The Linda Dress includes a short gathered sleeve, but the original sleeve pattern can easily be altered to create a longer, fuller sleeve.
For this version, I extended the original sleeve to create a voluminous long sleeve, finished with an elasticated cuff. The original sleeve cap remains unchanged, so the altered sleeve is sewn into the dress in the same way as the original.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to draft the altered sleeve and cuff using your Linda Dress sleeve pattern piece as the starting point.
What you'll need
Your Linda Dress sleeve pattern piece, pattern paper, ruler, pencil and tape.
1. Establish the width of the sleeve
Using the original Linda Dress sleeve pattern piece, measure horizontally from each underarm seam to the grainline.
Call these measurements A and B. Together, A + B give you the total width of the sleeve.
Extend the grainline downwards and extend measurements A and B perpendicular to the grainline, as shown.
2. Decide the finished sleeve length
Decide how long you would like your new sleeve to be.
Measure from your underarm down the inside of your arm to your wrist, or to wherever you would like the sleeve to finish. This is measurement C.
Extend the sides of the sleeve down by measurement C.
Add an additional 3 cm to the length, shown as measurement D in the diagram.
3. Shape the bottom of the sleeve
At the centre of the sleeve, measure approximately 3–5 cm below the extended sleeve length. Mark this point as E.
Draw a smooth, continuous curve from the side seams through point E to create the new lower edge of the sleeve.
4. Add the seam allowance
Add a 1 cm seam allowance to the newly drafted side seams and lower edge of the sleeve.
The original sleeve cap already includes its seam allowance, so this area does not need to be altered.
5. Draft the cuff
For the elasticated cuff, draw a rectangle:
Width = 3 × your wrist measurement + 2 cm
Height = 9 cm
Add a 1 cm seam allowance all around.
Sewing the altered sleeve
Once you've drafted and cut your new sleeve and cuff pieces, you can sew the altered sleeve using the Linda Dress sleeve tutorial.
The longer sleeve uses the same sleeve cap and attachment method as the original Linda Dress; the main difference is the additional length and the elasticated cuff.
Make the Linda Dress
The Linda Dress sewing pattern includes the original short gathered sleeve used as the starting point for this alteration.