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Member since 7/6/06
Posts: 67
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Posted on: 8/18/06 8:10 AM ET
I've seen some references to two-piece sleeves as being better than one-piece sleeves for getting a good fit. I have seen this on jackets a lot, but is it common on shirts and blouses? If so, where would you place the new seam in an existing one-piece sleeve pattern. I assume that it would line up on the outside of the elbow.
  
Member since 3/5/04
Posts: 368
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Posted on: 8/18/06 9:15 AM ET
Sometimes on blouses/shirts, the seam goes from the shoulder seam to the wrist. When using striped fabric, this 2-pc sleeve makes a beautiful chevron pattern.

Tory
  
Member since 11/30/04
Posts: 416
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Posted on: 8/18/06 9:20 AM ET
I've seen it where a person transfers the underarm sleeve seam on a one-piece sleeve pattern, toward the back of the sleeve. That way the end of the seam turns into the slit for a buttoned cuff. How slick is that! The designer of this idea was Marta Alto of Oregon.
  
Member since 12/21/02
Posts: 2636
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Posted on: 8/18/06 12:59 PM ET
In reply to lilah
What the two-piece sleeve does is it follows the natural bend of your arm (a relaxed arm is slightly bent at the elbow). Adding a seam to one piece sleeve won't give the same effect as a sleeve that is drafted to be two piece. Check out Burda patterns - they use a lot of two-piece sleeves on blouses as well as jackets.

I have rotated the seam on one-piece sleeves toward the back to make an easy placket as one of the other posters (sorry--I can't remember who!) described. I liked it better than the slash-and-bind technique that I originally learned.
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sewing blog: https://unzippedsewing.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 8/20/02
Posts: 3338
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Posted on: 8/18/06 1:50 PM ET
Robin has a good point. Simply adding a seam to the sleeve will not change the fit. Also, 2-piece sleeve usually does not have an underarm seam, meaning that you'll need to do complicated alteration to the sleeve to convert it to two-piece.
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Member since 4/9/06
Posts: 418
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Posted on: 8/18/06 3:01 PM ET
In reply to blue mooney
Quote: blue mooney
Adding a seam to one piece sleeve won't give the same effect as a sleeve that is drafted to be two piece.

Lilah,

The reason that a two piece sleeve curves with the shape of the natural arm is that in the elbow area, the sleeve pattern pieces are different lengths. The shorter piece must be 'stretched' to match the longer piece between the marked notches, and this forces the sleeve to "arc" around the elbow, causing a very nice sleeve/arm curve.

Kate
  
Member since 7/3/06
Posts: 41
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Posted on: 8/18/06 9:19 PM ET
Since 2 piece sleeves fit better than 1 piece sleeves, should I avoid patterns that have 1 piece sleeves? Can 1 piece sleeves be comfortable in rather loose fitting jackets? I would like to make the long jacket of V2875 in a light polyester underlined with fusible tricot. Will this arm be uncomfortable since it is a 1 piecer? Is there an easy way to change from a one piece to a two piece sleeve?

Thanks!
  
Member since 7/6/06
Posts: 67
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Posted on: 8/19/06 5:47 AM ET
In reply to KAB
blue mooney,

Thanks for the good information. I've been trying to find some blouse or shirt patterns with two-piece sleeves, but have only looked at Big 4 so far. I have to go to work (excuse the four letter word) this AM instead of to my sewing room .
  
Member since 12/21/02
Posts: 2636
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Posted on: 8/19/06 9:12 AM ET
In reply to Nerys
Nerys, I wouldn't suggest that anyone should avoid one-piece sleeves. They are perfectly comfortable and, since there's only one seam, a little easier, too. Most RTW has one-piece sleeves.

The two-piecers are just a nice refinement. I'd suggest getting a pattern with a two-piece sleeve on sale, and then trying it out. Only you can judge whether the subtle difference is worth the extra effort.

I don't know of any easy way to convert a one-piece sleeve to a proper two. It would involve calculating ease, drafting curves, changing the grainline. Not something I'd ever want to do!

Here's another option - some patterns have one-piece sleeves with an elbow dart, which accomplishes much of the same thing that a two-piece sleeve does.
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sewing blog: https://unzippedsewing.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 7/3/06
Posts: 41
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Posted on: 8/19/06 9:40 AM ET
In reply to blue mooney
Thanks for your input, Blue Mooney, I'm glad that 1 piece sleeves are not totally unwearable! All of my other jacket patterns have 2 piece sleeves, but they are much more structure jackets. Hmmm - that gives me an idea, maybe I'll see if the two piece sleeves I have could fit in the armscye of the jacket I want to do!
  
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