Hm, earlier this week I promised you pictures of 'things' I had made recently, didn't I? Well, here is the second thing, no dress this time, but a jersey top.
The top itself is very plain, and, yes I know, black. All the drama is in the sleeves in this one. You can see their actual shape in the rather dorky picture of my holding the point of the sleeve up.
I had seen this sleeve shape on someone else's clothing and wanted to try it out. With all the different puff sleeves and big shoulder we see these days, it seemed so very 'now'. However, not entirely to my surprise, there's an excellent set of instructions on how to make this shape over here, at vintagesewing. The source? A 1942 book on pattern making. This sleeve is called a 'cowl sleeve' there. The book has got many more great and some rather cooky styles, so it's definately worth a look.
I used the cowl sleeve instructions, but made the sides higher and gathered the sleeve into the armhole.
This is a top I'm happy with, but right now, I don't think I'll be wearing it because it's just a bit too warm.
FANTASTIC sleeves! And thanks for the link! When I have a plain-ish top to try the cowl sleeve with, I will. Very, very cool.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to make sleeves like that since I first stumbled on that book/site last summer! So cool to actually see how it looked... I have been trying to wrap my head around how the "point" would work. Looks great! :)
ReplyDeleteTwo things I should add: first of all, if you make the sleeve in jersey, like I did, you don't have to cut it on the bias because the fabric already has the needed stretch and drape. Secondly, the pattern instruction is a bit vague about how to sew the sleeve, but it's very simple: the new, straight top of the sleeve is a seam, the sleeve should be folded double lengthwise and stitched along that top line. This creates the point. The resulting sleeve can be set into the armhole the normal way.
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