How to Draft a Self-Faced Cap Sleeve Pattern?

Today, we will see how to draft a self-faced cap sleeve.

A cap sleeve is a short sleeve style that covers only the shoulder and a small part of the upper arm, providing minimal coverage. It typically creates a feminine silhouette and is often seen in tops and dresses.

We will draft the cap sleeve using the basic sleeve pattern. 

I have posted a detailed tutorial on how to draft a basic long sleeve pattern here.

We need to make small changes to the cap part of the sleeve to get the cap sleeve pattern.

The cap sleeve we are going to draft is not joined at the side seams. It ends halfway on the armhole.

You will need these measurements to draft the sleeve:

1. The length you prefer for the cap sleeve (Usually lesser than the cap height.)

Pattern Draft:

ACB is the biceps line in the basic sleeve draft.

C is the midpoint of AB.

Mark D 1 to 1.5 inches from C.

Draw a the line FDE parallel to the biceps line ACB.

You can also mark D from the center notch of the sleeve F such that FD is the length of the sleeve you prefer.

Now, we will cut out the FDEG part from this draft, and this is going to be our cap sleeve pattern.

This pattern is cut from a folded fabric like this:

The fold at the bottom is the hemline of the sleeve. The upper curve is the sleeve cap that is to be joined to the bodice armhole. When we open the folded fabric it will be like this:

The cap sleeve pattern below the fold will be used for facing. Thus we have a self-faced cap sleeve.

Please check the dress with gathered skirt and inseam pocket tutorial where I have shown how to use the basic bodice block draft discussed earlier and the cap sleeve pattern draft discussed in this post.

I have posted lots of free PDF printable sewing patterns on this page on my blog. Browse through this page to find the patterns you are looking for. You can download and use them to make your own clothes.

You can also click the Free Sewing Patterns Page at the top of this blog page (under the blog title) to find more free sewing patterns.

Click the below links to browse through all the pattern drafting and sewing tutorials on my blog.

pattern drafting tutorials 

sewing tutorials 

Happy sewing

---Flora