Tess Sew Along | Sleeve Hems or Armbands

In this installment of the Tess Sew Along, we’ll finish the dress or top by hemming the sleeves or attaching armbands for the tank view.

Unless noted, the seam allowance included is 3/8″ (1 cm) for joined seams.

HEM THE SLEEVES | TOP & DRESS VIEW

Note: The hem depth is the same for all sleeve lengths. Fold the hem wrong sides together at 1″ (2.5 cm). Pin and edgestitch the hem in place using a stretch stitch. Skip to final press.

SEW THE ARMHOLE BANDS | TANK AND TANK DRESS

With the right sides together, sew the armhole bands at the short end. Press the seams open.

Fold the armhole bands in half with the wrong sides together and press. The quarter points are marked with notches.

FIND THE QUARTER MARKS | TANK & TANK DRESS VIEW

There are quarter notches marked on the sleeveless tank armholes. Mark the quarter points with a pin.

SEW THE ARMHOLE BANDS | TANK & TANK DRESS VIEW

Line up the seam of the armhole band with the side seam. Continue to pin the rest of the band around the armhole, matching the notches, while evenly stretching the bands slightly to fit the armholes. Do not stretch the garment while attaching the bands.

Sew a basting stitch to confirm the armhole band ratio is correct for your fabric. Once confirmed, sew the seam. Finish and press the seams towards the bodice.

TOPSTITCHING | TANK & DRESS VIEW

Topstitch the armholes at 1/4″ (0.6 cm) to hold the seam allowance in place.

FINAL PRESS | ALL VIEWS

Give your Tess a final press and you are done!

That’s it for our Tess Sew Along! Find all our Sew Alongs here and don’t forget to check out the previous sew along posts in case you missed anything.

Tess Sew Along Posts: Getting Started | Prepare and Sew Neckline | Sew Sleeves, Top Side Seams and Hem| Dress Side Seams, Slit and Hem | Sew Sleeve Hems or Armbands