How to add a cuff to a gathered sleeve
Many of you have made Trillium with the added gathered sleeve mod (something that was originally part of the Washi Expansion Pack, and is now available as a free pattern piece download and tutorial via THIS POST).
When I recently made this Trillium dress, I added sleeves with extra width (+ 7” to the center of the pattern piece) and this time, I also added a cuff.
I did the same thing with this Ruby Top; I added the widened Trillium sleeve and added a cuff to the end (there is a tutorial on How to add a sleeve to Ruby, if you’re interested). In this case I made the cuff narrower and longer, so it fits more loosely.
This tutorial will show you how to add the cuff.
HOW TO ADD A CUFF TO A GATHERED SLEEVE
Step 1. Cut and prep your cuff pieces
Cut two rectangles for the cuffs. The heights should be 2 x [desired height + seam allowance]. For example: I wanted my cuffs to be 1.5” tall, and my seam allowance was 1/2” so I made them 4” tall. The widths should be [your mid-arm circumference + seam allowance + ease]. I made mine 13” wide.
Cut out two pieces of interfacing of the same size and fuse them to the backs of the cuff pieces. Press the cuffs in half lengthwise.
Sew the short ends of the cuff together and press seam allowance apart.
Step 2. Prepare the sleeve
Fold the cuff in half along the crease you pressed earlier.
Gather the end of the sleeve so that it is slightly smaller than the cuff. I used elastic thread to gather my sleeve ends, but you can use traditional methods to gather if you prefer.
Step 3. Attach cuff to sleeve
With the sleeve right-side out, pin or clip the folded cuff to the end of the sleeve. Adjust the gathers if necessary so the sleeve and cuff are the same size, then sew them together using the seam allowance you added to the cuff pieces. Flip the cuff downward and press, then remove the gathering stitches
PS. For a more elegant finish, you can attach just one edge of the cuff (unfold the cuff first), then fold under the other edge and stitch it to the inside. This technique is used in my Josephine pattern, and for the waistbands in Rose and Cleo patterns if you need more detail.
For more tutorials, check out my tutorial page.