Sewing: Faux Layered Sleeve Bateau (Tutorial)

I love the layered t-shirt look for Fall. Such a cute look on kids. My sister-in-law was talking about how a few long-sleeved shirts are going to stretch my nephew's summer t-shirt wardrobe through the Winter. Smart.

But I also love the layered t-shirt look accomplished by a child pulling only one shirt over her head. Easy. And no adjustments such as tugging at the underlayer to get it right.

Which brings me to the Faux Layered Sleeve Bateau. This is a short-sleeved version of my Bateau Neck Top with long sleeves attached. And there you have it. A whole other set of possibilities for your knit tops. I'm dying to do a dress like this!

I've got a tutorial to show you how to do this with The Bateau Neck Top pattern--but it would also work with another t-shirt pattern, or even a refashion! Click through for all the details.

The key to a making this faux layered sleeve look real is keeping the hem on the short sleeve portion free and finished as if it were just a short sleeved shirt. Here's how to do it using The Bateau Neck Top pattern and The Bateau Neck Dress pattern extension for the short sleeve.

You'll need to cut out the short sleeve pattern pieces as you would for the short-sleeved Bateau Neck Top (or whichever pattern you are using), and then cut out a modified version of the original Bateau Neck Top three-quarter length sleeve. (Note: if you'd like to make this a full length sleeve you can lengthen it a couple inches--do this mid-sleeve rather than at the hem.)

To modify the Bateau Neck Top sleeve pattern piece, lay the short sleeve on top of the longer sleeve, matching the fold line and the upper curve. Draw a line at the bottom of the short sleeve piece. 

Take away the short sleeve piece and draw another line 5/8" above the bottom of the short sleeve piece to create a seam allowance. (This line is in red above.)

Now cut or fold under the longer sleeve pattern piece at that upper (red) line, and cut two of the longer sleeve pattern piece on the fold.

You should have two short sleeve pieces and two long sleeve "extensions."

Now, with the right sides of the fabric together, pin the bottom/hem edge of the short sleeve to the top edge of the long sleeve extension. Ease the fabric as needed to fit the curves on these edges. Stitch these pieces together using a 1/8" seam allowance (or as close as you can get it). Zig zag or serge the seam allowance to finish.

Press this seam allowance toward the short sleeve portion.

Now for the fun part: on the wrong side of the fabric pinch .5" at the seam between these two sleeve pieces and lay the seam allowance over the short sleeve creating a .5" pleat all along the seam.

This pleat will form the hem on the short sleeve.

On the right side of the fabric topstitch the short sleeve "hem" in place .5" above the bottom of the pleat. If you are using a twin needle your stitches will ideally straddle the seam allowance on the wrong side of the fabric.

Press the "hem" on the short sleeve portion. As pictured above, you'll have .5" of hem hanging free over the longer sleeve extension.

Now you can continue sewing The Bateau Neck Top as described in the pattern and hem the longer sleeves after setting them into the shoulders.

And there it is: the Faux Layered Sleeve Bateau! I hope you do something fun with this.