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The sleeve Błock, Figs 20, 21 The medieval set-in sleeve was quite different from the modern one: the seam was normally at the back of the arm, and the sleeve fitted high under the arm to match the high armhole.

Drafting the sleeve on paper is morę reliable than trying to model it on the figurę. It is initially drawn (Fig 20) as if the sleeve is madę up, with a fold down the Front linę and the seam down the back. It is then 'opened up' by tracing it off down the Front linę to give the complete pattern (Fig 21). It is next tried out in calico together with the bodice Błock for any finał adjustment.

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Shoulder linę    SP

a. Distance x-y is about 5 cm. In this case, measure down from the Shoulder linę, using the distances in Table 1, to mark FP, BP and UP. Rule a guide linę from UP to BP.

20. Drafting the sleeve

The method applies for men and women. This sleeve was drafted for the young man's Błock (Fig 16) and is based on his measurements: Long arm length 69 cm; Armhole 53 cm; Sleeve head 54 cm; Top arm 32 cm; Wrist 19 cm.

You will require your Long arm, Wrist and Top arm measurements; also the Armhole measurement from your bodice Błock, which is needed to find the sleeve head length. You can then draft the Basic linę, the Wrist linę, the Shoulder linę and the Front linę. The Back Point (BP) position and the Back Seam linę will be fixed later.

Finding the sleeve head measurement

Carefully measure the total back and front armholes on the Błock, using a tape measure on edge.

Round up the total by from 0.5 cm to 1.4 cm to give a whole number: e.g. 46.2 cm rounds up to 47 cm; 62.6 cm rounds up to 64 cm. This is the sleeve head measurement.

Drawing the sleeve structure

On a large sheet of paper rule the Basic linę, equal to your Long arm length. Rule shorter lines at top and bottom at right angles; these are the Shoulder linę and Wrist linę.

On the Wrist linę, mark half your Wrist size, plus 0.5-1 cm ease, and centre it on the Basic linę. This gives a close-fitting sleeve needing a wrist opening: for a slip-on sleeve use half your Hand measurement instead of half the Wrist.

From SP mark a fifth of the sleeve head measurement to the right along the Shoulder linę. Join this point to the right end of the Wrist to give the Front linę.

To the left of SP mark a fifth of the sleeve head measurement plus 3 cm. Draw a vertical guide linę 15 cm long (20 cm for sleeve heads over 60 cm) down from here. Draw a linę parallel to the Shoulder linę from here to the Front linę.

From the Front linę, measure in half the Top arm size plus 2 cm. Mark x and measure the remaining distance to y. The distance x-y is normally 3-5 cm, but variations in x-y affect the sleeve head shape, as illustrated in b. and c.

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