For a very long time, thanks to the skill and cunning of tailors who wanted to flatter their customers, the raglan sleeve was invented . It well disguises the imperfections of the figure and allows the seamstress to creatively approach the stage of constructing the pattern, as modeling of darts, different shapes and types of seams contribute to the development of creative thought.
History
This type of cut is named after Field Marshal Baron Raglan, who lost his hand while fighting in the army of Napoleon I Bonaparte, at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. A special sleeve model was designed for him to hide this significant drawback. But several more countries are fighting for the primacy of creating such a sleeve model.
The first mention of this method of cutting is found in English literature in the mid-nineteenth century, somewhere in 1862. It is believed that the official time of the invention of raglans was the period of the Crimean War (1853-1856). Bad weather on the peninsula prompted tailors to this decision. Constant rains greatly demoralized the army, and the absence of seams on clothes gave a chance that a person would not get wet. For the soldiers, this was not a significant change, although the appearance of the form still changed somewhat.
But there are facts that contradict the British version that they came up with such a sleeve design. One of the watercolors of the artist Fyodor Solntsev, written in 1842, depicts a girl in an embroidered shirt, cut with a classic raglan sleeve.
In general, the ends of this story can not be found now. But the descendants, it seems, do not need to know exactly the day when this or that method of modeling was invented. The main thing is to be able to use it for your own good.
Types of Raglan
There are several modifications of this method of cutting parts, although there are classifications that are formed according to the main criterion.
Armhole shape:
- A typical raglan - armhole passes through the neck not at its peaks, but one and a half to two centimeters lower.
- Zero raglan - the armhole line runs along the neckline of the front and back, touching in its corners (tops).
- Semireglan - armhole starts from the middle of the shoulder, without touching the neck.
- Raglan-epaulette - armhole runs parallel to the shoulder, smoothly passing into the armhole line of the set-in sleeve.
- Fantasy raglan - a combination of a set-in sleeve and modeling methods for a yoke or neck.
Sleeve shape:
- Sheer - for broad shoulders.
- Soft - for narrow.
The number of seams (depends on the construction of the pattern):
- One-seam.
- Two-sutural.
- Three-sutural.
Silhouette Matching
Raglan dress has an amazing ability to mask the flaws of a female figure. This is especially true for broad or too narrow shoulders. Depending on how steep or, on the contrary, the canopy is the raglan line, you can visually narrow or expand the upper body. At the same time, the waist will not be too wide, since it is not necessary to cut a free silhouette to add volume to the shoulders.
What is raglan?
This is the type of sleeve that is modeled and cut out along with the shoulder part of the back and the shelf of the future product. If in the classic version we sew the sleeve into the armhole and hope that it will lie correctly and will not form folds, then here we have no opportunity to screw up, since nothing needs to be ironed, picked up and swept.
Sleeve construction
Pattern dress with raglan sleeve begins with the construction of patterns. If you already have ready-made forms for different sizes, then this will be a good help for you to work with.
On the contouring paper (for many, this is ordinary newsprint), we apply the already existing patterns of shelves and sleeves, while combining the shoulder cut with the upper point of the sleeve ridge so that a small angle appears between them. You can vary this size independently. It depends on how convex the raglan sleeve will be on the finished product. Pattern pins with pins. On the shelf layout, mark the middle of the neck and divide it in half. From the obtained point (1/4 of the neck), we smoothly draw two lines: one to the armhole, the other to the sleeve. Repeat in the same way for backrest details.
The construction of the pattern (raglan) is completed. It remains only to transfer everything to tracing paper, cut and arrange on the fabric.
The second version of the pattern
If for some reason the first method does not suit you or seems too cumbersome, then you can use the other. It is also not too simple, but sometimes it is more suitable for modeling the silhouette.
The construction of a raglan sleeve pattern in this case begins with the application of ordinary shelf lines to the carbon paper . It is cut out, and then a chest protrude is "closed" on it. That is, a triangle is cut out on the layout, showing the location of the tuck, and the edges of the neck and armholes are chipped together. So that the pattern does not deform, an incision is made along the tuck at the waist and a small incision from the top of the chest tuck to the armhole. Then, when cleaving, they themselves will open to the required width. This technique is called tuck transfer. Then a sleeve is applied to the already formed shelf, and the manipulations from the first option are repeated. The construction of the pattern is completed. You will definitely get a raglan sleeve.
Layout Method
It so happens that you need to quickly find out the details, but there is simply no time to mess with papers and patterns. Then this method comes to the rescue. A dress pattern with a raglan sleeve is drawn directly on the customer or on the mannequin.
To begin with, do not forget that for a harmonious construction, the line of the middle of the shoulder moves a little forward by a centimeter, and the neck of the back rises by five millimeters. After you have closed all the tucks on the shelf and back in your dummy, combine the line of the cutting sleeve with the line of the armhole and finish the raglan. You should get two details of the sleeve, divided in a midline with a displaced center.
As a matter of fact, we already got a raglan sleeve. The pattern in this case is of an auxiliary nature if the master doubts the correctness of the transferred tucks.
Baby raglan
On small dandies and fashionistas this shape of the sleeve also looks very advantageous. And wearing dresses is more convenient when there are no seams that interfere with free movements. Raglan pattern for children is much simpler than in adults. There are no protrusions that need to be modeled, since the figure of the child does not have pronounced bends and bulges.
A dress pattern with a raglan sleeve for a girl is to divide the neckline into four parts evenly on the patterns of the shelf. Then mark the point on the armhole, which will be slightly higher than the chest line, and connect the points with a smooth line, passing from below into the armhole. On the back, you can simply make a straight line from the quarter of the neck to the chest line (middle of the armhole).
Now you can form a sleeve. To do this, draw a trapezoid in which the sides are the length of the raglan on the back and the shelf, the top is the neckline with the raised side of the back at 05, -1 centimeter compared to the front, and the lower side is a fragment of a circle. After arranging the patterns on the fabric, you can cut and stitch the finished product.
Pattern dresses with raglan sleeves for a child and an adult is not particularly difficult even for a novice master.
Texture
Raglan dress (photo attached) can be sewn from both dense and soft, flowing fabrics that emphasize the silhouette. Designers now love to combine leather sleeves with natural fabrics, jeans with guipure or organza, plain colors and bright, catchy patterns. In general, the scope for creativity is unlimited. The simplicity of the cut and the ability to fit it to any type of figure open up a ton of possibilities.
In addition, with a raglan sleeve, you can sew not only dresses, but also shirts, blouses, jackets. This further expands the range of possibilities. So do not limit yourself, but create and surprise others. We hope that this article will be your reliable help in this matter.