A Vera knit top with lace sleeves

 

I adapted the FREE Vera Knit Top from Forget-Me-Not patterns for this knit top above.

Vera - Knit top (Free PDF pattern) - Forget-me-not Patterns (forgetmenotpatterns.com)

For my version I cut the body and cuffs from a solid black viscose jersey and the sleeves from a stretch lace. I lengthened the sleeves by 3 inches and adapted the cuff for my wrist. I also altered the V neck to a scoop neck and cut the ends off the neckband piece which I then seamed at the back.

New Sleeves for Old Shirts

I own a number of short sleeved shirts from Regatta, unfortunately the cut of the very short sleeves was neither comfortable nor flattering and they were in the alter or donate pile.
So I decided to remove the short sleeves and add alternative sleeves to the shirts, which has made them all wearable. I used the sleeve and cuff pattern from the Prima Shirtdress (March 2020 Prima Magazine) as the starting point.

I'll start with my last one as it is my favourite.

I didn't have any co-ordinating print fabric in my resources for this one, so used plain white and added 3 machine embroideries on each sleeve, all done with the same pink/wine/tan threads. The butterfly at the top is built in to the Janome 200E, the dragonfly is from Kiwi Kreatives and the floral from Oh My Crafty Supplies Inc.

The red and tan check shirt has white embroidered sleeves.

This shirt has turquoise batik sleeves.

This shirt has pale blue sleeves, picking up the blue in the check.

This green and white check shirt has sleeves from a green sewing themed fabric.

This blue and white checked shirt has 3/4 sleeves in a blue, white and aqua print and extra long cuffs with 3 buttons.

Although a lot of work went into the cuffs and their 6 buttons and button holes it is my least favourite as the 3/4 length sleeves are rather awkward. I suspect it'll get edited again to have elbow length sleeves.

This white shirt has bright floral print elbow length sleeves, the fabric rescued from a gone wrong dress project.

I don't have any pictures of the shirts before the alterations, however they were all of this sort of style. The short sleeves taper towards the end, in a way that my own arms do not ;-) hence the need for the work.

Sleeves redone - not a single pucker!

This evening I decided to fix the sleeves on the lime JCC blouse. This sleeve just had too much ease and the first time I put it in there were lots of puckers. (Due to the alterations the sleeves were 3 inches bigger than the armholes).

I decided to tackle the sleeves by doing a lot of small changes so none would be too obvious.

First up I took the sleeves out and pressed the body and sleeves. Then I trimmed down the sleeve cap very slightly. A little more at the top and tapering to nothing nearer the under arm.
I took the top of the sleeve seam in by 1/4"(under the arm) , let the top of the body out by 1/4 inch (also under the arm).

Next I clipped the armhole - existing clips slightly deeper and some extra ones as well.
On the sleeve I used a long stitch to machine tack on a piece of narrow bias binding - I stretched it as I sewed and then pulled the tacking up a bit as well.

Next I pinned the sleeve into the armhole, then sewed in short sections stopping whenever there was about to be a pucker. Once I'd put the sleeve in I checked for any bits which were not quite right, unpicked and resewed those until it was all smooth. Then I removed the bias binding and the tacking stitch and finally serged all the raw edges as the clipped part was fraying all over the place.

The end result however is a lovely sleeve with NO puckers, which I am very pleased about.

I know its a hanger shot and its better to see the blouse being worn, maybe tomorrow.
This shirt does actually fit me, and that is thanks to Jenni (aka YorshireLass) who fitted a muslin for me and has meant I have my first EVER blouse which actually fits me. Very exciting.

Urrrghg sleeves

9PM
Right now a sleeveless blouse seems like a great idea.
For one its boiling hot and two I am having great trouble getting a huge sleeve into a tiny armhole.
I gathered the excess and it just looked crazy.

Its a shame as the sleeves are made up complete with beautifully top stitched cuffs and everything.
Maybe its time for a coffee and then I'll come back and look at it again.

I put the blouse on and put the sleeve on separately, pushed the sleeve up so the armhole is in the right place, and the sleeve cap is way too tall for some reason I can't work out. Think it would ruin it to cut some off the top?

10:30pm Updated to add
Sleeves are in, I decided a slight gathered look is OK and echoes the bust gathering.
Have also made all the buttonholes, so just handsewing the buttons now and I'm done.

11pm
Latest update
Here's the shirt with all the buttons sewn on. Each cuff also has 2 buttons though they don't show in this photo.