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Do you teach?

You won't need pictures for this one, you can easily imagine. A friend asked many times to be taught how to set in a sleeve. I wasn't hoping for much success but finally gave in and gave the lesson my best shot. I found a good pattern (there aren't many) for a sleeve that 'walked' well. (Isn't that Kay's word?) I carefully cut a front, 2 backs and 2 sleeves. I marked the stitching line on the sleeves for the ease stitching, cut the notches, and loudly marked the dots to match. After explaining how the deed works, I turned her loose. How I wish you could see this: the backs are stitched to the front wrong side out. No matter. One sleeve is also stitched wrong side out. Not exactly sure how she accomplished that. The happy ending to this tale is that both sleeves are perfectly set in with nary a pleat, tuck or pull. When you teach, you touch the future. Nobody can take knowing how away. Teaching is such a blessing. Sometimes. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther
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It seems like you were very successful! You set out to teach the set-in sleeves.....not which way to turn the fabric!!

Great job!

Reply to
Alice in PA

I think I'll have to keep this sleeve for a while; it makes me smile just to look at it. Polly

"Alice in PA" It seems like you were very successful! You set out to teach the set-in

Reply to
Polly Esther

Polly, fwiw, I usually teach beginners with fabrics that have an obvious right and wrong side... that seems to help. And I make them mark big X's on the wrong side of fabric before we start cutting, and then R and L on each piece, We'll sit there and talk about how the single notch of a sleeve matches the front notch of the pattern, and the back has two notches, then I'll hand them the cut out pieces and make them lay them right way out on their own arms, then mark them. It's pretty rare (and it's usually someone much more dyslexic than I am) to get the sleeves in backwards that way.

FWIW, I usually crimp sleeves rather than ease stitch. Faster and easier. My "production pattern" shirt for DH has been worked to the point that there's only about 1/2" sleeve ease, which is plenty for movement but can be put in without even crimping.

Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

While my friend was happily putting her sleeve in upside-down, inside-out and backwards (perfectly), DH and I were taking apart the serger so I obviously wasn't watching her at all. Please, when you have time, tell me what you mean by crimping. About the only clothing I sew these days is for preemies and I can do those sleeves with my eyes closed. If there's a better way than ease stitching, (and) I understand it, I'll try to show my buddy and save her some time and tedium. I thank you. Polly

"Kay Lancaster" >

Reply to
Polly Esther

8-)

Try it on a scrap first... set your machine up for a medium to longish straight stitch. Park your left thumb firmly behind the presser foot and sew from notch to notch just inside your seamline. As you sew, the fabric will pile up in tiny pleats behind your thumb -- and because your thumb is acting somewhat like the differential feed on a serger, a little more fabric is squished into each stitch, thus easing it. Then pin the sleeve notches to the armscye notches and the shoulder seam (just three pins), then sew in as you normally would. This trick is good for anytime you need a little easing in something.

Since you've got a serger, you can also set the differential to "gather" and serge (3 or 4 plain ol' overlock) on the edge of the seam allowance from notch to notch in the sleeve -- you're only going to take off the barest dust from the edge of the seam allowance with the knives. Then pop the needle stitches with a seam ripper every few stitches, match the notches and the shoulder seam, and stitch in.

The other thing I'd tell her is that sleeves tend to go in better when you put the sleeve side down against the presser foot.

Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

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