Sleeves

• Sleeves as a Fashion Accessory
• The Basic Sleeve
• Variations on a Theme

Sleeves as a Fashion Accessory

When we think of sleeves, we generally think of a tube of fabric sewn into the arm hole of a shirt, jacket, or some such. The Elizabethans were a much more practical people, and by and large, treated sleeves as an accessory and a convenience. The sleeves of a garment laced in to the bodice or doublet they were worn with, so they could be interchanged amongst garments for variety, or removed on hot days for convenience. Always bear in mind, when considering the relatively high cost of fabrics for upper middle and noble class costumes, that sleeves take relatively little fabric, and one bodice with three sets of sleeves can have three extremely different looks to it.

The Basic Sleeve

Modern sleeve patterns usually consist of one piece of fabric which arcs at the top (the sleeve head) and is seamed from the center of the armscye to the wrist. In the standard issue Elizabethan sleeve, we see a different seam placement: There is a main seam that runs either from half way up the front side of the sleeve down to the wrist, or half way up the back side of the seam to the wrist. In addition, there was frequently a secondary seam for shaping the sleeve into a permanently"bent" shape, which would be located on whichever side the primary seam wasn't. In the picture to the left, the primary "seam" is actually the opening at the front of the sleeve (the sleeve might have been closed with buttons, hooks and eye, etc), and the secondary shaping seam runs down the center back of the sleeve, between the two lines of black braid. In some cases, the secondary shaping seam joined the sides of a triangular opening in the bottom half of the sleeve and ran only from elbow to wrist, creating a sleeve with a very full top and a tapered wrist. In modern patterns, some sports coats and blazers still use a sleeve seam down the center back of the sleeve, leaving the front plain. Adapting a "normal" modern sleeve to an elizabethan one is frightfully simple. Trace around a pattern for an existing sleeve onto tissue paper. Cut out your tissue paper pattern. Tape the edges that would otherwise be sewn together to each other. Fold the sleeve in half to mark the middle of the sleevehead. Now, unfold and press the taped edges to the back of the sleeve so that the center of the taped join lies on the crease you just made. Crease each side of the folded pattern sharply, then cut up those side creases. You now have the basic, two part elizabethan sleeve pattern. If you have a very full sleeve pattern that you wish to taper at the wrist, cut a triangular gusset from the back of the wrist to the back of the elbow. Since there are two pieces to the sleeve, you will want to cut a triangle that is that is the difference between the current wrist measurement of the sleeve and the desired write measurement of the sleeve (don't forget to leave yourself a seam allowance!) at the wrist that tapers down to nothing just below the elbow.

If you are cutting this sleeve out of a material with a strong stripe or linear pattern, make sure that the patter is either straight along (vertical pattern), or directly perpendicular to (horizontal pattern) the center front of the sleeve, and take care to match your stripes when you cut the pieces. This creates a neat, even pattern at the front of the sleeve, and forces any diagonal or abbreviated stripes to occur at the back seam. Always keep your best side forward, and all that. Also, you will want to cut lining material for the sleeve to the same pattern.

Sewing the sleeve is simple. If you are making a closed sleeve, you will sew off the side seams on the outer piece and the lining separately. Turn the outer piece rightside-out out. Now, you will have to add some way for the sleeve to attach to the bodice - either insert a piece of twill tape along the top of the sleevehead that grommets can be set into, or set pieces of ribbon ("points") periodically along the sleevehead (perpendicular to the raw edge of the fabric, with about 4 - 7" of ribbon pointing in to the sleeve. Whichever you choose, you will then pleat down the sleevehead to fit the arm opening of the intended garment, pin and sew the top of the lining to the top of the outer layer, right sides together, just as you would for any other sleeve you've ever sewn. Turn the whole thing rightside-out out and whipstitch the lining to the outer layer at the wrists.

If you are making an open sleeve, your life is even easier - sew whichever seam won't open (usually the back) together for both the outer layer and the lining. Pin your attachment method of choice to the sleevehead. If you wish to add a cuff, sew that piece and pin it, facing up the sleeve, to the wrist of the sleeve. Pleat down the sleevehead of the outer material and lining. Place the lining over the outer layer, right sides together, then pin. Now, sew around the edge of the sleeve, from about 3" away from the center of the armscye all the way around to about three inches from the other side of the armscye. Turn the sleeve right side out and whipstitch the opening shut.

Variations on a Theme

Now, since sleeves are so easy to make and change between garments, you have no reason not to make an extra set or few, right? The book, Elizabethan Costuming (Winter & Savoy) contains a number of suggestions for other styles of sleeve. Since I generally find that there suggestions could use a few more words, here are a few starting points for some basic alterations:

• Start your pattern from a semi-fitted blazer sleeve. Taper the wrist slightly. Make a closed, fitted sleeve.
• Start your pattern from a modern "leg o' mutton" sleeve pattern. Increase the width towards the top of the sleeve. Place 4-8 layers of course netting in the sleevehead while sewing (they should extend 1/3 to 1/2 way down the outside of the sleeve, to help support the poofiness of the sleeve top. This can be made closed or open.
• Lengthen the sleeve pattern to make a hanging (not worn about the wrist) greatsleeve.