Tutorial, part 7 - Sleeves to Body

If you valiantly chose to use the shoulder points with ease, kudos! 

In case you are unfamiliar with the process of easing sleeves, here are some basic instructions: 

Decrease the thread tension on your sewing machine and, using a long stitch length (and perhaps contrasting thread), baste along and ¼" inside the upper (rounded) edge of the shoulder point, starting and stopping at the dots marked on the printed pattern and leaving several inches of thread/bobbin trailing at the ends. 

Baste again ⅛" from the edge.

Gently gather the shoulder point along the two rows of stitching and press the gathered ease into place (with no folds or puckers past the armscye seam line, or ⅜" from the edge). Repeat as necessary to shrink the fullness. 

Pin the sleeve assembly to the appropriate side of the jumpsuit body, aligning the shoulder seam with the line indicated on the printed pattern and the lower edges of the shoulder point with the bottom of the jumpsuit body's yoke.

Baste the sleeve to the body, easing and distributing ease as necessary. 

Check to make sure the bottom edges of the shoulder point are properly aligned with the bottom of the yoke, that there are no tucks or puckers along the shoulder point, and the ease is satisfactorily distributed. Adjust as needed. 

I hate this!

If you chose to use the shoulder point without ease, simply pin the sleeve assembly to the body, matching shoulder point/sleeve and yoke/body seam lines and appropriately placing the shoulder seam. 

All too easy.

Sew the sleeve to the body (but NOT the yoke facing!), using division-color thread for the shoulder point and black for the sleeve.

Press the armscye seam allowances open using a tailor's ham.

It's at this point that you'll be glad you clipped out the yoke/body seam allowances in the key areas to reduce bulk! 

Fold the yoke facing back toward the armscye. 

The armscye edge of the yoke facing should be flush with the rounded edge of the shoulder point (⅜" past the seam line). 

Sewing over the previous stitch line (or perhaps just beyond it, to be safe), secure the yoke facing at the armscye, beginning and ending about 1" above the bottom of the shoulder point. 

Press the armscye seam allowances again. 

Remember, the action pleat should extend all the way to the armscye, and its top edge should meet the yoke exactly at the yoke/body seam line at the armscye.

Repeat for other side.


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