How to Set In a Sleeve on a Knitted Sweater

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Set-in sleeves give any sweater a classic, tailored silhouette. But joining the shaped sleeve cap to the differently shaped armhole can be perplexing. Read on to learn the steps to set in a sleeve on a knitted sweater. I’ll also share my picks for tools that make this task easy.

Related: Sweater Shapes: Decoding Yokes

Preparing to Set in the Sleeve

Many knitters prefer to block the pieces of their sweater before sewing them together. I’ve blocked the pieces used for this demo so it’s easier for you to see the steps, but I usually sew the sweater together, then block it as a whole. Try it both ways and decide which works better for you.

Before you start setting in your sleeve, sew the shoulder seams of your sweater. If all the pieces of your sweater were knit flat, as shown in the photos, save the sewing of the side and sleeve seams for after the sleeves have been set in.

What Equipment Do You Need?

Materials to set in a sleeve — Everything you’ll need to set in your sleeve

In addition to your sweater pieces and yarn for sewing the seams, you’ll need only two tools to set-in your sleeve: a tapestry needle and something to temporarily hold the pieces together. I like the bent-tip tapestry needles from Clover. Instead of pins, I use Clover’s Mini Wonder Clips to hold my pieces in place. The Wonder Clips are precise, they hold securely, and there is no risk of stabbing my fingers or losing a pin in a bulky knit.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Setting in a sleeve, step by step — Setting in a sleeve, steps 1–4

1

Work with the right sides of your pieces facing you. Begin by folding the sleeve cap in half to find the center of the bound-off edge. Match this center point to the shoulder seam and clip in place (Photo 1). You’ll notice I haven’t woven in the yarn tails. After the sleeve is sewn in, I’ll bury the yarn tails in the seam.

2

Work on one side at a time. Starting with the initial bind-off at the underarm, match the shaped edge of the armhole to the corresponding shaping on the sleeve cap and clip the pieces together (Photo 2).

3

Fit the remainder of the curved edge of the sleeve cap to straight edge of the armhole. Then move to the other side and, working from the underarm bind-off to the shoulder, match the shaping and clip the pieces together (Photo 3).

4

Beginning at the underarm, use your tapestry needle to sew the pieces together with mattress stitch (Photo 4). I nearly always use the same yarn for seaming as I did to knit the sweater, as shown here. If the sweater was made with a super-bulky yarn, I might use a thinner yarn in a matching color to avoid adding bulk to the seams.

A finished set-in sleeve — The shoulder of my finished cardigan

Don’t be intimidated by set-in sleeves. Take it one step at a time, line everything up before you begin to sew, and you’ll be wearing your new favorite sweater in no time!

Do you have any tips for setting in sleeves? Share your advice in the comments!

Sandi Rosner is the technical content editor for all things yarn at Interweave. When she isn’t knitting, she usually has her nose in a book. You’ll find new technical content from Sandi nearly every week at www.interweave.com.

Practice Setting in Sleeves