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Tutorial: Adapt a basic sleeve pattern to create different sleeve styles

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The series on drafting patterns for kids’ clothes at ikat bag continues!  In this installment, Jen from My Measuring Tape shows how to adapt a basic sleeve block for other styles.  Once you have the basic sleeve block, a few simple changes can turn it into a roll up sleeve, a gathered sleeve, puff sleeve, a puff-top sleeve, a puff-bottom sleeve, or a bell sleeve.  And yes, she shows how to adapt the basic sleeve pattern to make every single one of those styles!  Go to the tutorial.

[photo from ikat bag]

[tags]sewing, tutorial, basic, sleeve, block, pattern, draft, sloper, bell, puff, gathered, roll[/tags]

Comments

  2. i would like to follow ur blog regularly as i am very crazy about sewing and want to learn more about drafting.

  3. Hi Jen,
    Your tutorial is really very informative. The diagrams explain the process very clearly. However, as I am new to sewing, I am facing a few problems. It would be great if you could help me out.
    I tried making a bell sleeve. I took a basic sleeve pattern and slashed and rotated as illustrated, but the cap side curve changed drastically. Instead of just becoming angular that could be just smoothened out, mine had a dent in the centre (at the point that is joined to the shoulder seem). It would not acquire the normal shape without being extended by an inch at the centre top (though I did not extend at the top).
    Secondly, when I stitched everything together, although there was a bell shape, the fold was falling only at the centre. The side folds are falling only when I take all the ease and create a pleate at the required places.
    Please tell me where I am going wrong. Looking forward to your response.
    Nidhi.

  4. I read your tutorial regarding making puff sleeves from a plain sleeve pattern. Does that work in reverse? When I reverse it do I have to take fabric from the sleeve cap(i see you’ve added fabric to make the puff)? Thanks very much for this terrific information.

Have you read?

How to Price Handmade Christmas Items (Without Underselling During the Holidays)

Christmas selling brings out a very specific kind of panic — even in confident sewists.

Suddenly, there’s pressure to be festive, affordable, competitive, and profitable all at the same time. You start second-guessing prices, comparing yourself to everyone else, and wondering whether you should “just lower it a bit” because it’s Christmas.

But here’s the truth most beginner sellers don’t realise until it’s too late: Christmas is the worst time to undervalue your work.

Let’s talk about how to price handmade Christmas items realistically, confidently, and in a way that keeps selling joyful — not exhausting.

Why Christmas Pricing Feels So Hard

Christmas creates urgency — for both sellers and buyers.

As a seller, you’re dealing with:

  • Tight deadlines

  • Increased demand

  • Rising material costs

  • Time pressure

  • Emotional expectations around gifting

As a buyer, people are:

  • Purchasing out of necessity

  • Short on time

  • Looking for meaningful gifts

  • Willing to pay more for convenience

That’s not a reason to lower prices — it’s often a reason to raise them slightly.

Handmade Christmas Items Aren’t “Extras” — They’re Solutions

One mindset shift makes all the difference during the holidays.

You’re not selling decorations or crafts.
 You’re selling finished gifts.

Handmade Christmas items solve real problems:

  • “I don’t know what to buy them”

  • “I’ve left it too late”

  • “I want something meaningful”

  • “I don’t have time to make it myself”

When you price from this perspective, confidence comes much easier.

Why Underselling at Christmas Backfires Fast

Lowering prices at Christmas feels generous — but it creates problems quickly.

Underselling leads to:

  • Longer hours at the busiest time of year

  • Burnout before Christmas even arrives

  • Resentment toward orders

  • Less time for your own family and traditions

If your prices don’t protect your time in December, they’re too low.

Start With the Real Holiday Costs (Not Just Fabric)

Christmas pricing needs to include more than usual.

In addition to materials and time, consider:

  • Extra packaging

  • Gift wrapping

  • Labels and tags

  • Market stall decorations

  • Travel and setup time

  • Rush orders

Holiday selling costs more. Your prices should reflect that reality.

A Simple Christmas Pricing Formula That Works

You don’t need a complicated system.

Use this as a baseline:

Materials + (Hourly rate × Time) + Holiday costs = Christmas price

Holiday costs might only add a small amount per item — but they matter.

Even a modest increase protects your energy and sanity.

Why “Small, Giftable” Items Can Still Be Priced Well

There’s a myth that Christmas items have to be cheap because they’re small.

In reality, small handmade items sell because they’re:

  • Easy to gift

  • Affordable luxuries

  • Stocking fillers

  • Thoughtful add-ons

Pricing them too low often signals “throwaway” instead of “special.”

A well-priced small item feels intentional — not cheap.

Comparing Christmas Prices Without Spiralling

It’s tempting to scroll Etsy or wander markets and panic over prices.

Instead of asking:
 “Why are they cheaper than me?”

Ask:

  • Are they mass-producing?

  • Are they selling at wholesale margins?

  • Are they undervaluing themselves?

You don’t need to match the lowest price to make sales — especially at Christmas.

Christmas Buyers Aren’t the Same as Everyday Buyers

This is important.

Holiday buyers:

  • Expect higher prices

  • Value speed and readiness

  • Want gifts, not projects

  • Care less about bargain hunting

Trying to price like it’s March instead of December is a common mistake.

When to Raise Prices (Yes, Even During Christmas)

If you’re:

  • Selling out quickly

  • Struggling to keep up

  • Working late into the night

Those are signs your prices may be too low.

Raising prices slightly can actually slow demand to a manageable level — and increase profit at the same time.

Protecting Your Time Is Part of Pricing

Christmas is already busy.

Your pricing should:

  • Limit over-ordering

  • Respect cut-off dates

  • Prevent rush pressure

  • Allow you to enjoy the season too

A price that protects your time is a healthy price.

The Confidence Shift That Makes Christmas Selling Work

Instead of asking:
 “Is this too expensive for Christmas?”

Ask:
 “Does this price allow me to make this item with care, on time, and without stress?”

If the answer is yes, you’re pricing correctly.

Handmade Christmas items don’t need to be cheap to be desirable. They need to be well made, thoughtfully presented, and fairly priced.

And the sellers who respect their time during the holidays are the ones who enjoy selling — year after year.

Book Review – Sewing to Sell – The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Craft Business