Just wanted to take a moment to answer a quick question regarding adjusting my belly dance sleeve pattern. “How do you expand the sleeve to make the bicep bigger?” In my experience, (and after making hundreds of pairs of these sleeves,) the quickest approach is to use a simple slash-and-spread technique.
Cut out the pattern piece you plan on altering. I recommend cutting just outside the black pattern line.
Draw a long line from the sleeve point to the middle of the upper edge. See the top diagram for the position.
Slash or cut along the dotted line in the upper image, to – but not through – the point at the end of the pattern. You want your two pattern pieces to remain stuck together at the point.
Spread the pattern open to the desired width and tape in place on supporting paper. I always use a scrap of the pattern paper.
How much should you spread? That really depends on how much your fabric stretches. My rule of thumb is to take your bicep measurement and subtract an inch. Spread the sleeve pattern to your your new length, bicep – 1″ and then tape the pieces down. It should look similar to the lower illustration. If you can, sew a test sample out of similar fabric.
Original Post about Belly Dance Sleeves.
I suppose I could have redrawn it more formally, I just noticed I didn’t even cross my T’s in the word “pattern.” If learning about fitting commercial patterns is on your agenda, I’m going to recommend investing in a good fitting book. There are many on the market today, but there are two that I have found useful to have in my sewing reference library.
Reference Books on Pattern Adjustments
Pattern Fitting by Nancy Zieman – Nancy Zieman has an entire line of sewing books, and I find this one pretty stinking good! Her methods are sound and her technique really works. She presents a way of thinking and problem solving that will really help you make your garments fit beautifully. It’s available as a book and in Kindle form.
Fast Fit: Easy Pattern Alterations for Every Figure by Sandra Betzina – Another iconic author in the sewing world, Sandra Betzina, has a slightly different approach to the same material. I really enjoy her writing voice, and her method is easy to understand and really works. Her title is available in hardcover and paperback.
These two books are my favorites, and they are both equally good. That said, you don’t need both! You only need one fitting reference book to have on hand so pick the one that is most appealing to you. While I included links above for your convenience, I always recommend shopping for sewing reference books at your favorite used bookstore. These have been on the market a long time and so finding them second hand is good for both the environment and your pocketbook!
Now I want to spend the rest of the day flipping through my sewing books. But no – time to hit the sewing machine and make some costumes!
Have a great day!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
November 6, 2017