Since your extremely helpful feedback was unanimously in favor of giving sleeves a try, I shook off the lazy impulse to go sleeveless and I'm very happy that I did!
The suggestions to use a tiny little bias cap sleeve were good ones, and I nearly cut some of those to try as well. But when I thought of using a little button in the pleated area of the sleeve, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
This sleeve is actually one of the options included with Simplicity 4171. I have made it twice before, so I knew it has a very cute shape as well as a good range of movement. What I also knew was that Simplicity's way of finishing the sleeve edge, a shaped facing, doesn't work very well. Despite following Simplicity's instructions to tack the facing to the sleeve allowances and the dart itself, my previous two dresses with this sleeve still give me a lot of trouble with the facing flipping out.
This time I made a full lining for the sleeve. Short sleeves should nearly always have a full lining. That's one lesson I've learned in this life.
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| Full length |
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| Back view. The center of the skirt is askew (darn it), but at least you can see the matching at the center back of the bodice. Also, the plaid from the sleeves to the back happened to match amazingly well. |
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| Showing off my matching at the side seams. The waist is actually a little bit big (not my usual phenomenon), which you can see at the belt here. Do you think I should take it in? |
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| Not yet hemmed, and I'm glad I took these pictures before embarking on that task. Obviously I need someone to help me mark this skirt before I hem it! |
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| It twirls! |
Thank you so very much for your input on the sleeves, and thank you for urging me to do the right thing! It really helped.
Next question: should I make a self belt and, if so, which direction should the plaid run? Or should I find a narrow black belt?