Raglan sleeve

With a raglan sleeve, the bodice has no shoulder seam: the top of the sleeve forms the shoulder. The front and back bodice pieces are cut away diagonally from the underarm to the neckline, and the sleeve fills that space. The style takes its name from Lord Raglan, a British commander associated with coats cut this way in the 1850s.

You see it on baseball T-shirts with contrast sleeves, sweatshirts, sportswear, coats and knitwear.

Why it works:

• Freedom of movement, since there is no seam across the shoulder point.
• Forgiving fit across different shoulder widths and slopes.
• Easy to sew flat: the four raglan seams are sewn first, then the side and underarm seams in one continuous line on each side.

Shaping comes from the curve of the raglan seams and, in woven garments, a dart or a seam along the top of the sleeve that follows the shoulder. In knits, the sleeve is often one piece with no dart.

Mark the front and back raglan seams carefully: they look alike, but the back seam is usually longer and curves differently. Match the notches, single at the front and double at the back.

Compare with the drop shoulder, the kimono sleeve and the standard armhole of a set-in sleeve.