Sleeve Test

As expected, the pattern version of the sleeve head I went with ended up with a lot of sleeve versus the armscye. I opened up the seam from the wrist a bit to be able to pull it up. Knowing I would be widening that end of the sleeve anyway, it was better to check the rest of the fit. I just fit this by folding back at the stitching lines drawn on and pinning as if it were sewn on.

There might be a bit of an issue with the way Lucy's arm fits so close to her chest, but either way, it was obvious the sleeve head needed to be shrunk a bit. I took the original draft and copied it off using the original narrower lines.  I also added a little width at the cuff end. I'll have to do another adjustment and when I do, I'll have to be more careful about the blending of the non-dart side of the sleeve. After the dart is sewn, that side gets more of a shape that will need to be matched for easier lining up of the stitching lines. I gave that side a quick move and just used the square to draw the lines rather than the curved ruler. Even with a bit of a turn at the elbow, it took some "easing" to get it together.

This time, I went ahead and just made two sleeves, even though I figured it was only going to be #2 of ??? iterations of the pattern. It still looks bunched up under her arm, but that's as much a function of the way her arms attach and the fact that they're just pinned in place. Looking at it here, it's definitely a step in the right direction though.

This time, I noticed that Lucy's right arm is thicker than here left. Her right forearm is as if her palm is facing the floor and her left as if her palm is facing the wall. That is, the right is wider across and the left has the width vertically. Think about how the bones in your arm work and it might make more sense than it sounds like. Once I widen the lower sleeve again, it shouldn't matter anymore.

A new collar was made out of some scrap muslin. I just extended the existing collar rather than redrafting/draping according to the larger circumference line I laid down the other day.

I extended each end 2 inches, so that they would reach to the edges of the front pieces. I think I might try making the next test a little taller. Hard to get it to stand up for pictures, being two pieces of muslin and pinned in place around the outer edge.

The vertical line on the "R FRONT" piece would be the edge of the front. I didn't turn under that edge, but that's the line of the edge of that side of the jacket front, behind which a zipper will run. The collar will not be attached all the way to that edge, but only to a point probably not quite back to the shoulder piece seam.

I've drawn up a new one piece back pattern incorporating the step-down on the hem. Once I get sleeve pattern #3 drawn, I'll probably try sewing  up a test garment with everything actually sewn on to see what's what.