I recently received this picture from Jenny. She said that she had been shopping, saw this jacket and decided that she could make it. As she looked at it a little more closely, she realized that she was a bit stumped with the pleats. A light bulb went off, "I can ask Rhonda if she'll help!"
Jenny had purchased this pattern as she felt that it would bring her close to the original jacket. I had hoped to find a good raglan sleeve jacket pattern, but I couldn't and so since Jenny already had this pattern, I bought one too. She had thought that the lavender jacket in the lower left hand corner would work. I don't like the fit of the sleeve. That sleeve is a basic dolman sleeve. So rather than that view, I will start with View A which is in the top right hand corner. This jacket has a set in sleeve. Today I am going to lay the foundation for this pattern by showing you how to take a set in sleeve and turn it into a raglan sleeve.
Raglan sleeves are lovely. They are easy to sew and for many, the fit is better.
The Raglan Sleeve
Begin with your straight sleeve pattern.
Match the front bodice to the sleeve at the armpit curve of the sleeve. Where the bodice begins to move away from the sleeve, draw in a guide point. You can see this in red in the above picture. Your mark should be on the sleeve as well as the bodice.
Do the same to the back.
Draw a guide line at the bicep line of your sleeve. This is the line that connects one armpit to the other on the sleeve. Rest your front and back bodice against your sleeve being careful not to overlap the lines. The guide points should match exactly.
Measure up 1" from the bicep line and mark. At your sleeve cap, draw in a guideline that is parallel to the bicep line. From the edge of your shoulder line on your bodice, measure over 1/2" on the guide line at the top of the cap of your sleeve. Do this on the front as well as the back. Now draw in a curved line as you see above. The line will end at the mark that is 1" from the bicep line.
On your front and back bodice, measure in from the neckline 1" and draw a straight line to the original guide point. Curves fit the body better especially under the arm so curve this line into the armpit line of the sleeve.
Remove the sleeve pattern from your drafting. Your sleeve will look like the sleeve above.
Remove the front and back bodice from the drafting. Your patterns will look like the patterns above.
The final patterns. I did not add notches on my patterns above, but be sure to add notches so that you can easily match up your patterns.
This is the first step in the drafting of Jenny's jacket. Next Thursday I will show you how to make the pleats in the front of the jacket. I will be making this jacket so I will show my progress along the way. Should be fun!!
You are so kind and helpful. Even though it's not my jacket - thank you.
ReplyDeleteGees, you just make it all seem so obvious and wonderful- I love saturday sleeve action!
ReplyDeleteI was just now tonight thinking about whether raglan sleeves would be better for me, and hey presto! a tutorial! Thanks so much. Just one question: since you are starting with a big 4 pattern I assume each resulting piece includes a seam allowance. Am I right?
ReplyDeleteYou will need to either trim off the original seam allowances or overlap the seam allowances. I suggest trimming off the seam allowances as overlapping can get very confusing. Once you have drafted your new pieces add appropriate seam allowances.
DeleteThanks for the clarification!
DeletePlease let me know if you have any other questions. It helps me to write better tutorials. Thanks so much!
DeleteAmazing These sleeves look great. Thanks again for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rhonda. I am so excited that you are working on my idea/jacket, and how nice that you are actually starting with the pattern I thought might work. I am so looking forward to the rest of whatever you do with this jacket. YEA! Thanks again. Jenny
ReplyDeleteI've been searching the internet for a way to alter a set in sleeve to raglan and thought I'd take a break and see what Rhonda was up to ...and voila! Thanks Rhonda you're a gem
ReplyDeleteGreat method for getting to a raglan quickly without too much complication. Fab work!
ReplyDeleteexcellent description, made my first raglan shirt after your explanations here yesterday. It's perfect! :)
ReplyDeleteI was googling the internet for such an explanation (how to make a raglan shirt from your ordinary pattern) everywhere, in several different languages.... and finally I found yours! So easy and good explained!
Thank you so much!
Rhonda!
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking I need a "raglan" tutorial, but I actually need a DOLMAN sleeve tutorial. Do you have one somewhere??? Question on this raglan tut: Do you add seam allowances to the deep V in the top of the sleeve?
Hugs, Joy
Yes, you will need to add seam allowance to the "v" or the shoulder dart. As for the dolman sleeve, go to my Pinterest page and you will find a board for all the sleeves I have done. There is a tutorial for a dolman sleeve. Just ignore the part where I talk about twisting the top around :) Good Luck!
DeleteHi Rhonda - I'm struggling with drafting a raglan sleeve for a long sleeved knit T and am getting myself tied in knots. I don't need a dart at the 'top' of the sleeve, in that the patterns I already have are dartless, so what do I do to remove the dart? Am I being silly and missing something super obvious? Help!
ReplyDeleteThe reason for a dart on a raglan sleeve is to accommodate the shape of the shoulder. You can get rid of the dart by turning it into a seam that runs from the neckline to the wrist. You will then have 2 pieces, a front and back sleeve pattern. You will continue to have the fit of the dart without the dart. You can draft a sleeve without a seam, but you will sacrifice fit and I don't think that's what you want. Email me, sewbussted@yahoo.com if what I'm trying to say is not clear.
DeleteThank you Rhonda - I was being silly and confused! It is clearer now :).
ReplyDeleteGreat! Not great that you were confused, but great that you're on the right path now :)
DeleteThank you Rhonda *and* Calico; I found this tutorial and had exactly the same question as I want to alter a great tee pattern I already use. Thanks!!
ReplyDelete