Welcome to the Free Basic Sleeve Pattern Instructions. Here you’ll be able to find a step by step guide on how to draft your basic sleeve pattern. This foundation is the perfect base for designs like the raglan, kimono and dolman sleeves and it works for woven and elastic fabrics. If you want a more tight fitting sleeve or a two piece sleeve for a blazer, you should use another pattern as a base.
this is measured on the pattern and is the length following the shape of the front and back patterns. Measure front and back separately
this is measured on the body. Put your hand on the hip and measure from the tip of the shoulder to the wrist following the curve of the arm.
Contrary to what the name says, I like to measure this around my closed hand. This is to make sure the hand will go through the bottom of the sleeve
This is measured around the widest part of the bicep and is used to make sure the sleeve is big enough for your arm
Before drafting this pattern, there are a couple of things you should understand. This is just a summary, so check the Sleeves 101 article for more information.
The cap height refers to the length of the top part of the sleeve up to the bicep line. This length will define the ease of movement of the sleeve:
The cap ease is the extra fabric added to the curved top part of the sleeve. Depending on how much ease is added, the shoulder seam will look more or less rounded.
More ease will make it rounder and less ease will make it flatter. It is also important to know that this ease is only for the foundation but if you are looking for designs with shoulder gathering, this should be added later on.
Now that all the basic information is clear, let’s draft the sleeve foundation step by step. As always, if you want more information on other foundations or how to modify these, check out the Sleeves 101 article.
Draw a line that is the arm length and mark 0 at the top and 1 at the bottom. The front will be on the right and the back will be on the left
Next, decide what ease of movement you’re looking for. Divide your armhole length by 4 and
Mark this measurement from 0 down and mark point 2. Draw a line perpendicular to the first line going through point 2
The next decision is how much ease do you want to add to your pattern. I’ll give you three examples using the high cap height.
You can add more ease by making the line bigger. I would advice you not to add more than 3-4cm. If you want more, just draft the sleeve and add the ease through the cut and spread method so it’s added more evenly.
Once the cap height and width have been drafted, it’s time to check if the width is enough to fit your bicep.
Compare the length 3 to 4 with the bicep circumference. It should be at least 2cm longer for woven fabrics and the same length for elastic fabrics. If that is not the case, there are two options:
Once the cap height and ease are correct and to your liking, it’s time to shape it. For it, divide the lines 0-3 and 0-4 halfway. Next, shape the sleeve like done in the drawing.
There are some methods out there to help you shape it better but in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter as long as the shape is similar and the line at 0 is smooth transitioning from the front to the back.
Once that’s done, measure along the line to make sure the length is equal to the length of the front and back armholes plus the ease you wanted added.
The last step is defining the wrist circumference. Draw a perpendicular line to the length of the sleeve going through point 1. Add the wrist measurement plus at least 5cm for woven fabrics and the wrist circumference for elastic fabrics
Connect all the lines and the sleeve pattern is ready. I also have the step by step written instructions on my website and I’ll link it down below.
And just like that, you have completed your basic sleeve pattern. Now it’s time to prototype and make any modifications if needed.
This block can be used next to all the top blocks and it’s perfect for most sleeve designs. If you are looking for a two piece sleeve or a more tailored look, you will need another sleeve foundation.
