To Wear the Heart on the Sleeve... ...or, I just wanted it done!

I then turned my attention to the sleeves. I pulled out my "Patterns of Fashion, 1560-1620" (Arnold, 1985) and looked at the existing sleeve patterns. Most had a gentle slope around the sleeve head, and I wanted to copy that. So, turning back to my technicians handbook, I followed the directions for the sleeve pattern. But it became apparent very quickly, I couldn't fudge this pattern at all. So, I guessed. I then cut up my sleeve block to give it that elbow curve you see in most period pattern books and Elizabethan portraits. I made a mock of this as well, as I knew the pattern would need work. I sewed it up, and tried it on Cassy. The pattern was good everywhere (better than I'd hoped) except the sleeve cap. It was much too extreme a curve for her little shoulders. I marked where the curve should be and measured how much I needed to add to the undercurve, and took it off. As it turns out, what I cut off the cap fit perfectly under the arm, so, I adjusted the paper pattern by cutting the top off the cap and taping it to the underside of the sleeve. The result? Just like I saw in Arnold's book, nice, gentle sloping sleeves.
**Yea me!**

After fussing with pattern placement on the fabric, I came to grips with the fact that the sleeves were not going to line up pattern wise. *sigh* Oh, well. I fixed that with trim placement.
You can't tell. Really.
The sleeves went together well, I was able to line them properly with the striped lining, and the trim I ended up using was the gold cording. I had to hand couch the cording on, but the buttons placed at the elbow, sleeve head, and wrist really made it worth it. It isn't fancy but with the gold loops and gold buttons, it looks fine. I had decided to lace the sleeves on. I created ladder-lace loops on the underside of the shoulder tabs and attached ribbons to the sleeves to attach them with. I tipped the ends with gold agilets. I am pleased with the results.

MOVING ON!

_