With our free interactive tutorial, you’ll be guided step by step through drafting a custom set-in sleeve that fits your body and bodice measurements. No maths or drafting experience needed. Once your basic sleeve pattern is ready, you can customise it into gathered, pleated, flounced, or puffed sleeve styles with confidence.
How the interactive tutorial works in 3 easy steps
1. Fill in your measurements
Easily input your body measurements, as shown in the illustrations and get a custom no-math pattern drafting tutorial.
2. Get a personalised tutorial
Click “Design tutorial” to receive a personalised pattern drafting guide with computed values for each step.
3. Download instantly without waiting
Download your customised PDF tutorial instantly onto your phone or computer.
What’s included after you complete the interactive tutorial
Online tutorial
FREE
✓ Step-by-step illustrations
✓ Custom-fit drafting dimensions
✓ Formulas for calculated values
PDF tutorial
$2.99
✓ Step-by-step drafting illustrations
✓ Custom-fit drafting dimensions
✓ Formulas for calculated values
✓ Your measurements overview
✓ Approximate fabric consumption
What is a basic sleeve?
The basic set-in sleeve pattern is one of the most important sewing patterns for dressmaking. You may add pleats, folds, flounces, or gathers to the sleeve and create endless variations of an otherwise very simple and basic design.
This tutorial is designed for a basic, long set-in sleeve and woven fabric.
This page contains:
- Anatomy of the set-in sleeve pattern
- How to distinguish the FRONT and BACK sleeve pattern parts
- Tools you need to draft the pattern
- Taking body measurements
- Basic set-in sleeve pattern custom interactive tutorial
- Step-by-step instructions on drafting the sleeve pattern
- Conclusion
Anatomy of the set-in sleeve pattern
The image below describes the individual parts of the sleeve pattern, which are: the sleeve cap, cap height, side seams, underarm, overarm parts, and sleeve hem (wrist for a long sleeve). The sleeve cap might be also referred to as the sleeve head or sleeve crown. I will use the term “sleeve cap” as it is more common than the other ones :).
The FRONT and BACK sides of the sleeve pattern are NOT reversible. Keep this in mind when tracking the pattern onto the fabric.
The shape of the sleeve cap
As you can see in the image below, the sleeve cap has a different shape at the FRONT and the BACK part of the pattern. At the FRONT, both the over-arm and under-arm curves are more prominent (or curved) than the ones at the BACK. This is due to the anatomy of the shoulder (I mean the actual shoulder 🙂 and the function of the arm. So, let’s just briefly dive into it.
The prominent FRONT underarm cap: you need more space at the FRONT underarm, to be able to reach forward. You do not and also cannot reach in the same way backward.
The prominent FRONT overarm cap: the sleeve has to accommodate the prominent bone of the shoulder at your front in contrast with the back where the shoulder blade is flat and shallow.
That being said, you may come across many various tutorials on drafting the set-in sleeve. However, all have one in common: the different shapes of the FRONT and BACK sleeve caps.
How to identify the FRONT and BACK if it is not labeled?
Just fold the pattern in half along the centre line and compare the curves of the sleeve cap and determine the FRONT and BACK (see the image below).
Tools you need to draft the pattern block
To draft the basic set-in sleeve pattern you will need the following:
- the bodice you are drafting the sleeve for *
- large sheet of paper or tissue paper
- long ruler
- French curve
- pencil
- Sharpie (thin marker)
* Either prepare the bodice pattern or the actual garment you are drafting the set-in sleeve for. Make sure the bodice is not designed as a sleeveless one. Follow my tutorial, If you wish to draft your very own basic bodice pattern based on your body measurements.
In the images in this tutorial, some of the lines are grey and some are black. I recommend drawing the grey lines with a pencil. These lines are mainly guidelines that are supposed to help you with positioning individual parts of the pattern. The black lines are the ones of the sleeve pattern itself. Use a Sharpie (thin marker) to draw them.
Taking body measurements
Take measurements of your arm and bodice according to the illustrations below. While doing so, make sure your tape measure is neither too tight nor too loose.
As you measure, you can enter the arm measured values into the interactive tutorial below. If you do so, the taken measurements and calculated measurements for the pattern pieces will be included in the step-by-step tutorial below.
Biceps and wrist measurements are used as references to check the fit of your drafted sleeve. The sleeve width at the biceps line depends on the armhole length and cap height. Comparing it to your biceps circumference helps you determine the ease included. Similarly, the wrist measurement helps you evaluate whether the sleeve opening is sufficient.
Basic set-in sleeve block pattern: interactive tutorial
Need more time to gather your measurements? Download this sleeve measurements cheat sheet — a one-page, print-ready PDF with clear illustrations. Fill it out at your own pace, then return to enter your measurements into the interactive tutorial below.
The cap height highlighted in the form below is estimated on your FRONT and BACK armscye measurements and serves as an approximate reference. You can also enter your measured cap height.
Bodice FRONT armscye length
Bodice BACK armscye length
Cap height
Arm length
Upper arm circumference
Wrist circumference
Seam and hem allowance
We do not store, nor share any data you put into the form above.
How to draft the basic sleeve pattern step-by-step
On the prepared sheet of paper draw a long vertical line.
At the top of the paper, draw a small marking called shoulder. At the bottom mark the wrist. The distance between the two is your measured arm/sleeve length.
a = measured arm length
Draw a marking for the upper arm line – this is the cap height, you have measured as the distance from the tip of your shoulder to the armpit line. The “cap height estimate” formula below shows how this value can be calculated.
b = cap height
—————-
cap height estimate = (bodice FRONT armscye + bodice BACK armscye) / 3
bodice FRONT armscye =
bodice BACK armscye =
Draw the upper arm (biceps) line and the wrist (hem) line.
On the upper arm line, mark the underarm seams. The distance between the shoulder and the underarm marking is calculated according to the following formula:
c = (bodice FRONT armscye + bodice BACK armscye)/2
d = (bodice FRONT armscye + bodice BACK armscye)/2
————
bodice FRONT armscye =
bodice BACK armscye =
Connect the shoulder and underarm seam markings. These two diagonal lines are the base for drawing the basic set-in sleeve cap.
Now, measure the distance between the two underarm seams. It should be larger, than the circumference of your biceps.
Divide both diagonal lines you have drawn in the previous step into quarters. Each quarter has the same length (in this tutorial labeled as e). Mark A, B, C, D, E and F.
e = (diagonal line length)/4
————
diagonal line length =
From the diagonal lines, square out* short lines towards the outside or inside of the diagonal lines. You will use them to draw the sleeve cap.
Use the following measurements:
A (inside): 1 cm (3/8″)
B (outside): 0,5 cm (1/4″)
C (outside): 1,5 cm (5/8″)
D (outside): 1,8 cm (3/4″)
E (outside): 0,8 cm (5/16″)
F (inside): 1,3 cm (1/2″)
* To square out the small lines means to draw them at a right angle (perpendicular) to the diagonal line.
Using a French curve, draw the shaped sleeve cap by passing the tips of the short lines. Make sure not to cross the short lines. It may take a minute or two to find the proper portion and position of the French curve, so be patient :).
On the wrist line, mark the underarm seam.
f =
sleeve width/2 – 2”
g =
sleeve width/2 – 2”
————
f =
sleeve width/2 – 5 cm
g =
sleeve width/2 – 5 cm
Using a long ruler, draw the wrist and underarm seams.
On the BACK part of the sleeve cap, mark the length of the bodice BACK armscye. On the FRONT of the cap, mark the bodice FRONT armscye length.
To do so: use a tape measure, measure the bodice armscyes, and transfer the measurements. Alternatively, you can walk the bodice pattern along the sleeve pattern.
h = bodice BACK armscye length
i = bodice FRONT armscye length
————
bodice FRONT armscye =
bodice BACK armscye =
Measure the distance between the armscye markings. This distance is the ease of the sleeve cap.
In the middle of the measured sleeve cap ease, mark the CENTRE notch. This notch may not be aligned with the central vertical line you have drawn at the beginning. This does NOT mean, that you have drafted the sleeve incorrectly.
On the sleeve cap at the BACK, mark 1/3 of the bodice BACK armscye length. Drawing two short lines, you will mark the BACK notch for the sleeve.
On the sleeve cap at the FRONT, mark 1/3 of the bodice FRONT armscye length. Drawing one short line, you will mark the FRONT notch for the sleeve.
j = (bodice BACK armscye length)/3
k = (bodice FRONT armscye length)/3
————
bodice FRONT armscye =
bodice BACK armscye =
The sleeve pattern is finished. Now, you can sew and test it with the bodice.
Approximate fabric consumption
In the image below you can see the approximate fabric consumption for the basic sewing sloper. Scroll down to follow the individual pattern drafting steps.
How to use the pattern?
Sew it and test with the bodice you drafted the pattern for and see how it fits. Apart from using the pattern you have drafted in this tutorial, you can further modify it to make other types of sleeves and sleeve designs.
A great book for every beginner. Learn the basics to modify a basic bodice, circle skirts, pencil skirt, or sleeve slopers to create your fashion designs. To learn more, read my review of Make Your Own Dress Patterns.
A comprehensive book for both beginner and advanced sewers and fashion designers, that contains tutorials on creating all the basic pattern blocks. Plus about 800 pages of interesting fashion design ideas.
Conclusion:
As you can see, drafting the pattern is not as complicated as it might look at first sight. Now, that you have succeeded in making your basic block, you are free to create any other design you like.