The project for today is learning how to sew gathered sleeves. For those of you who have read more of my posts, it won't be a surprise that I like basic patterns and projects, I guess it's my Northern European style. However, though I love clean lines and uni fabrics, a little girly touch can add just a bit of extra cuteness to a simple sew. So today I have a tutorial for you on how to modify a regular sleeve pattern to create a gathered sleeve.

How to Sew Gathered Sleeves

I started out with the lovely Gloria Party Dress pattern, a basic knit dress with several sleeve length and bodice options. I picked the simple play dress option, with an unlined bodice and long sleeves.

Gathered Sleeves Step 1: Trace the existing sleeve pattern onto a piece of paper. This pattern piece is half of a sleeve, which makes it easier to make your modifications symmetrical.

Gathered Sleeves Step 2: Draw a line across the sleeve at the widest point. This is the orange line in the pic above. Cut the pattern piece out of the paper and cut it apart along the orange line.

Gathered Sleeves Step 3: Take a new piece of paper and draw a vertical line on it. Place your sleeve pieces along the line. Then, pivot the top piece, keeping the small point at the right side touching the point of the sleeve, just tilting the piece. The more you pivot your sleeve cap, the more gathered and pouffy the sleeve cap will be.

Gathered Sleeves Step 4: Now trace along the outside of your new shape, as pictured above. Make sure you touch the vertical line where the fold of your fabric will be in a pretty much right angle, to avoid the center becoming pointy or otherwise weird.

Gathered Sleeves Step 5: The pic above shows the extra room you now created in the existing sleeve pattern, the red outline is the new pattern piece, the blue lines were the original sleeve piece.

Gathered Sleeves Step 6: To be able to use this new sleeve pattern in the existing bodice, you have to gather the sleeve cap along the curve, until it has approximately the same length as the original sleeve curve.

Gathered Sleeves Step 7: Before starting to gather, mark the center of the sleeve cap. Then, stitch along the edge of the curve with a long straight stitch. Make sure you leave some thread hanging at beginning and end and do NOT secure your stitching by backstitching. It is recommended to do a second row of gathering stitches at 1/8" distance of the first, however, make sure you are still working within the seam allowance of your pattern.

Gathered Sleeves Step 8: After stitching, gently pull on either the two top threads, or the two bobbin threads, to pull the fabric together. When you have gathered your sleeve to the desired width, distribute the gathers evenly. I prefer to just have the gathers at the top.

Gathered Sleeves Step 9: Continue sewing your pattern as usual, however do make sure that you pin the center of the sleeve to the shoulder seam first, then the corners of the sleeve to the corners of the bodice and if necessary redistribute the gathers before stitching the sleeve to the bodice.

Gathered Sleeves Step 10: Finish the dress or top as usual and enjoy a gentle girly twist to your basic pattern! And of course, the sky is the limit with these kinds of sleeve modifications...

Thank you for joining us to learn how to gathered sleeves. Before you leave, make sure to join our Facebook Group for help with your sewing projects and to share what you make. Happy Sewing!