Comments on: Sleeve cap ease is bogus

By: Joelle Hodson

Joelle Hodson — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:07:59 +0000

This explains why armholes upset me! The picture and instructions in the books seem to contradict my instincts. Then I get angry when trying to sew the result together.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:56:24 +0000

Thank you for this post, Kathleen!! Armholes and sleeves continue to baffle me and I am always astounded by the wealth of information your articles and the member comments to follow provide. Such a wonderful resource, thank you again.

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:35:51 +0000

My drafts always end up with 1/2 ” of ease so I gave up. Now I lay the back and front pattern pieces together at the shoulder line and use my blue flexible thing (have no idea what it is called) and make a shape to fit the sleeve. On my paper with a “T” for the grain and underarm line I place the blue thing on the lines and trace a sleeve cap. I get better results with this not so technical approach.

By: Fashion Incubator » How to remove sleeve cap ease

Fashion Incubator » How to remove sleeve cap ease — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:11:33 +0000

[...] (see pgs 166-168 of my book), that the sleeve can be reshaped -because as I’ve mentioned, sleeve cap ease is bogus. The latter amounts to a work around to compensate for a poorly designed sleeve and armhole. [...]

By: Colleen McGuirk

Colleen McGuirk — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:04:19 +0000

YEAH! I have always hated “basting, pinning and praying thing”. I always found it a pain to sew, so i would avoid it if possible. Now, I am totally jazzed to give this a go!
Thanks for posting!!

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:34:05 +0000

Hi Chrystal, I agree the wording was awkward; “Fundamentals of fitting” is the chapter heading of pgs 163-169. The book’s title is The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing. Did you see the most recent entry on shaping armholes?

By: Chrystal

Chrystal — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:47:29 +0000

Hi: Where do I get a copy of your book “the Fundamentals of Fitting” Google doesn’t know where to get it. I love this post and I will read more. I have been sewing for more than 15 years and I never make shirts for myself because I cannot get them to fit correctly in the arms..and then I read this post and understand why.
Love your site and would love some information that would help me to increase my sewing skills to a higher level than they are now.

By: Fashion Incubator » How to re-shape armholes

Fashion Incubator » How to re-shape armholes — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:11:33 +0000

[...] you have no idea what I’m blathering about, you can find more in sleeve cap ease is bogus. If you do the heavy lifting of redesigning your armholes to match the range of motion, you [...]

By: Lisa L.

Lisa L. — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:24:56 +0000

I am trying this pattern adjustment today on my very first (hobby) shirt for my fiancee. What a revelation. I have been working from a pattern from an “industrial sewing systems” company, and the draft (toile) shirt looked and fit awful, I thought I could never buy such a horrible shirt in a store (incredibly huge and boxy torso, with short sleeves that were incredibly full and stuck out like bat wings). I’ve adjusted the pattern with curves: curved and trimmer torso, and now these curved (and already trimmed) sleeves. I’ll post photos in the forum or on Flickr once this project is complete.

Thank you for this post. Obviously : your armpits are not at your sides, they’re at your front.

Ordered your book, can’t wait for it to arrive, sewing will get a lot easier.

By: Fashion Incubator» Review: Patternmaking in Fashion

Fashion Incubator» Review: Patternmaking in Fashion — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:18:22 +0000

[...] Fashion when she was shelving books at her part time job in a book store and wrote me saying it had sleeves I’d described. I think someone else had told me too (sorry I don’t recall who) but I didn’t actively [...]