the sewing bug – and especially new to making any type of clothing, I am so thankful to be able to read your blog, so inspiring. Now I understand how to make a garment properly – the first outfit I put them in after I stiched together the side seams… Now I know better. Thanks Jess, you have helped me so much!

    -Courtney

Trackbacks

  1. […] up. If you want to make trimmed, puffy sleeves like these, Jess has a great tutorial HERE (although mine have a little more poof at the top.) The rest of the dress was made just like my […]