Drafting the sleeve
The method applies for men and women. This sleeve was drafted for the young man's Block (Fig
16) and is based on his measurements: Long arm length 69 cm; Armhole 53 cm; Sleeve head 54 cm; Top arm 32 cm; Wrist 19 cm.
You will require your Long arm, Wrist and Top arm measurements; also the Armhole measurement from your bodice Block, which is needed to find the sleeve head length. You can then draft the Basic line, the Wrist line, the Shoulder line and the Front line. The Back Point (BP) position and the Back Seam line will be fixed later.
Finding the sleeve head measurement
Carefully measure the total back and front armholes on the Block, using a tape measure on edge.
Round up the total by from 0.5 cm to 1.4 cm to give a whole number: e.g. 46.2 cm rounds up to 47 cm; 62.6 cm rounds up to 64 cm. This is the sleeve head measurement.
Drawing the sleeve structure
On a large sheet of paper rule the Basic line, equal to your Long arm length. Rule shorter lines at top and bottom at right angles; these are the Shoulder line and Wrist line.
On the Wrist line, mark half your Wrist size, plus 0.5-1 cm ease, and centre it on the Basic line. This gives a close-fitting sleeve needing a wrist opening: for a slip-on sleeve use half your Hand measurement instead of half the Wrist.
From SP mark a fifth of the sleeve head measurement to the right along the Shoulder line. Join this point to the right end of the Wrist to give the Front line.
To the left of SP mark a fifth of the sleeve head measurement plus 3 cm. Draw a vertical guide line 15 cm long (20 cm for sleeve heads over 60 cm) down from here. Draw a line parallel to the Shoulder line from here to the Front line.
From the Front line, measure in half the Top arm size plus 2 cm. Mark x and measure the remaining distance to y. The distance x-y is normally 3-5 cm, but variations in x-y affect the sleeve head shape, as illustrated in b. and c.
34
20b 20c
20 cm
b. Distance x-y is about 1.5 cm, reflecting a larger Top arm. Sleeve head is 43 cm, Top arm 31 cm. BP has been moved out, and UP up, to compensate, using Table 1.
20 cm
c. Distance x-y is 6 cm, reflecting a smaller Top arm. Sleeve head is 50 cm, Top arm 27 cm. BP has been moved in to compensate. In this case Table 2 was used to fix the FP, BP, and UP positions.
Table 1 When X-y is up to 5 cm Table 2
When x-y is over 5 cm
Drawingthesleeveheadcurves
The upper and lower curves together equal the sleeve head measurement. Their final shape will require some adjustment, so draw them lightly at first.
Starting at FP, draw the upper curve to the Shoulder Point (SP), follow the Shoulder line for 2-3 cm, and curve down to the Back Point (BP).
Draw the lower curve from FP through UP (its lowest point) to BP. Draw the curve between UP and BP in the shape of a very shallow S, as shown.
Using a tape measure on edge measure the upper and lower curves, which should be roughly
equal. Adjust the curves until together they equal the sleeve head measurement. Flatten or swell the curves to make slight adjustments to the sleeve head; for greater adjustments move BP or UP in to reduce it, or out to enlarge it.
The seam line
Draw a guide line from BP down to the left Wrist point, and draw the Seam line over, it, checking that it passes outside x. Its final shape will depend on the model: on a short plump arm it may follow the guide line almost exactly; on a thin arm it will curve in from the sleeve head. Leave it wide rather than narrow: it is easy to adjust the seam shape later.
35
21 SP
20 cm