Setting in Sleeves

They sky looked like snow yesterday morning when we got up. By the time it was light outside it was snowing. Just enough to cover the ground and disappear in the afternoon. No one was singing “Let it Snow”.

The Spousal Unit sealed the clear plywood ceiling in the master bedroom yesterday morning. He put on the second coat after lunch. Windows were opened and a fan was running but we still smelled some fumes. By dinner time, he had half of the bedroom closet framed in. A good day’s work. He will continue working in there today.

For the first part of the morning I worked on the jacket. I did photograph putting in the sleeves. These are the instructions that Ron Collins gave us when I was in Nanaimo in late September. Here is what I did with the instructions I wrote down after doing this with Ron.

1. Sew side seams of sleeves.

2. Cut Tailor’s Pride (horsehair canvas) 1 1/4” wide on the true bias.

3. Starting at notch, put strip 1/16” from edge and needle about a fat 1/2” from edge of sleeve.

4. Back stitch to hold strip in place. If your pressure foot lifts up like mine does, turn this feature off so the pressure foot holds everything tight when you stop.

5. Pull the strip hard and sew 1 to 1 1/2”. Stop, Pull again.

6. Stop pulling 1/2” before and after the center dot (which I had snipped).

7. Continue pulling the strip and sewing to the last notch. Back stitch to secure.

8. Insert sleeve into jacket pinning it into place. I matched up the shoulder and under arm seams and all the markings I had transferred from the pattern. I used a lot of pins.

9. Stitch the sleeve into the jacket with the sleeve closest to the feed dogs to ease in the sleeve. I start from the shoulder seam and go around. I also use the free arm on my machine as it is easier to control the fabric.

10. Double stitch from back to front notches under the arm. Trim that piece to 1/4”. I stitched a little less than a 1/4” from the seam though I will double stitch the next time. Both ways work.

11. Where the sleeve waves from the gathering

Cut V’s out of the sleeve only so it lies flat.

12. I finger pressed the canvas to the sleeve prior to pressing it with the iron.

I was going to do a sleeve wrap also but ended up not doing it. After asking about it, I thought it would be overkill.

I got to thinking that I had seen a YouTube video on this so I searched for it. Gertie's New Blog For Better Sewing had the video so I added it here.

She is using a wool/mohair fabric and she does not notch the fullness out of the sleeve when she is done. Otherwise it is the same as what Ron showed.

Today I am going to start a blouse that will be worn under the above jacket. I felt some pressure to finish the jacket last night and do the blouse today. But I did not feel stressed. That is good as I do not plan on going down that trail again.

On top of it all, a girl pre ordered her dress for next year’s Miss Rodeo Canada competition. That is one of my limited number of spaces filled.

Until tomorrow.................