| Making sleeves is perhaps one of the most daunting | | | | with gussets, or shoulder straps for a more decorative |
| parts that designers and dressmakers face. The | | | | look. |
| problem in making sleeves, regardless of style and | | | | Raglan |
| size, is that there is always some uncertainties in the | | | | This style is mostly associated with a sporty or a |
| finished product. | | | | casual look. Instead of placing an arms seam on the |
| The first uncertainty is the length. Then there is | | | | shoulder, seams of raglan sleeves slant from the |
| determining the right upper arm width. Another is the | | | | underarm towards the neckline. This results that the |
| arms depth? How much space is needed to allow the | | | | front, the back and the sleeves are all tapered |
| wearer to move his arms freely? Or how shallow | | | | towards the neck. The upper edges of raglan sleeves |
| should the armhole be, without binding the shoulder of | | | | can also be substantial parts of the neckline, depending |
| the wearer? | | | | on the design of the garment. The sleeves may also |
| Romina Abrigo Editor of the "Sewing Machine | | | | be shaped so that it will blend in with the curves found |
| Reviews" website -- -- pointed out; | | | | on the front and the back of the neckline. |
| "…It is important to be acquainted with the basic types | | | | Pros |
| of sleeves that are used for clothing, along with the | | | | Lines on the raglan sleeves are more stylish than |
| right measurements to take. This type of sleeve is the | | | | those of the drop shoulder. This sleeve style also has |
| simplest among all the sleeve styles…" Added | | | | no arms seams that align with the shoulder joint, |
| Romina Abrigo | | | | making it a forgiving shoulder-fit. Additionally, raglan |
| COMMON STYLES OF SLEEVES | | | | sleeves are very easy to calculate and don't take |
| The Drop-Shoulder Style | | | | much time. |
| Most of the garments with a drop-shoulder-style | | | | Cons |
| sleeve is a simple rectangle with very little shaping. The | | | | Fabric bunching under the arms is possible if the raglan |
| rectangle width of the body fully extends past the | | | | sleeves fully extend from the garment body at an |
| shoulder line of the wearer. In fact, if the drop shoulder | | | | angle of ninety degrees. This is also unsustainable |
| body has no added sleeves, the shoulder portion of | | | | especially on close-fitting garments. |
| this garment extends into cap sleeves. Additionally, the | | | | Variations |
| arms of the garment aren't shaped. | | | | Just like the drop shoulder, the raglan sleeves can be |
| The sleeves of the drop-shoulder styles are based on | | | | designed with shoulder straps. This is where the raglan |
| a very simple rectangle with tapers towards the wrist | | | | portions of the sleeves end and its straps extend from |
| of the garment. The sleeves are normally shorter than | | | | the raglan portion towards the neck. |
| the arms of the actual wearer. The upper edges of | | | | Dolman |
| the sleeves don't reach the shoulders. The lengths of | | | | This is the type of sleeve that is formed integrally with |
| the sleeves upper edges are two times more than the | | | | the body with only two seams on the underarm. |
| depth of the arms. Once these are assembled, the | | | | Greater amount of space is provided under the arms |
| sleeves fully extend from the body at a right angle. | | | | for easy movement. Generally, the garment is |
| Pros | | | | considered very loose fitting, even if its forearms |
| Since the style closely goes with the arm position of | | | | sleeves are tight. |
| the wearer, the set-in sleeves effectively overcome | | | | Pros |
| the disadvantages of drop shoulders. There are no | | | | Garments with dolman sleeves are ideal for a |
| possibilities of bunching in the underarm area, which | | | | cuff-to-cuff sweater. They also provide continuity of |
| provides wearers with a more comfortable fit. And | | | | patterns from the sleeves down to the body. |
| instead of horizontal seams, the vertical arms seams | | | | Cons |
| of this style of sleeve promote a slimmer look to the | | | | Particularly in knitting, they are efficient especially if you |
| wearer. | | | | prefer knitting the back and the front part separately |
| Cons | | | | as this will create a seam to the neck which is an |
| The shape of the sleeve caps make the sleeves | | | | undesirable sight when finished. |
| more labor-intensive to calculate. It is also more difficult | | | | Variations |
| to sew the whole garment body. | | | | The batwing is the most common variation based |
| Variations | | | | from the dolman style. It is a very dramatic approach |
| For a better fit, the set-in sleeves can be combined | | | | and is suitable for fabrics that drape and fold well. |