I love a good raglan. They are so quick and easy to put together, and I love the color blocking possibilities. Plus, I always feel so sporty when I wear one, which...I am not sporty, so it's kind of an unusual feeling, actually, but I love it!
So when Rebecca Page came out with a new raglan pattern, I knew I had to sew it up as soon as possible!
So, here are some super fun things about this raglan. It comes in a flare and fitted version, it has five (!!!) different lengths, three different sleeve lengths and can be finished with a neckband OR a cowl! AND it's a v-neck, instead of the usual raglan neckline. It ALSO comes with their new curvy sizing, and whether you buy the women's or curvy version, you get both!
Here are some not super fun things about this raglan. It has way too many options. I can't possibly sew them all. There's a shirt, a mid thigh, knee, midi and maxi. I sewed up a mid thigh length, although I forgot to adjust for height (shh!), so if you are the 5'6" that RP drafts for, it might be a little longer (I'm 5'8" with a long-ish torso). It works for me, I really wanted tunic length, and that's about what this is on me.
There's also three different sleeve lengths, short, three quarter and long. This is obviously the long sleeve. It's a pretty form fitting sleeve, and I think I will probably cut a little looser next time, just a personal preference. I'll probably also add an inch or two to the sleeves, I like a nice long sleeve for cozy winter wear, although this does hit right at the wrist on me, so is probably a good length for most people.
It can also be a fitted or flare fit. I chose a flare, because I have a tummy. I like the cut of it, it skims over my tummy very nicely, but is a bit more fitted over the bust. So, keep that in mind if you want something that is more flowing over the bust.
One thing about this raglan that really intrigued me was the v neck and cowl option. I LOVE a good cowl in the winter, and I like the idea of a v neck raglan for the summer. This shirt was made with the cowl option.
One thing of note here: the v neck was a challenge. I followed the directions, and I wish I hadn't, because my v neck was looking pretty good, and then the directions said to do one more thing to get a nice sharp v neck and it...did not help. It made it worse. I'm not sure if this is specific to the cowl neck, or if my sewing skills are just so awesome that I should have skipped that last step (or, more likely, I just got very lucky), but I would advise that you check every step of sewing on the v neck, especially if you do the cowl. If you like what you see, and all threads are tacked down, then stop there. Don't do what I did and make it worse.
If you are equally intrigued by this raglan, you can pick up the pattern here (I do make a small commission at no extra cost to you if you use that link to purchase). What do you think? Are you a raglan fan, or no? Let me know in the comments below!