This diagram represents the sleeve system. On the top square line from
the front base, or at 45 deg. from the back, the sleeve and the shoulder
should lap about 2, or as much as possible to form a nice curve toward
the front seam. A short top sleeve on the angles of 45 and 60 deg. will
draw both the front and the back seams out of shape. A top sleeve is
better too long at these points than too short, because the top sleeve
can easily be reduced, but if that lap is too short, the back and the
front seams will be drawn upward, and will be too long at the armhole,
while at the hand the sleeve is that much too short. Whenever the under
sleeve appears too long on either seam, it shows that the top sleeve
is too short. At 60 deg. the diagram shows 2¼, which may be taken as
the smallest portion to be given there, and may be made 2½. (See Dia.
II.) The armhole and sleeve should lap 1 to 2 seams on the front sleeve
base, and if the armhole is cut larger than the diagram, the sleeve must
follow, which, of course, must change the lap at 60 deg.
The armhole, as it is shown in Dia. VII, is for a close-fitting armhole,
but there is no law to prevent it from being cut further forward and
downward, providing the sleeve follows. (See description of sleeve as
shown in Dia. X.)
NOTE: Dia. II, II A and VIII B were made one year later and show the top
connections of sleeve and armhole in a different way, and they also show
the armhole larger all around. Stooping forms with prominent shoulder
blades require their armholes still further forward, but I have never
found a stooping form who required his armholes more than ⅝ in front of
45 deg., and such forms should have the back that much wider. The armhole
⅜ back of 45 deg. for the arms thrown back and ⅝ in front of 45 deg. for
the arms thrown forward may be considered the limit for both extremes.
[Illustration: _Dia. 7._]