inside: This tutorial will show you how to create and sew a sleeve flounce. You can add a flounce sleeve to the end of any sleeve or add it to a pattern you already have.
I purchased this fun unicorn Christmas fabric a few months ago with the intention of making my daughter a fun Christmas dress. I wasn’t sure what kind of dress to make, but since the fabric is more casual {french terry} the dress needed to be adorable and comfy. Here’s what I came up with and my daughter LOVES it so much!
How to sew a Sleeve Flounce –
Can you tell by her smile how much she loves this dress? She just keeps saying how much she loves the sleeves… I love when I sew something she loves. She is wearing it to school once a week and loving it, this dress is just what I hoped, a combination of fancy and comfy.
This tutorial will show you how to measure, create and sew a sleeve flounce on a shirt or dress pattern. {you could also add a flounce to a shirt that’s already made!}
In addition to adding the flounces to the sleeves, I also added a ruffle to the bottom of the dress and the result is a perfect combination of beautiful playwear and Christmas dress.
I used the free sew simple dress pattern from my shop, but here are some other dress patterns you may want to use.
Create your own Sleeve Flounce
Creating flounces on these sleeves was really easy and I’m going to show you how I did it.
When cutting out your shirt or dress you will cut all the pieces as normal except for the sleeves. Cut the sleeves 3 inches shorter than normal {This is for a 5″ flouce} if you want a shorter flounce, add more length to the sleeve.
After the sleeve is cut, measure the bottom edge and then subtract the seam allowance. The width of this was 6.4″ with the seam allowance subtracted. Divide your number by 6.28 {trust me!} to get the inner measurement of your flounce. My answer was 1…
Double fold a piece of fabric, you won’t need a huge piece for this. At the double fold corner, measure 1″ in several places and mark.
Cut this corner out.
From the inner cut out, mark the length of your flounce. {mine is 5″} measure and cut again.
After you have sewed the seam of the sleeve you will pin the flounce to the end with right sides of the fabric together. If yours is knit {stretch} fabric like mine you will need to use a serger or stretch stitch.
Here is the flounce on the end of the sleeve. I finished mine with a rolled hem. {need help with serger stiches? check out my class}
My finished sleeve. So excited with how it turned out.
Karon Schandel says
When you do a rolled edge on knit this or even cotton in your upper looper put woolly nylon it will cover edge perfectly and lovely filled if you want a little ruffle effect stretch it as you see . Thank you for all your lovely patterns
Kaltoum says
How do you add the ruffle at the bottom ?
Pamela says
In your video the instructions say width x 6.28 for the inner measurement but your written instructions say width / 6.28. Can you please confirm?
Emily says
divide is the real answer!
taylor swift 2048 says
Christmas is coming! Have a good day
David William says
I really love blog and this blog pictures are so clear it’s a lady and creative mind skill nice blog thanks keep doing more creative blog thanks for sharing.
hotmail says
I can create a flounce sleeve to the end of my mother fancy dress sleeve its just amazing and creativity look. my mother to be happy on my work thank for sharing this article. keep doing more much better idea’s for shared
Jan says
My first thought was to make a flannel night gown. How cute would that be. Then if it’s longer she can grow and still wear it. It can be knit or flannel correct? Or should I upsize it if flannel.