MY DIY BELL SLEEVE TUTORIAL

HI DARLINGS! I made THIS DRESS  few weeks back and you guys loved the sleeve so I thought I would show you how to quickly make it with any commercial sleeve pattern you may be working on.

I used a stupid calculation that hurt my head, lol then I came across THIS SITE By Hand London and was like “mind blown” she has a RADIUS CALCULATOR for making circle skirt (genius) but you can use it for anything like a half circle for the sleeve I made HERE.

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Here is how to do it… Grab a sleeve pattern, cut it so that it hits above your elbow and measure along the hem. 

Go to BY HAND LONDON and choose the following: Select Inches then Half and  Mini and enter the “waist” measurement which is really the width of them hem measured above.

Then you get this lovely radius calculation… Yay! No ignore the length of fabric required because you’re only making a sleeve and not a skirt.

now take the “waist” radius given and that is what we are going to use. I love this app because it also gives you a cutting diagram and the calculation has 5/8″ seam allowance already (awesome sauce)

 Okay now I am using paper to draft it but you can trace this right on to your fabric. Fold your fabric right sides facing with selvage edges meeting.

 Then starting at the top of your paper of fabric measure down your “waist” radius continue to measure out as shown below.

 Okay now go ahead and cut the 1/4 circle  

 Now measure down how ever long you want your bell to be. 

 Cut out your larger 1/4 circle

When you open up the paper you will have your 1/2 circle

Now go ahead and cut your sleeves

 Cut two 1/2 circles

 Make clips in the curve of your half circle

 You now have two pieces, your sleeve and your bell

Pin the bell to your sleeve right sides facing and you see how the clips help your bell lay flat along the hem. 

 Stitch bell to sleeve using 5/8″ seam allowance

 With right sides facing fold your sleeve and pin and sew along the underarm seam

 Once done press your seams open

 Now all you have to do it make a narrow rolled hem and attach your sleeve the way you normally would.

TAAADAAA! Hope that helps you get a little fancy with your sleeve patterns. Having design options is always great. I have another sleeve tutorial for you next week.

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