Ivy Dress Puff Sleeve Hack

Make by TFS - Ivy Dress + Top

We used Ivy View A (which is the dress option) in size 10 for Steph. This version features a generous gathered full skirt, dropped waist, in-seam pockets, and a fully faced round neck. You can change up the neckline/collar options too if you wish!

To achieve this cute little elasticated puff sleeve we added extra volume into the sleeve pattern by using a common pattern adjusting method called 'slashing and spreading'. This handy method of slashing and spreading is a super useful technique to have in your skill kit! It's a pattern hack that can be applied to any basic sleeve shape to add fullness to a pattern. There are lots of great video tutorials out there, so if you are new to this method and want to give it a go, have a look at Seamwork and Isn't that Sew who have some great tips!

You can purchase the Ivy Dress + Top pattern here from our Online Store!

Adjusting Your Pattern

To create the puff sleeve we began with the Ivy Dress short sleeve pattern and added 6cm to lengthen it.

Next, we divided the sleeve into 8 equal sections parallel to the grainline, marking as vertical lines, and then cutting along the line from the hem to the edge of the sleeve head (making sure not to cut right through the top of the sleeve).

To add fullness we spread the sleeve sections apart- adding 7cm between each segment and secured them in place with tape.

It's best to add an even amount between these sections to achieve a smooth curve. It's also a good idea to experiment with the volume you add and make up a calico sleeve to test out the volume before cutting into your final fabric. It took us a few trials before we were happy with the added volume!

The next stage of this pattern-making process was to draw the hem of the sleeve by using the slashed segments as a guide- to create an even curved hem. We decided to add an extra 2cm in the centre of the sleeve to give it a little extra depth and a smooth graduated curve. But this is an optional step.

Lastly, we added a 1.5cm seam allowance to the bottom hem to create a casing for the 6mm wide elastic. Then we traced off the adjusted pattern onto pattern paper and then cut out our new puff sleeve pattern ready to sew!

To make up the Ivy Dress we constructed it in line with our Ivy Dress Sew Along and the only change to the sewing process was the new elasticated sleeve hem. To create this sleeve hem casing we pressed under the raw hem edge by 7mm and then folded by 8mm and edge-stitched-making sure to leave a small 1cm gap to thread the elastic through at the end. We threaded through this elastic using a small pin, securing the ends with a zig. We used approx 25cm of braided elastic for each sleeve.

Check out the Ivy dress Sew-Along here on our blog!

Pink Salt Hemp

We think the pairing of this sweet Ivy Dress variation with our Pink Salt Hemp is next-level dreamy and the perfect weight for this silhouette! We’ve been working on this Exclusive Organic Hemp range behind the scenes for quite some time, having partnered with our long-term linen supplier to perfect the handle and finish of this beautiful new certified organic fabric. Our Hemp is also certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 - a worldwide, independent testing and certification system for textile products at all processing levels.

This midweight Organic Hemp is in between our Vintage Finish Linen and our Heavyweight Linen at 170gsm in weight, and has a light bouncy handle. It’s also yarn-dyed, so features a delightfully flecked finish and softly granular texture. Not unlike linen, the beauty of hemp is that it grows softer and softer with wear and care!

Why choose Hemp?

— Hemp uses about 1/20th of the amount of water it takes to grow cotton and can often be rain-fed.

— Hemp can grow in almost all soil conditions, and unlike cotton (which depletes the soil of nutrients) hemp’s deep-reaching roots preserve the topsoil and subsoil.

— Hemp grows densely as well, leaving no room for weeds and competing plants and is less vulnerable to insects, which means little to no use of pesticides.

Where is it made?

Processing stages for fibre growing and harvesting, retting, scutching, spinning and weaving are all located in Hei Longjiang Province, Northern China. Dyeing is handled in Jiangsu Province, North of Shanghai. These factories are socially accredited by BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), ISO9001 and FLA (Fair Labor Association). They also carry environmental accreditations ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) and OEKO-TEX