Swap Sleeves Between Sewing Patterns (Woven Fabrics Edit)

WHY PATTERN MASH?

One of the things I love about sewing for myself is the freedom to blend and mix my favourite designs. It's like painting a picture with fabric, and it's this personal touch that makes each creation so special.

It's this creative freedom that I strive to pass on through our sewing patterns.

I want you to feel empowered to explore, experiment, and express yourself through your sewing projects. It's about embracing your individuality and making each piece uniquely yours. 

So, I’ve pulled together a simple guide below, including tables that show exactly which sleeves you can swap — and when you might need to make a small adjustment.

Imagine the cropped bishop sleeve from the Meet You There Dress on a button-up like the All-In Shirt & Shirt Dress. So good.

Or perhaps you want the simplicity of the Smitten Jacket with the femininity of the Meet You There Dress cropped bishop sleeve.

And how gorgeous would the balloon sleeve from the Be Mine or the bubble sleeve from the Sweet Talker look on a shirt dress - the All In Shirt Dress or the Take The Chance Shirt Dress!! 

Love the idea of mashing 2 patterns together? Read on...

This guide outlines the sleeves that are interchangeable across patterns, providing you with a chart detailing which sleeves can be swapped and a simple guide for doing so.

MASHABLE SLEEVES - Table 1

The sleeves in Table 1 are interchangeable with each other. This means that you can mix the body of one pattern with the sleeves of another without altering the armhole or sleeve to mash these patterns.

Click on the pattern title below to view each pattern separately. 

MASHABLE SLEEVES - Table 2

The sleeves in Table 2 are interchangeable with each other. This means that you can mix the body of one pattern with the sleeves of another without altering the armhole or sleeve to mash these patterns.

To use sleeves from the Table 2 patterns with the body from Table 1 patterns, you’ll need to alter the armhole of the Table 1 pattern to match the sleeves. See the chart below.

Likewise, if you’re using the body from a Table 2 pattern with sleeves from Table 1, you’ll also need to adjust the armhole. See chart below.

Click on the pattern title below to view each pattern separately. 

ADJUSTING THE ARMHOLE

TRANSFERRING AN ARMHOLE FROM ONE PATTERN TO ANOTHER 

If your chosen patterns are from different tables, you’ll need to transfer the front & back armhole to match your sleeve.

For example, if you’re sewing the About Town Top (Table 1) with the Lyrical Puff Sleeve (Table 2), you’ll need to transfer the Lyrical armhole onto the About Town.

Method 1 - Lay the front patterns on top of each other, aligning centre front & waist. Trace the armhole from one pattern to the other. Repeat on the back. Note that Table 2 armholes will sit approximately 5mm (just under 1/4") inside the side seam of Table 1 patterns.

Method 2 - Because our patterns have different style lines (shoulder seams, back yokes, necklines, etc.), an easy way to do this is to join the pattern pieces first, then trace the armhole.

Here’s how:

1. Add seam allowance to your pattern pieces (1cm or 3/8" in most cases).
2. Join each pattern separately at the shoulder seams (and yoke, if needed).
3. Lay the patterns on top of each other.
   Align at the centre front (on button-up styles, use the inside centre front notch) and the waist.
4. Trace the armhole from the sleeve pattern (in our example, the Lyrical pattern) onto your base pattern.

Note: Table 2 armholes will sit approximately 5mm (just under 1/4") inside the side seam of Table 1 patterns.

Remember, you get a 10% automatic discount when you purchase 2 patterns together.

FAQ's

Q: Which sleeves can I add to the About Town Top? 
A: Any pattern listed above in Table 1. For example, All-In Shirt, Meet You There, Take The Chance, Smitten & Downtown. 

Q: Can I add the Lyrical Puff Sleeve to the Be Mine Top?
A: You can, but you'll need to alter the armhole of the Be Mine Top to suit the puff sleeve. See Table 2 above.

Q: Do I need to make any alternations to the armhole of the About Town Top if I add a different sleeve? 
A: Yes & no - depending on which table you select the sleeve from. Table 1 - no changes are needed to the pattern if you're adding a sleeve from Table 1. Just follow the sewing instructions in your base pattern (eg. the About Town in this case) and the sleeve instructions in the mashed pattern, including both constructing & inserting the sleeve, as sometimes this will differ based on the shape of the sleeve head. But if you add a sleeve from Table 2 to the About Town Top, yes you will need to adjust the armhole of the About Town armhole to match the sleeve pattern. 

Q: Can I add a plain short sleeve to the Lyrical Shirt? 
A: Yes, you can select a sleeve from Table 1 but you'll need to adjust the armhole of the Lyrical Shirt (so that it's the same as the armhole the sleeve is from) to suit this sleeve. 

Q: Which sleeves can I add to the All-In Shirt?
A: Any listed above in Table 1. No changes needed. For Table 2 sleeves, alter the armhole for these sleeves.

Q: Is that the same for all styles listed above in Table 1? 
A: Sure is. They are all interchangeable.

Q: What about the Sweet Talker Bubble Sleeve? Can I add that to any of the patterns in Table 1 above?
A: Whilst the Sweet Talker Bubble Sleeve Top isn't included in Table 1, it can still be used with these patterns. However, you will need to alter the armhole of each pattern above to fit the bubble sleeve. You will find the instructions for this in the Sweet Talker tutorial on page 46. 

Happy sewing!
Kate xx