Shay Dress Sew Along | Sew and Attach Sleeves

PREP THE SLEEVE PIN TUCKS

Mark the pin tucks on the right side of the sleeves. I try to do this right after I cut the sleeve pattern pieces if my fabric is shifty. There are four parallel lines 1″ (2.5 cm) apart. Press the lines in place.

Pin tuck lines are marked on the Shay Dress pattern sleeve piece.

SEW THE SLEEVE PIN TUCKS

Fold the sleeve with the wrong sides together at the first line.

Pin tuck marking is folded and pinned on the Shay Dress sleeve.

Sew a 1/8″ (0.6 cm) pin tuck from the folded edge.

Repeat for all four pin tucks. Press all the seams down.

The next pin tuck is folded and pinned on the Shay Dress sleeve.

SEW THE SLEEVE PLACKET

If you haven’t done so already, cut the slit on the sleeve and sleeve placket. On the wrong side of the sleeve placket, mark the sew line 1/4″ (0.6 cm) around the center straight line.

The interfaced sleeve placket for the shay dress is shown.

Sew a hem prep line on the outer curved edge at 1/4″ (0.6 cm).

A guide stitch is sewn 1/4" from the edge on the Shay sleeve placket piece.

Place the placket facing right side down on the sleeve slit. Sew around the slit at 1/4″ (0.6 cm).

Trim the seam allowance to half. Repeat for the other sleeve.

The sleeve placket facing is shown sewn to the sleeve.

FINISH THE SLEEVE PLACKET

Turn the sleeve placket to the wrong side of the sleeve.

The sleeve placket facing is pressed to inside of fabric.

Fold the outer curved edge under, press, and pin in place.

The sleeve placket facing is inside the fabric and pinned.

Edgestitch the sleeve placket. Repeat for the other sleeve.

The Shay sleeve placket facing is shown edgestitched.

GATHER THE UPPER SHORT SLEEVE CAP

To prep the sleeve cap, change your stitch length to the longest possible length. Sew two parallel baste stitch lines at the sleeve between the set of three notches at the cap. Make sure not to backstitch at the beginning or end of your stitch lines and leave long ends to your threads.

The first line is 1/4″ (0.6 cm) away from the fabric edge.
The second line is 1/2″ (1.25 cm) away from the fabric edge.

SEW THE SLEEVE SIDE SEAMS

Pin the sleeve side seams together. Sew and finish the seam. Press the seam towards the back. Repeat for the other sleeve.

Ideally, your pintuck should match at the sleeve underseams but I didn’t even try with this shifty fabric.

The cap of the Shay dress sleeves is shown gathered.

ATTACH THE SLEEVES TO THE ARMHOLE

With the right sides together, pin the sleeve to the armhole in the round. The gathers are centered at the cap, 2″ ( 5 cm) on either side of the shoulder seam. Sew the sleeve to the armhole. Finish the seam, remove any visible basting stitches, and press the seam towards the sleeve. The seam allowance at the cap will give the puff a bit of height.

SEW THE CUFF TIES

With the right sides together, fold the ties in half lengthwise. Reduce the stitch length to get a sharp corner. Stitch at 1/4″ (0.6 cm) around two sides, pivoting at the corner. Trim the seam allowance. Turn right side and press. Repeat for the remaining tie. Using a turning tool can be helpful. Alternatively, ribbons can be used for ties.

The stages of pinning, pressing and sewing the Shay dress sleeve cuff ties is shown.

SEW A FOLD GUIDE ON THE CUFF

Sew a fold guide on the bottom edge (without notches) of the cuff just under 3/8″ (1 cm). Press the bottom edge in 3/8″ (1 cm), wrong sides together.

A fold guide is shown pressed to the wrong side of the cuff.

SEW THE CUFF TIES TO THE CUFF

Flip the cuff with the right side up. Pin the open end of the cuff ties to the cuff side seams between the notches. Sew in place. Repeat for the other cuff.

Sleeve ties are sewn to the right side of the Shay sleeve cuff.

GATHER THE SLEEVE HEM

To prep the sleeve hem, change your stitch length to the longest possible length. Sew two parallel baste stitch lines and leave long ends to your threads.

The first line is 1/4″ (0.6 cm) away from the fabric edge.
The second line is 1/2″ (1.25 cm) away from the fabric edge.

Pull the bobbin threads to gather the sleeve hem.

SEW THE CUFF TO THE SLEEVE

With the cuff right side up, place the sleeve right side down. Line up the finished edge of the sleeve placket with the cuff notch, 3/8′ (1 cm) from the cut edge. Pin with the notch matching the under seam and distribute the gathers evenly. Sew the cuff in place.

Press the seam towards the cuff.

The Shay sleeve cuff is sewn and pressed.

SEW THE CUFF EDGES

Flip the cuff up so the right sides are touching. Pin the open edges, and make sure the cuff edge is folded up in place. Sew the cuff edges.

TOPSTITCH THE CUFF

Turn the cuff right side out, and use a point turner to smooth out the corners. Pin the cuff in place with the seam allowance turned under at the pressed line. Topstitch the cuff at 1/8″ (0.3 cm), catching the hem underneath. Make sure not to pull or twist while topstitching. Remove any visible basting stitches. Press and tie the bows.