Grown-on sleeves, 1960-style

When I made the bodice for my peppermint batik dress from Simplicity 3662, I used modern techniques. After all, it was such a simple design - just two back pieces and one front - that there was no need to consult the instructions. I did a second row of stitching on the underarm seam curve to reinforce it, and machine hemmed the sleeves.

Easy peasy?

For what I am now calling the 'Riviera' dress, after the print, I actually looked at the instruction sheet - and neither of these techniques appears on it!

Just like our current British summer - not!

The cutting layout for the view includes a note to cut two 'facings'; bias strips 1⅛" wide and as long as the lower edge of the sleeves. Once the darts and shoulder seams have been sewn, the underarms are stay stitched, and then the facings are attached*.

The facing sewn along the sleeve edge

The seam allowances are pressed towards the sleeve, and the side seams are pinned. Then the curve is reinforced with either straight seam binding or a selvedge strip of the fabric. I used a narrow cotton tape, and tacked it on to make sure it was placed correctly.

Tape tacked centrally over the seam position

The side seam is then sewn, including the facing.

The seam runs from the facing edge to the base of the bodice

The underarm curves are snipped, but not the reinforcing tape. Then the facings are pressed back - I did mine with a tiny sliver of the top layer folded over to the inside, as I would do a neck facing.

Making sure the facing is invisible from the right side

Finally, the raw facing edge is turned under, and slip-stitched in place.

The finished sleeve edge

On the dressform

I will be interested to see how this reinforcement technique lasts over time. When I was ironing Vogue 5215 recently, which has a similar grown-on sleeve, I noticed that the seam was starting to tear slightly. It's now on the mending pile to be discretely patched.


* -The instructions actually say to attach the neck facing before the sleeve facings, but I am going to leave this step until I have put the zip in - some modern habits die hard!