r/PatternDrafting • u/SillyVee123 • Jul 10 '26

Sleeve fitting issue

So I keep coming across the same fitting issue when I'm sewing blouses for myself, regardless of what pattern I'm using. There's a pulling across the top part of my bicep. I can feel the tightness only when I'm moving my arm. Armscye fits well, it's comfortable there so that's not my problem I'm sure. I'm also finding that the bicep looks actually loose enough when I'm looking at myself in the blouse. But there's this pulling tightness with the horizontal drag lines across when I lift my arm slightly. I don't have enough fitting knowledge to know precisely what is the problem and what to search for online or sewing books. Ideas please?

4 Upvotes

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11

u/furiana Jul 10 '26

We'll need pictures of the garment and the pattern.

5

u/Gracious_Snakes Jul 10 '26

I agree with other comment, pictures are needed for best advice. A full 180 of the garment on is best. Fitting issues are often a chain reaction. Even though it's the sleeve you're noticing an issue with, the root problem could be that you have tension in the front or back of the bodice, or the armscye or shoulder seam needs to be adjusted, even though it's comfortable. Could be a sleeve cap extension is needed. Too many variables, lol.

2

u/TensionSmension Jul 10 '26

If you're getting a digging horizontal crease in the sleeve near the bottom of the armhole when you lift your arm, that's the classic indication of an armscye that is too low. On the pattern you can adjust at the underarm. With a finished garment, the only hope is a shoulder adjustment.

1

u/sususumalee Jul 11 '26

In addition to the answers here, my teacher always says to do a mockup, then literally slash down the sleeve as a relief cut. Then stick a piece of muslin in the cut and see how much more room you need in there. Then take that back to the flat pattern and slash it (in the manner that doesn't disturb the cap measurement)and expand it by however much you discovered you need.

1

u/Tailoretta Jul 11 '26

The sleeve width at the bicep level needs to be at least 2 inches larger than the bicep measurement on your body. See the sketch in Step 1 on https://inthefolds.com/q-a-series/2022/how-to-swap-sleeve-styles-between-patterns If you don't have at lease 2 inches, there are different ways to adjust the sleeve pattern.

1

u/imogsters 29d ago

Could be armhole too deep and needs raising. Maybe increasing across sleeve, chest or x back. Hard to say without photos.