by sewsummore
(Brisbane, AUSTRALIA)
When I sew a cuff to a gathered sleeve I gather the edge of the sleeve first and then make the cuff the same as if I was making a collar by sewing down the ends and then turning it through to the right side and pressing. I then sew it onto the gathered edge of the sleeve leaving the seam allowance for the sleeve to sit over the cuff. I then finish the raw edge of the cuff and sleeve bottom. I next sew in the sleeve of the garment in the normal way but stopping 1/4" from each end and stitch back 2 stitches so that the seam does not unravel at this point.. The next bit is a bit tricky but becomes easier with practice. Clip seam and trim sleeve cap to reduce bulk but leave the under sleeve section until later. Sew sleeve seam from cuff to the point where you stitched it into the sleeve and back stitch 2 stitches. Sew under arm seam, again to the point where the sleeves meet. By doing this the sleeve sits much better giving free movement when you are dressing the doll. Finish sleeve and bodice seams. I then sew the cuff together by hand from the wrong side using tiny top stitches. You can still line the sleeve using this method by repeating the same steps for the lining and sandwiching the cuff between the sleeve and lining.