LivingSoft Subscriber Newsletter | Volume 2
How Sleeve Caps Work
The length of the sleeve cap curve depends on 3 separate and independant
factors:
1. Cap width. Comes from bicep width plus ease, but can also vary somewhat based
on bicep position and width of the base of the sleeve.
2. Cap height. Starts out just under actual armhole height, but is allowed to be
reduced to armhole measurement. Actual armhole height varies by pattern type,
and based on armhole ease.
3. Armscye length plus cap ease. Armscye length can vary based on armhole depth
measurement, armhole design ease, user supplied armhole wear ease, actual back
armhole depth (varies by Side Length), shoulder width, bust width, bust ease,
across chest, and across back measurements. Whew. Long list. All of these can
make the length of the armscye curve vary. Once you have the actual front and
back armscye curve lengths, then we add cap ease to that.
Given these length, height, and width amounts, the program then drafts a sleeve
cap. Let's assume that there are some values that just work and a cap is
drafted. What happens now if that person's bicep measurement was wrong. They
entered 10" when the actual bicep circumference was really 15". So, correct that
wrong bicep measurement and we now must widen the base of the sleeve cap by 50%.
What happens? Well, either we just lowered the cap height a lot. Or, we made
that cap curve longer. A lot longer than the armscye curve now. That means we
actually added cap ease. Not that we meant to. It just happened because the cap
base got wider.
The same thing happens as any change is made that can effect cap width, height,
or length. Change any of those and the balance changes. You may or may not be
able to get the full list of height, width, and length (ease) settings that you
want.
Try it. It may work. But, if you subtract cap ease, watch the cap height. It may
get lower. You may not want that to happen. Or, if the cap is at it's lowest
allowed value, then the actual cap ease will just not change, regardless of what
you ask for.
It all has to balance, but it is very, very easy to come up with numbers that
cannot balance in exactly the way you expected. The sleeve cap will fit the
armscye. But, it may not have the ease amount you wanted. Or, it may not have
the cap height you wanted. If you're lucky, you get everything you ask for. If
you do not, then you just have to accept the fact that something had to
compromise. Knowing why can help you, but getting everything you want may not be
possible.
Here are a few of the less intuitive ways to get a taller sleeve cap:
1. Increase bust ease.
2. Reduce Across Chest or Across Back measurement
3. Add armhole depth ease
4. Reduce Side Length (makes back armscye taller)
5. Reduce bicep measurement or bicep ease
6. Increase High Bust measurement (armscye extends further outwards - longer
curve - more fabric under the arm).