Sewing Definitions — stitches, seams, quilting and sewing terms from Apparel Search
The armscye is the armhole: the fabric edge to which the sleeve is sewn. Its length is the total length of that edge, and its width is the distance across the hole at its widest point. In older sewing texts the word was spelled “arm's eye,” which describes exactly what it is — the opening the arm passes through. Armscye size and shape decide how a sleeve sits, how freely the arm can move, and whether a set-in sleeve hangs smoothly or pulls, so pattern makers treat the armscye and the sleeve cap as a matched pair that must be drafted and fitted together.
In some older sewing texts (e.g. Gynametry by M. V. Coleman, published in 1887 by Byrd & Pattillo) the term was spelled "arm's eye".
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/seam_allowance). 7/4/09 Above article modified by Apparel Search |
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| Sewing Terms & Sewing Definitions |
Every sleeved garment begins with two shaped edges that must become one join: the armscye in the body of the garment and the cap at the top of the sleeve. The armscye is not a simple circle. Its curve is deeper and more scooped at the front, shallower at the back, and it drops below the shoulder point to give the arm room to move. When a pattern is drafted, the armscye is drawn from the shoulder point, around the front, under the arm and up the back, and its total length is then used to check the sleeve: the sleeve cap is normally slightly longer than the armscye, with the extra length eased in so the sleeve head has a rounded, three-dimensional shape over the shoulder.
That small amount of ease is one of the most misunderstood points in dressmaking. A sleeve cap that is exactly the same length as the armscye would sit flat and lifeless, while far too much ease produces puckers that no pressing can remove. Fitters therefore walk the sleeve into the armscye with pins, matching the notches that mark the front, back and shoulder point, before any stitching begins. The notches matter because the front and back armscye curves are not interchangeable: sewing a sleeve in backwards twists the hang of the whole sleeve.
Armscye depth is a fit decision. A high, close armscye, common in tailored jackets and well-fitted shirts, gives a clean shoulder line and, counter-intuitively, often allows freer arm movement, because the sleeve moves with the arm instead of dragging the garment body with it. A deep, low armscye, as in dropped-shoulder casual styles, feels roomy when the arms are down but pulls the whole garment upward when the arms are raised. Knitted garments add another variable, because the fabric itself stretches; research into knitted sleeves, such as Jenna Wilson's work on creating a set-in sleeve for a sleeveless body, explores how armscye size and shape change when the material can give.
In alteration and fitting, armscye problems show up as diagonal wrinkles pointing to the armhole, a sleeve that feels tight across the bicep, or a garment that lifts whenever the wearer reaches forward. The remedies are pattern remedies: reshaping the curve, adding or removing depth under the arm, or redrafting the sleeve cap to suit. Because the armscye edge is cut into the main garment pieces, changes are limited once fabric is cut, which is why careful measuring of both armscye length and width, and a toile or muslin fitting, come before cutting expensive cloth.
The word itself is a reminder that garment making was once learned from printed manuals. The 1887 spelling “arm's eye” appears in Gynametry by M. V. Coleman, and the modern single word armscye is simply that phrase worn smooth by use. However it is spelled, the meaning is unchanged: the measured, shaped opening where sleeve meets body, and one of the defining curves of any sleeved pattern.
An armscye is the armhole of a garment: the fabric edge to which the sleeve is sewn. Its length is the total length of that edge, and its width is the distance across the hole at the widest point.
The armscye and the sleeve cap must match in length and curve. A well-shaped armscye lets the sleeve hang smoothly and the arm move freely, while a poorly shaped one causes pulling, wrinkles or restricted movement.
In some older sewing texts, such as Gynametry by M. V. Coleman, published in 1887, the term was spelled “arm's eye.” The spelling reflects the idea of an eye, or opening, for the arm.