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Member since 4/5/17
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Posted on: 12/15/17 1:33 AM ET
This is so frustrating, I have a vintage pattern that requires a ridiculous amount of easing into the arm scythe. Whenever i make the arms I have to pick and unpick the seams to re-sew the cap. Sometimes this can take 30 minutes.

Is there a way to reduce the size of the sleeve so I don't have to ease so much (and reduce the puckering)? I don't have this issue with other patterns, and i really love this dress. =[
  
Member since 3/1/09
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Posted on: 12/15/17 5:27 AM ET
First, double check that the armscye is the correct shape and place with the fit of the bodice.

The armscye must be correct in order to adjust the sleeve.

The first step is to walk the sleeve cap seam line on both the front and back armscye seam line to identify where and how much ease to remove. You may find you need to remove more from the back than the front and it will alter the shape of the sleeve cap.

A diagram that shows how to walk the seam line http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/InspiredImage/media/bWVkaWFJZDoxMjkyOTY2NzU=/?ref=
Tutorial Part 1
Tutorial Part 2

There are other methods, but this can work well.
  
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Member since 10/22/08
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Posted on: 12/15/17 7:33 AM ET
In reply to MagnoliaV
If you walk the seam (as mentioned above) and it appears to be the right size, you will find that sewing it with a 3/8" seam allowance will be easier for fitting it in. That 5/8" can be very restrictive. Also sew with the sleeve next to the feed dog, but it doesn't work if there is still too much fabric.

Do you have a sleeve that fits nicely already, that's similar in style? If so you can use that sleeve, and copy the armhole onto the pattern (matching at the shoulder point, and letting the underarm match to the side seam, you might need to raise or lower the side seam under the arm a bit.)

I would be tempted to cheat and just use a size smaller sleeve, baste it in and see if I can get it to fit well.

I'm really big on HAND basting in my sleeves, I often need to flatten out the back side of a sleeve a bit more than a pattern instructs, it's just my body shape of course. But hand basting is a great way to deal with a lot of the ease also.
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Member since 3/26/17
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Posted on: 12/15/17 7:38 AM ET
Annette, I so agree with you on the handbasting of sleeves. I recently learned that using a big running stitch to do this actually saved me TONS of time, rather than wasted it, as I then spent zero time unpicking my sewn seam to fix bunching and turning-under that I couldn’t see while I was sewing. Now I just fly along, then pull the basting.
  
Member since 2/9/16
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Posted on: 12/15/17 8:11 AM ET
I just went through the same thing. I found this article that helped me a lot. One step I hadn't been doing was pre-shaping the sleeve with steam before sewing it in. That step really helped a lot and got me pucker-free results! It also shows you how to reduce sleeve cap ease in your pattern if necessary.

http://sewingworkshop.com/files/Setting_in_a_Sleeve-August.pdf

-- Edited on 12/15/17 at 8:16 AM --
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Member since 1/23/06
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Posted on: 12/15/17 10:24 AM ET
I will second the pre shaping of the sleeve cap as well as the handbasting. It all takes far less time than ripping out and redoing.

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Member since 6/24/07
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Posted on: 12/15/17 10:51 AM ET
Also, in addition to the above excellent advice, when setting in the cap hand tacking have the bodice WS out, the sleeve inside it, but fold the pieces over your left hand so that the sleeve is on top and use a major amount of pins to control the ease, at right angles to the seam line. If you've seen video of ease being controlled on a gaping vee neckline by pinning it to a flat tape, you'll get the idea about the amount of pins. You shouldn't normally have more than an inch to inch and a quarter of ease in the sleeve head, but quite a bit more than this can be eased in if you use this method.
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Member since 8/28/08
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Posted on: 12/15/17 12:29 PM ET
The OP said that she was using a vintage pattern. If it's from the 80s it could actually be a sleeve which is gathered in, rather than one which is merely eased in.
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Member since 6/17/12
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Posted on: 12/15/17 1:49 PM ET
Erm, this is probably a total no-no but on some multi-size patterns I have been known to cut the sleevecap from the next size down if it seems more appropriate! I measure the respective lengths of cap and armsyce and go with whichever seems more suitable. But I do tend to favour knits, so think on... (as we would say in the North of England)
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 12/15/17 1:58 PM ET
How much ease, what sort of fabrics, how much seam allowance?
  
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