Billie Sweatshirt with Balloon Sleeves

My last make of 2020 was the Billie sweatshirt from Tilly and the Buttons.  Just before this pattern was released, it was “teased” with images of wonderful balloon sleeves and I do love a statement sleeve so I was very much looking forward to the launch.  But when the full garment was released and it was a sweatshirt I was a little disappointed, particularly about the dress version, so I didn’t buy it.  But I followed the hashtag for the pattern and saw many great examples of this top, so in the end just before Christmas I went for it, and ordered the pattern.

During the period between Christmas and New Year I did some slow sewing on this make, I did a little bit each day but not a full “sew day”, but because it is a nice simple make it came together quickly.  I used some pale green French terry that I got for my birthday in the summer, so not full sweatshirt weight fabric but thicker than your average tee.  And of course, I decided to go for the balloon sleeve option.

I have made the Somerset tee which has a gathered bishop sleeve and the recommended gathering method on that pattern was to use shirring elastic.  I had some difficulty with that process, and ended up using my vintage sewing machine to do it, and the end result looks great.  The method for the Billie sweatshirt, which has gathering at the sleeve head as well as the cuff, is the more traditional method using rows of straight stitch which are gathered by pulling the top threads.  I have to say, I preferred this method and actually with the Billie the gathers are so tight I don’t think shirring elastic would be sufficient.  In fact I think that next time I make the Somerset I shall just use this method of gathering instead of shirring.

Anyway, back to the Billie.  Sleeves all gathered up nicely, and the garment fully assembled, I popped it on to see how it looked.  And it looked … ok.  But I did not feel good in it.  Those sleeves are properly huge; I felt like an American football player, all shoulders.  My 10 year old son took one look at it and said he hated it.  My husband, who often teases me about my ridiculous sleeves on both me made and RTW clothes, was a bit gobsmacked by these sleeves.  I was not a fan.  So I walked away from the garment, slept on it and thought about what I could do to improve it.

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The Billie with balloon sleeves. I don’t mind the image on the right, but when I move my arms around you can see just how much fabric there is.

The next morning I went out in the garden and took some photos of it.  With a pair of jeans and some make up on, it does not look so bad, and in fact I think in some of the photos it looks pretty good.  But I didn’t feel comfortable in it, and if I don’t feel comfortable in it I know I won’t wear it, so something had to be done.

I unpicked the cuffs (wishing fervently that I had tried it on before I overlocked the edges!).  There wasn’t a lot I could do with the gathering at the sleeve head without unpicking the side seams and the sleeves themselves, all of which was overlocked, and I wasn’t keen on tackling that huge task on a top which might yet be a write off, so I decided to try just reducing the width of the sleeve down to the cuff.  If I still didn’t like it after that, I would unpick the whole thing, recut the sleeve using the standard sleeve pattern piece and reassemble.  So I got to it, gradually reducing the width of the sleeve, trying it on, then deciding it was not enough and taking more out.  By the time I had finished, and sewn the cuffs back on, the sleeves were significantly smaller.  

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This is after I reduced the sleeves, looks like more of a sweatshirt now I think.

The reaction at home was better, my son was still not taken by it, but Mr Minigems agreed it looked rather more sensible than it did before.  So I headed back out to the garden to take some more photos.  And I have to say, that it felt better on.

Looking at these photos though, perhaps some of the drama has gone from these sleeves, but the thing is, it is a sweatshirt.  It is meant to be a comfortable garment, and I just did not feel right with all that fabric in the sleeves.  Perhaps in a more drapey fabric it would work better?

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Before and After

Before and After with a fancy slidey thing

At this stage, I am not sure my Billie pattern is going to see a repeat make.  If I want a top with a nice statement sleeve I think the Somerset tee would be my go to pattern rather than Billie.  If I want a comfy sweatshirt for everyday wear I have the option of a Stella hoodie with a neckband, or my old favourite the Coco.  I am never going to wear a shapeless sweatshirt dress, that is not my cup of tea at all.  But I shall wear this revised version of the Billie top, as sometimes garments grow on me when I wear them.  And it might be good for a bit of interest on the work video calls of 2021 with that fancy sleeve head.

Just putting this here for comparison – the Somerset with bishop’s sleeve was a rather more subtle statement than the Billie’s balloons!

So, what do you think?  Does it look better before I reduced the sleeve?  Was it the wrong fabric choice?  Have you made Billie with balloon sleeves more successfully than me?  

Happy new year everyone!

Gemma x