Friday, April 22, 2011

The Style Dictionary: Raglan Sleeves


"The raglan, from which these sleeves get their name, is a loose overcoat named after an English general."—The Complete Book of Sewing, 1949

Is it just me, or are sleeves fascinating? They have to fit such an odd assemblage of curves and angles: the arm is essentially a jointed cylinder that attaches to the torso by way of the shoulder, a body part that creates such an extreme curve that you have to shape fabric deftly around it by way of gathering, easing, and steaming. Raglan sleeves are just another way of maneuvering this territory. They're attached to a bodice by a seam that runs diagonally from the neckline to the underarm, rather than being set in at the shoulder. This pretty dress pattern shows the raglan lines very clearly.

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The raglan sleeve usually requires some sort of extra fitting seam at the top to make them curve over the shoulder. In the case of the pattern above, that's taken care of with a dart. Here's the pattern piece:
Instead of a dart, you may also see a raglan sleeve in two pieces, with a seam that runs down the outside of the arm. In which case, the pattern pieces would look like this:
I especially love the raglan-sleeve swing coats of the 50s and 60s. See how this one has a seam on the upper side of the arm rather than a shaping dart?

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Raglan sleeves are unusual in the way they're constructed in that everything is kept flat rather than applied in the round, as with a set-in sleeve. Usually, the underarm sleeve seam and the side seams of the garment are left open, until after the diagonal raglan lines have been stitched to the bodice. Then, the underarm sleeve seam and the bodice side seams are stitched in one continuous line.

Raglan sleeves can take all sorts of shapes and styles. On this 40s nightgown, they appear very soft and feminine.
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On these coats, they're a little more structured. You can actually buy raglan-shaped shoulder pads if you want some extra shaping in a tailored garment.

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Like any other sleeve, raglan sleeves can be long or short, loose or fitted. They're adorable in a cap sleeve like this recent Vogue pattern.


Interestingly, the raglan sleeve shows up in every decade of patterns I researched, never going completely out of style. I would guess this is because it's such a versatile look and can shift from sophisticated to sporty (baseball tees, anyone?).

26 comments:

  1. I love the new Vogue pattern! I just may have to go pick it up this weekend. The nightgown is really cute too. Raglan is a good sleeve to teach a beginner. I'm going to keep that in mind for a tutorial for my site. Thanks, Gertie!

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  2. I love love absolutely love raglan sleeves! I find they work with my figure type: apple. And I also adore the swing coats you mentioned and have made one last winter. It's so comfortable to wear especially over a blazer or a suit jacket.

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  3. I too, love the raglan sleeve, which is ever so flattering to a gal with smallish shoulders and a big bust.

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  4. Peasant blouses feature raglan sleeves, with the gathering at the neck doing the shaping, instead of a dart. You're right, it is so versatile, since it looks good in soft and crisp fabric. Thanks, Gertie!

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  5. Raglan is so elegant! I've never worked with one of the patterns that darts at the top of the sleeve but it makes so much sense.

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  6. Ah ha! That's what they're called! I made a coat with those kinds of sleeves. They were very simple to do!

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  7. I have that pattern and can't figure out how to make it not fall off my shoulders. Blah.

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  8. Yes, sleeves are fascinating! It's such an interesting geometry problem (to return to an earlier mathematics post) to figure out the best shape of cylinder to attach to your own particular shape. I have wide, angular and kind of bony shoulders, so raglan sleeves are hit-or-miss for me. I have that Vogue pattern though--I love it!

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  9. I used to actually veer away from raglan sleeves and then I bought a very expensive (for me it was expensive) Spadea pattern and didn't realize until I had it in my hands that the sleeves were raglan. Now, I utterly adore them! Strange how one pattern or even one item of clothing can do that for us. Personally, I think they are a TON easier to sew in too! There is no end to the amount of kvetching when I put in a set-in sleeve. My stomach just lurched thinking about it!

    LOVE raglan sleeves. Just Love!

    xoxo,
    Sunni

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  10. I love raglan sleeves! But I have never sewn one. Interesting. I will have to get to work on that because they are really cute.

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  11. I totally love them but never tried to make them! Definitely on my to do list!

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  12. Dear Gertie - Long ago I was told that raglan sleeves are not flattering to narrow shouldered gals like me; thus I have avoided them in RTW and in selecting patterns. I appreciate your tip re shoulder pads for raglan sleeves(never looked for them before) and may now consider some patterns I've been eyeing. Thanks!

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  13. I would likee to make a comment about raglan sleeves in a knitted top - they are my favorite type to knit. You can knit the whole sweater in one piece and instead of a seam running diagonally from neck to underarm, you have a diagonal line of increases or decreases (depending on whether you are knitting top down or bottom up). A top down raglan sweater is one of the easiest (and most fun) to knit.

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  14. I just finished making TWO of that Vogue. And the sleeves are very fiddly to get right. But it's definitely worth it to give it a go. I had to seriously cut down the sleeves to fit me and I'd probably use a smaller size sleeve piece in the future.

    It's a two piece raglan sleeve with the seam on top and bottom. If I could figure out how to make it a one piece sleeve, I would because that would make it SO much easier to set in what with the lining and understitching and everything

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  15. @Emily - I had the same problem. I had to take some (a lot) of fabric out of the bodice back AND trim down the sleeves to make it work. It's very generously sized...

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  16. @Sara: Totally agree! Raglan sweaters are a cinch to knit. But I'm newly in love with saddle shoulder sweaters (they just look great on me!) so I'm wondering if/how/when saddle shoulders show up in sewing

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  17. It's funny, the first thing I thought was, Raglan? Oh! Like baseball sleeves! Haha. I love these posts, makes me feel so much smarter. Keep up the awesomeness Gertie! :)

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  18. I think one reason they don't go out of style is that they flatter so many different shapes.

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  19. I hate setting in sleeves, but I've never had a problem with raglan sleeves. They're so easy to sew and I love the look on them (when in the same fabric as the bodice), so I'm finding that I'm drawn to patterns that contain them. :)

    I didn't realize that they've been used consistently over the years! Thanks for the lovely post. I really enjoy these Style Dictionary posts.

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  20. Since I read this post this morning I have been stalked by this sleeve! Went to the shops: raglan sleeve, hanging the laundry: raglan sleeve, reading a magazine: raglan sleeve! They're everywhere! And before this morning I didn't know what they were.

    Never commented before but I love your site. I only started sewing my own clothes a few months ago and your site has been invaluable in teaching me how to do things. Thank you so much!

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  21. One thing they never, ever tell you in books that I learned from my professional seamstress grandmother is that you have to reinforce the underarm of raglan sleeves. Otherwise, you lift your arm and rip the sleeve out.

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  22. They are a perennial favourite in knitting too since they allow you to make a whole sweater in one piece -- top-down or bottom up. The raglan diagonal itself is sometimes bent to shape the shoulders.

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  23. Perhaps worth adding that they come in several variations- I was reminded by the video that Trudi has posted for the new Hotpatterns primavera dress that you can also get semi-raglan, where, instead of ending at the neckline, the armhole (raglan) seams end half way (or at least somewhere away from the shoulder point toward the neckline) along the shoulder seam, and half-raglan, which is raglan at the front(or back) and something else (cut on or set in, for example) the other side.

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  24. I love your style dictionary posts!

    Raglan sleeves are sooo easy. When I first started sewing they were the only kind I did because set-in sleeves intimidated me.

    --C.B.

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  25. Hey Gertie, long time reader first time commenter!

    I am loving The Style Dictionary feature on your blog, it's really helped me understand the differences between things and introduced me to new techniques.. thank you, keep it up!

    http://www.houseofslater.com

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  26. I love raglan sleeves, simply because its so easy to make and I am lousy at setting the normal sleeves.

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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