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Sleeve and Gusset Tutorial for 107 Afghan Dress

May 21, 2025 1 Comment on Sleeve and Gusset Tutorial for 107 Afghan Dress

We had a question recently about the 107 Afghan Dress sleeve gusset. Along with many of our other folk patterns, the 107 Afghan Dress employs the use of an underarm gusset to provide the room under the arm for movement and shape. The underarm gusset shows up a lot in traditional clothing and patterns because the sleeve was cut as a rectangle (or close to rectangle shape) and would be attached to the body of the shirt/dress which was also a rectangle. The gusset provides room for the arm to move and shape the armhole. Modern shirts (and dresses) use a curved armhole to do the same thing. But traditional clothes were made from handwoven fabrics and to make the most use of the fabric without cutting curves into them, the gusset was much more practical.

The Afghan Dress can make use of many different fabrics for all the parts of the dress -- mix and match a variety of coordinating fabrics to get a really fun look. In this tutorial, I used a linen scrap for the upper and middle sleeve and the bodice, and a polk dot block print cotton for the cuff and the gusset. I made this just as a tutorial, not to make a dress, so you will only see a small portion of the construction in this post. If you want to learn more about the 107 Afghan Dress, check out the LEARN MORE section at the bottom of the pattern description: sizing up the Afghan Dress, and a customized dress.

Start with the Sleeve

Sew the sleeve pieces together, starting with the upper sleeve (C) to the middle sleeve (D). And then sew the cuff (E) to the middle sleeve (D). Make sure to match the numbered notches -- this will ensure that you are getting the pieces in the right direction and right order.

Top Photo: All sleeve pieces. Middle: Sleeve piece C to piece D. Bottom: Cuff E sewn to D.

Pleats on Upper Sleeve

Make pleats where indicated on the Upper Sleeve C. Snip a scant 1/4" (6mm) on short lines of pleats and fold on the lines and bring it to the small dots. I made the size large, so I only used 4 pleats (eliminating one of the pleats). Note that on the pattern, one pleat arrow is going the wrong way so just ignore that one and treat it like the others. Pin in place and baste to keep the pleats from shifting.

Gusset to Sleeve

I only used one layer of fabric for the gusset, but traditionally, you would cut two gusset pieces and layer them together with right sides together and treat them as one piece. With right sides together, match the right side of the Gusset (F) (both layers if you are using two gusset pieces) to the Upper Sleeve, matching the star on the gusset end with the star on the sleeve. Sew in place from the star to the edge of the fabric, backstitching at the star to secure. Try to keep stitches as accurate as possible, staying right in the middle of the star.

Sleeve and gusset piece.

Now, stitch the other side of the Gusset to the opposite side of the Upper Sleeve with right sides together. Fold the sleeve in half at the upper arm so underarm edges will be together. Match the stars on the Gusset with the star on the other side of the sleeve. Stitch from the star to the edge. Backstitch at the star to secure.

You can see that the gusset is now sewn to both sides of the sleeve at the underarm. The underarm seam is still not sewn, and that is what you do next. Sew from the star at the gusset to the cuff edge.

With right sides together, stitch the underarm seam of the sleeve from the star (at the gusset) to the end of the cuff. Backstitch at the star to secure. Press the seam open.

Now you can add the cuff lining. Since this was a demonstration of the gusset, I did not add a lining.

Sleeve with right sides together and underarm edges together at bottom.

Underarm seam sewn from gusset star to cuff end.

Sleeve to Bodice

I have the bodice for the size large cut out for the tutorial, but I do not have a lining, nor have I cut out the hole for the head (though it is marked). I also did not add the front waistband to the bodice. You will need to do all those things before putting the sleeve to the bodice, but this tutorial will show you how that is supposed to happen.

You will pin the sleeve to the outer layer of the bodice (if using a lining, just turn the lining out of the way). Be sure to have the right sides together (right side of sleeve to right side of bodice) and match notches 4 and 5 and match the dots. Pin all the way around the sleeve opening. If you need to adjust the pleats to fit, you can do so now. I did not have any issues with the pleats, so they stayed as they were basted.

Stitch the sleeve to the bodice, starting and stopping at the small dots. You will see in the photos below that I have a small dot on the bodice back, but not the bodice front (and that the sleeve/gusset overhang the front by about an inch). This is because I do not have the front waistband stitched to the front of the bodice. If it were there, it would match.

This is the sleeve next to the bodice -- showing how it will start matching to the bodice at the notches.

close up of sleeve being attached to the bodice

Matching dots and numbered notches (below you can see that the gusset goes past the front because the front waistband was not attached).

Sleeve is pinned to the bodice and ready to be sewn from dot to dot.

View of the sleeve and gusset attached to the bodice. This is looking at the front. You can see the gusset hangs over a little because the front waistband is not attached to the bodice. You can see the half circle at the top of the bodice where the hole for the head should be cut.

And that is all there is to making the gusset and sleeve, and attaching them to the bodice. Not hard at all, but not your typical modern construction technique!

What else do you want to learn about the 107 Afghan Dress?

1 Response

GiGi

June 03, 2025

Thank you for the detailed photo and descriptions.
I am wondering if a video recorded tutorial of this whole pattern might be available for us simpletons? Step 1, Step 2, etc

Thank you!

Sleeve and Gusset Tutorial for 107 Afghan Dress

1 Response

GiGi

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