Raglan edges stay identifiable
The front seam receives one match mark and the back seam two. Each sleeve edge reproduces its corresponding body curve, so the sewing lines match by construction.
Free custom-measurement pattern
Create a complete raglan top pattern from your measurements
Enter body and sleeve measurements to generate a coordinated knit raglan top. The draft includes front, back, a one-piece sleeve with shoulder shaping to cut as a mirrored pair, and a neckband—not an isolated sleeve that may fail to fit an unrelated armhole.
Drafting guide: make a test garment
The generator checks pattern seam lengths, but it cannot observe shoulder posture, fabric recovery, or preferred mobility. Sew a toile in fabric with similar stretch before cutting final material.
Raglan seam layout
A generated, checkable result
Four pieces calculated as one system
Matched seamsThe example uses a 92 cm chest, 12 cm finished chest ease, 72 cm neck-to-wrist sleeve length, and an 88% neckband ratio. Changing any input rebuilds all connected pieces.
One piece with shoulder shaping
The upper sleeve carries part of the neckline and includes a shoulder dart. Its front and back edges reproduce the matching body curves at the sewing line.
Band follows the assembled opening
Band length comes from front, back, and both sleeve neckline sections rather than body neck circumference.
Construction marks are included
Grainlines, fold lines, shoulder dart, match marks, sewing lines, selected allowances, labels, and a 5 × 5 cm scale square are exported.
In the default example, front raglan, back raglan, body side seams, and sleeve underarm seams each resolve to a 0 mm pair difference; the calculation is shown again on the preview page.
Use SVG for vector editing, a full-size PDF for a copyshop, or tiled A4 pages for home printing. Always print at 100% and measure the test square.
Related guides
Knit top
T-shirt Pattern
A printable T-shirt draft with front, back, sleeve, and neckband pieces plus regular, relaxed, cropped, and oversized presets.
MeasurementsSleeve measurements
Check sleeve length, bicep, wrist, cap shape, elbow guide, and armhole compatibility.
ConstructionSeam and hem allowances
Read solid seam lines, dashed cutting lines, construction seam allowance, hem allowance, curves, and corners.
Raglan construction
Why this generator drafts the whole raglan top
Unlike a set-in sleeve, a raglan sleeve extends to the neckline and replaces the garment shoulder. That makes the diagonal front and back seams structural interfaces. This generator builds all pieces together so each sleeve sewing line reproduces its corresponding body curve.
Measure sleeve length from the side neck
Run the tape from the side-neck point over the shoulder and bent elbow to the wrist. This is longer than an underarm sleeve measurement and should not be copied from a set-in sleeve pattern.
Front and back are not interchangeable
The front raglan curve accommodates the front chest and the back curve supports the shoulder-blade area. One notch marks front; two identify back on both body and sleeve.
Use fabric stretch to choose ease
Stable sweatshirt fleece usually needs more wearing ease than highly elastic jersey. The presets are starting points; compare finished chest width with a garment that moves well in the intended fabric.
Calculate the opening before the neckband
The finished neckline includes sections on front, back, and both sleeves. The neckband ratio applies to that assembled seam, and should be sampled because rib knits recover differently.
Walk the solid sewing lines
Compare seam lines rather than outer cutting edges. Curved allowance edges naturally have different lengths; the preview reports differences for the actual joining lines.
Check mobility in a complete toile
Raglan shape affects underarm folds, shoulder appearance, and arm lift. Baste both sleeves into the body and test forward reach before refining only one curve.
From diagonal seam to wearable top
Decisions that control raglan fit
A raglan is a coordinated upper-body construction, not a generic sleeve pasted onto an armhole. The sleeve contains part of the shoulder and neckline, so body width, armhole depth, sleeve length, bicep room, seam shape, and fabric recovery must be evaluated together.
Do not confuse neck-to-wrist and underarm length
The generator uses the side-neck point as the upper reference. Measure over the shoulder and slightly bent elbow. The resulting value controls the whole sleeve; the underarm seam is shorter and is calculated from the generated geometry.
Add movement room before judging the diagonal seam
A narrow upper sleeve restricts reach even when its raglan edges match perfectly. Measure the fullest upper arm with the intended base layer, then confirm the generated finished bicep against fabric stretch and the chosen silhouette.
Use line shape as a fit-and-style choice
Classic gives a balanced diagonal, sport moves the transition for a more athletic line, and relaxed softens it for added visual volume. These options preserve matched seam lengths but still need testing on the wearer.
Keep front and back identities through assembly
The sleeve is asymmetric even when it looks nearly balanced on paper. Transfer the single front notch and double back notches before removing the paper; reversing a sleeve changes neckline and shoulder balance.
Raglan toile checklist
Verify the generated set as one garment before using final fabric.
- 01 Measure every solid raglan sewing line and confirm single front and double back marks correspond.
- 02 Join both sleeves, then walk the complete neckline before cutting a neckband from the selected ratio.
- 03 Check chest ease, upper-arm room, forward reach, arm lift, and folds between neckline and underarm.
- 04 Sample the neckband in the real rib knit; shorten or lengthen the ratio according to recovery without changing the neckline seam.
- 05 Print at 100%, verify the 5 × 5 cm square, and keep the selected seam and hem allowances consistent.
How and when
Generated from application code
This generator converts the entered measurements into vector geometry. Where a construction has related seams, the software can calculate their lengths; preview, SVG, copyshop PDF, and tiled A4 PDF are produced from the same geometry. These software checks do not replace printing, sewing, or fitting a test sample.
Last recorded review of the generator implementation and documentation: 2026-09-08. The output has not been certified through physical production testing; verify measurements, print scale, seam relationships, fabric behaviour, and fit for your project.
Raglan pattern questions
Before you generate and sew
Is this only a sleeve pattern?
No. It generates the complete top: front and back body pieces, one one-piece sleeve to cut as a mirrored pair, its shoulder dart, and the neckband. An isolated raglan sleeve cannot be guaranteed to fit an unrelated bodice.
What does the raglan sleeve length measure?
Measure from the side-neck point over the shoulder and slightly bent elbow to the wrist. Do not enter the shorter underarm seam length.
Why are there different front and back marks?
The front and back raglan curves have different shaping. A single notch identifies the front seam and two notches identify the back so the mirrored sleeves are not reversed.
Which fabric should I use?
The current presets are intended for knit garments such as jersey tops and sweatshirt fleece. Choose ease for the fabric's stretch and recovery and test the pattern in comparable material.
Why is the neckband shorter than the neckline?
A knit neckband is normally cut as a percentage of the assembled neckline so it lies flat. Recovery varies, so the editable ratio is a starting point that must be tested in the actual rib knit.
Are seam allowances included?
Yes. The solid paths are the sewing lines used for compatibility checks and the dashed outer paths show the selected cutting allowances. A separate hem allowance is added at body and sleeve hems.
How accurate are the seam checks?
The front and back curves on the sleeve are rigid transformations of their corresponding body curves, so their sewing-line lengths match. Accuracy of fit still depends on correct measurements, fabric, and a test garment.
How should I print the A4 file?
Print at actual size or 100%, disable fit-to-page, and measure the 5 × 5 cm square before joining tiles or cutting fabric.
Three-step workflow
01
Enter coordinated measurements
Start with chest, hips, armhole depth, bicep, wrist, and side-neck-to-wrist sleeve length.
02
Review every interface
Inspect front and back raglan differences, neckline band ratio, side seams, notches, and allowances.
03
Print and test
Export at full scale, verify the square, then sew the complete upper body in test fabric with comparable stretch.