How to add arm gussets for better stage movement. Have you ever worn a blouse and felt restricted when moving your arms around? Are you doing a theatrical stage performance or dance performance and need to be able to move your arms more? One solution is adding a gusset, a piece of fabric underneath the armpit that gives you the room to lift your arms up.
In this tutorial we’ll cover how to draft a gusset and how to sew it in. This is an intermediate tutorial and you should have basic experience setting a sleeve.
Pattern Drafting:
- Measure the Underarm Measurement: Sew-up your sleeve side seam, then measure the distance between the two notches, following the curve. Record this measurement. Most women pattern underarms are a little more than 4 inches.
Mine for example was 5 inches
- On your patterning paper, draw a line the length of the Underarm Measurement. Mark the center.
- Note your fabric stretch on the bias. If your fabric has zero stretch even on the bias, consider using a stretch fabric that matches your blouse fabric color to keep the gusset smaller.
- Determine Gusset Height: To determine your ideal Gusset Height, you may have to do some tests and mock-ups to find a size gusset that feels good to you and provides the mobility you desire.
- Zero stretch: a large gusset 3+ inches tall
- Average stretch: 2-3 inches (most fabrics fall here and this is a good range to start at. To determine the exact length, divide your Underarm Measurement by 2)
- Example: this cotton blouse gusset height is just under 2.5 inches
- Stretch fabrics: under 2 inches
- In the center of your Underarm Measurement, add a perpendicular line of your desired Gusset Height
- Connect the points to form a diamond
- Draw a gentle curve around the diamond creating a “football” shape
- Congrats! You have a gusset pattern! Don’t forget to add your desired seam allowance.
Attaching the Gusset:
- Cut out your gusset with the height aligned with the highest amount of stretch (usually on the bias)
- Mark the seam allowance on both points of your gusset
- Attach the gusset to the sleeve: Align the marked points with the notches on your sleeve.
- Sew the gusset along the underarm edge of the sleeve. As you sew, stop stitching at the marked point on your gusset.
- The sleeve and gusset are now a single piece.
- Attach the gusseted sleeve to the bodice:
This part is a little tricky to have a smooth transition on the gusset corners.
- Align the notches on the bodice with the notches on the sleeve.
- Align the gusset seam allowance with the blouse underarm seam seam allowance. Check to ensure the marked point on the gusset will align with your next seam allowance
- Finish pinning the rest of the sleeve to the bodice, and sew together
- Check to make sure no raw fabric edges, wrinkles, or holes were created at the corners of the gusset. If you spot any, redo the above steps
The arm gusset is now complete! Enjoy that improved mobility and wave those arms around!
