sleeves!

I'm making a top and the sleeve seems to be too big for the arm hole -
and they've gathered - how can this be fixed!
Thanks

nada

(wad) wrote in message . com...
I'm making a top and the sleeve seems to be too big for the arm hole -
and they've gathered - how can this be fixed!
Thanks

nada

Ah, the dreaded eased-in, set-in sleeve! These are always wicked.
There are many, many tips and tricks out there to handle getting that
large sleeve into that tiny hole, but I'll give you this one that may
quickly solve the problem.

Cut a strip of fabric as long as the top of your sleeve hole. Use
this for practice before doing it to your sleeve. Tighten the top
thread tension as high as it will go and lengthen your stitch length
to a 3 or 4 and stitch right down that strip. Now measure that
against the arm hole. If it's near the same length then stitch right
at the stitching line around your sleeve top from notch to notch and
it should fit right in, with a little adjusting, and stitch that
problem sleeve right in there. If your test strip is too long,
lengthen your stitch length, too short, lessen your tention. Don't
forget to loosen your tention before sewing in your sleeve.

One other note, your basting stitch should just pull right out if you
pull the top thread.

Good luck!

1 thing that I saw on sew perfect on HGTV, was to push your finger on the
back side of the foot while sewing, do that until it starts sewing in place,
lift your finger, let the fabric relax and do again, until at the other
notch. when you take the sleeve out of the machine, it will be cupped. if
it needs more ease, then it can be done again. And I believe that you
lengthen your stitch so that it helps.

Maniac Rose

"wad" wrote in message
om...
I'm making a top and the sleeve seems to be too big for the arm hole -
and they've gathered - how can this be fixed!
Thanks

nada

Yes, I've done this on blouse weight fabric and it works pretty well.

Maniac Rose wrote:

1 thing that I saw on sew perfect on HGTV, was to push your finger on the
back side of the foot while sewing, do that until it starts sewing in place,
lift your finger, let the fabric relax and do again, until at the other
notch. when you take the sleeve out of the machine, it will be cupped. if
it needs more ease, then it can be done again. And I believe that you
lengthen your stitch so that it helps.

Maniac Rose

"wad" wrote in message
. com...


I'm making a top and the sleeve seems to be too big for the arm hole -
and they've gathered - how can this be fixed!
Thanks

nada

1 thing that I saw on sew perfect on HGTV, was to push your finger on the
back side of the foot while sewing, do that until it starts sewing in place,
lift your finger, let the fabric relax and do again, until at the other
notch. when you take the sleeve out of the machine, it will be cupped.

And this works even if there is no thread in the machine, if the fabric can
take a pleat.

For wool, you can then take the sleeve head to the iron, and over a ham, steam
the ripples, just in the seam allowance. Then when you sew in the sleeve, you
get nary a pucker.

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

"SewStorm" wrote in message
...
1 thing that I saw on sew perfect on HGTV, was to push your finger on the
back side of the foot while sewing, do that until it starts sewing in
place,
lift your finger, let the fabric relax and do again, until at the other
notch. when you take the sleeve out of the machine, it will be cupped.

And this works even if there is no thread in the machine, if the fabric
can
take a pleat.

For wool, you can then take the sleeve head to the iron, and over a ham,
steam
the ripples, just in the seam allowance. Then when you sew in the sleeve,
you
get nary a pucker.

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

I never realized that it could be done without the thread, I'll have to try
that next time I'm making a shirt. I need to get myself a ham to press
those seams, but for now I just ease them in, pin them in place, then sew.
to press I have been using a small pillow, but not as good as a ham, next on
my list to get though.
Right now am working on a wall quilt, and after that I want to get some
embroidery done, have a few designs already picked out, but like to finish
my projects before starting another one. there was a time when I had 6
projects that I was working on, and boy did they seem forever to get done,
so got my rear in gear and said I wouldn't do that again.

thanks everyone for your advice - I'll take it on board and let you
know how i'm going.

thanks!