Rickey Jacket Sew Along Part 6: Sleeves, Shoulder Pads and Sleeve Heads

26)  With right sides together, sew the top sleeve to the undersleeve on each side. Repeat for opposite side.

27) To help to set sleeves into armholes, you will need to control the ease. 

stitch 2 parallel basting rows on the top of the sleeve cap. Make sure you do not back stitch. 

On the right side of the sleeve cap start pulling the top layers of thread to create the gathers. 

Distribute the sleeve cap gathers across the cap, so it is not bunched all in one area. Pull from the opposite side as well, distributing in the same way. 

Distribute the gathers throughout the sleeve cap so there are no tucks. Shape the cap with your fingertips so it has a roundness to the cap. 

You may find that you made the cap too small with this, but then just slide some of the gathers out the opposite direction to make the cap bigger. 

Setting the Sleeve

Align the sleeve notches to the body notches and you can pin and/or baste in place. Be sure to spend the extra time distributing the fullness evenly as you only have one shot at setting in the sleeve (but no pressure!).

Sleeve Heads

33) Align the sleeve head edge around the armhole on the inside of the sleeve cap. The center of the sleeve head should be centered over the armhole stitch line, which is already in place. Baste in place or stitch very close to the armhole seam, but ensure it is on the seam allowance side so this stitch will not distort the armhole. 

When sleeve is right side out sleeve head will be folded in on itself, and will round out the sleeve cap. Repeat for opposite side.

Shoulder Pads:

34) Turn the jacket inside out. Take your shoulder pad and flip it so the concave side is facing up. Align the center with the shoulder seam and extend just short of the sleeve cap seam allowance edge.

Tack to the armhole at the top sleeve cap seam, the endpoint near the neck and shoulder pad endpoint on both the front and back armhole. Allow some ease/looseness in your tacking so it does not pull or distort the armhole. 

Turn the jacket right side out and check the shape.