Thumbhole cuffs are so easy to sew and a great addition to any long sleeve top for kids or adults! They are especially useful for warming tiny and big hands that tend to lose mittens (not naming any names here, but I am not sure I have any a pair of matching mittens) and for sun protection. 

You can use our Sun Hoodie PDF sewing pattern or you can use any long sleeve top with cuffs sewing pattern and make some slight adjustments. To adjust the cuff you will just want to add length to the existing cuff of the pattern. Typically, long sleeve tops will hit right around your wrist, so you will want to measure the length from your wrist to your knuckles. If that length is two inches than you will want to add four inches to the current cuff from your sewing patterns plus seam allowance since the cuff is folded in half. 

Marking out the Thumbhole Cuffs

First, it’s crucial to mark your cuffs correctly to better keep track of each step.

We will be working with one cuff at a time. After completing all of the steps for the first cuff you will repeat them with the other cuff.

You'll want to create four lines on each each cuff.  We will mark the 2 outer lines green and 2 inner lines purple. Any washable marker will do. You can also use any colors you have on hand but the purple and green will follow this tutorial as well at the YouTube video tutorial. 

Measurement 1: Measure from your wrist to where you want to the thumbhole to begin (the top of the thumbhole nearest your wrist). If this measurement is 1.25" and your seam allowance is .25" then you will want to measure 1.5" from the bottom and top of your cuff inward and mark in GREEN. You will have marked two lines on one side of the cuff. 

Measurement 2: Measure how large you want the opening to be. If this is 1" then you will mark from the greens line you just created inward in PURPLE to mark the opening of the thumbhole cuff. You will have marked two lines on one side of the cuff. 

Do this on each side of the cuffs. 

Let's Get Sewing!

Fold the cuff in half with the grain with right sides together.

You can use pins or clips put I find that because the start and end of these stitches is critical, using pins to hold things in place works better. The goal is to make, what appears to be 1 continuous line of stitches as you work through the 5 steps. Once you finish one cuff repeat the steps to create the other cuff.

Step 1. Pin the cuff together at the purple marks and using a triple stitch sew from purple mark to purple mark.

Step 2. To keep them out of the way fold 2 corners down at an angle. Fold the cuff in half with the folded fabric inside and match up the green marks. The purple marks should naturally match up with each other.

Step 3. Pin at the end of the stitches (the purple marks) and at the green marks and sew from purple to green. 

Step 4: Flip the cuff the opposite way bringing what is inside out and repeat step 3 on the other side.

Step 5: Open the cuff up so that it is as flat as possible (hint: if it wasn’t already sewn it would be folded flat just like in image #1). Match and straighten the raw edges. Place a pin at the final stitch at the green mark (one at each the top and bottom of the cuff) and sew from the green mark to the edge of the cuff (2 white arrows).

Step 6: Right side cuffs out and repeat on other side. 

Step 7: Attach cuffs to sleeve following the sewing pattern tutorial you are using.