How to Set In a Sleeve on a Crocheted 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 crocheted sweater. I’ll also share my picks for tools that make this task easy.

Preparing to Set in the Sleeve

For this sample, I’ve crocheted just enough to demonstrate setting in the sleeve—half the back and half the front, both starting just a couple of inches below the armhole, and the top of the sleeve, starting just a couple of inches before the cap shaping. I’ve steam blocked the pieces so they lay nice and flat.

Before you start setting in your sleeve, join the shoulder seams of your sweater. I’ve used slip stitch for all the seams in this demo, but you can certainly use mattress stitch if you prefer. If all the pieces of your sweater were crocheted 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 on a crocheted sweater — Everything you’ll need to set in your sleeve

In addition to your sweater pieces and yarn for seaming, you’ll need only two tools to set-in your sleeve: a crochet hook and something to temporarily hold the pieces together. I like wood crochet hooks from Knit Picks, but you’ll use whatever you used to make your sweater. 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 crocheted fabric.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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

1

Work with the wrong sides of your pieces facing you. Begin by folding the sleeve cap in half to find the center of the last row. Match this center point to the shoulder seam and clip in place (Photo 1).

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, join the pieces together, removing the clips as you come to them. I nearly always use the same yarn for seaming as I did to crochet 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 on a crocheted sweater — The finished shoulder

Don’t be intimidated by set-in sleeves. Take it one step at a time, line everything up before you begin joining the pieces, 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.

Crocheted Sweaters with Set-In Sleeves