Sleeve ease question

I've been having trouble cleanly easing the front of the sleeves on one particular pattern, and I wonder if I may have finally figured out why. I'd like to ask if you all think I'm correct.

This pattern has the scye shaped differently from front to back to fit the arm, which is fine. And there are notches where you should begin to ease, small dots partway along, and a large dot at the cap where the shoulder seam should hit. The trouble is twofold:

  • When I match the side seam on the shirt with the underarm seam on the sleeve, and match the edges of the sleeve and scye up to where the notches are, the notches on the front of the shirt and the front of the sleeve are offset by about 3/8", with the sleeve being longer.
  • This means that when I go to ease the sleeve I am easing more fabric between the notch and the dot on the front than I am in the same place on the back.

There's a reference photograph at

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. The scye is the top layer, and the bottom layer is the sleeve. I've offset the layers vertically and put paper behind them so you can see where the notches are. To give numbers (measured along the seamline, between the middle of the notch(es) and the dots):

Sleeve eased into scye: Front 4 1/8" 3 1/2" Back 4 3 3/4"

So you can see that the scye on the front of the shirt is shorter, and yet *more* sleeve is being eased into it! Can this be right? If it's not, what do I do- trim the extra 3/8" from before the notch on the front of the sleeve?

I hope this makes sense; I can't think how better to explain it. But if you're not sure what I'm asking, tell me what confuses you and I'll try to be more helpful.

Thanks, Courtney

Reply to
Courtney M Eckhardt
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I'd try matching the notches and dots, easing it in as it is, and hand basting it in place. Turn it through to the outside and see how it looks. It's surprising how things look at times! If it doesn't work, try easing it more to the back.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

But I can't actually match the notches, without easing the fabric under the arm, *before* the notches. Does that make any sense?

I've managed to more-or-less ease it in as it is, but only by ignoring the dots and allowing some of the extra to be distrubuted up the rest of the front scye. It still usually takes three to avoid puckering, though I can set in sleeves just fine with other patterns.

Thanks again, Courtney

Reply to
Courtney M Eckhardt

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