How to knit a raglan sleeve with your own hands

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Hand-knitted products made without seams look very neat. Regardless of whether the model is knitted or crocheted. Such knitting with a continuous fabric is called "raglan".

What is a raglan sleeve?

It is created by two symmetrical beveled armholes, forming a truncated cone at the top of the product. Its top becomes a neck. Knitting raglan sleeves requires great care from the craftswoman. However, a product with such cut details has a more "professional" appearance. In addition, slanted armholes provide more freedom of movement.

Building a raglan sleeve is a rather complicated process. It requires absolutely accurate calculation of the bevel lines. The sleeves should be knitted similarly to the armholes on the main part of the product. Not every knitter will undertake such a complex technique. But if the calculation of the loops is performed correctly and strictly follow the basic rules of raglan knitting, there will be no problems during the work.

What is raglan line

Before you directly start the knitting process, you need to understand what a raglan line is. These are the loops to which from boththe sides are adjacent to the crochets. Due to the latter, the knitted fabric expands.

If you knit a raglan sleeve with knitting needles, there can be many options for the aesthetic design of the raglan line. It may consist of one purl loop, several (usually three) facial loops. Also, to create it, you can apply a three-dimensional pattern, for example, a “flagellum” of four facial loops.

For inexperienced knitters, it is recommended to start with the simplest option - one purl. Then it will be easier to count the loops, and there will be no confusion in the process.

Calculate loops for raglan

To quickly and without errors calculate loops for raglan, you need:

• count the total number of loops in knitting and divide by three - for the front, back and sleeves;
• divide the part for the sleeves by two, if the number of loops is odd, add the rest for the front;

when knitting the raglan line, we take the loops “from the sleeves”

This completes the calculation of the loops. Now you need to type them on the spokes.

Where to start

If you are knitting a raglan sleeve, you can start working both from the bottom of the product and from above. Both methods will not cause difficulties with a certain skill.

The answer to the question of where to start knitting a raglan sleeve is better is quite simple:

• If the product will be worn by an adult, both methods will do.
• When knitting baby clothes, it is preferable to start knitting from the top. When the child grows up, it will be possible to add the missing rows along the bottom and on the cuffs.

Knit raglan with knitting needles from the neckline

To begin with, we calculate the density of knitting. To do this, with the yarn prepared for the product, we collect twenty loops on the knitting needles and knit a sample of the pattern 10 cm high. We measure its width in centimeters and the height in loops.

Then we measure the circumference of the neck (since knitting starts from the neck) and calculate how many loops you need to dial for the first row of the product.

We complete the set and start knitting according to the following pattern: 1 air loop, 1 facial, 1 yarn over, 5 facial (sleeve), 1 yarn over, 1 purl (raglan line), 1 yarn over, 15 facial (back), 1 yarn over, purl 1 (raglan), 1 yarn over, knit 5 (sleeve), 1 yarn over, purl 1 (raglan), 1 yarn over, knit 1.

So we knit the first ten rows, while all even rows are performed with purl loops. For nakida we use purl crossed.

Starting from the eleventh row, we close the work in a circle and continue until there are enough loops for the sleeves. When it is reached, put the loops for the sleeves on the auxiliary knitting needles and continue to work on the front and back, knitting them in a circle to the level of the final length of the product.

Now let's start working on the sleeves. We will knit in a circle, so the pending loops need to be distributed over four stocking knitting needles. We attach a working thread and a contrasting marker thread, thus marking the beginning of the row.

Getting to work. At the same time, in each sixth row we make decreases at the beginning (for the bevel of the sleeve): we knit two loops together and the next two with a broach.

So we continue until the desired sleeve length is reached.

How to knit a raglan sleeve with knitting needles from below

The way in which raglan is knitted from the bottom of the product at the initial stage is no different from the process of working on any sweater or pullover. We carry out all the details separately to the place where the bevel of the armhole begins. Set aside all parts without closing the loops.

We also knit the sleeves before the start of the bevels. Now we transfer the four finished parts of the future product to circular knitting needles. We continue to work, performing circular rows for a sweater or straight and reverse if there is a fastener in the product.

In the process of work, do not forget to make decreases for the raglan line in the same way as described above, only in reverse order.

Raglan sleeve - advantages and disadvantages

All hand knitting methods have both advantages and disadvantages.

The following are the obvious undeniable advantages of raglan products:

• if the work is done from the neck, there will be no seams on the entire product;
• the product will have practically no thread ends;
• no pattern required, you can use the stitch counting method;
• work can be tried on at any time.

Products with raglan sleeves are always beautiful and fashionable. Therefore, only two points can be cited as minuses:

• A large number of loops are in operation at the same time. This disadvantage is especially significant in the manufacture of clothing for adults.
• This method limits the possible choice of patterns. Therefore, most of the products are made with front stitch, and to diversify the fabric, melange or fancy yarn is used.

Of course, the raglan sleeve in the process of knitting can bring additional trouble to the craftswoman. But still, do not be afraid of such technology. Even with little experience, you can quickly learn how to knit a raglan sleeve. And as a reward, you will receive truly professional handicrafts.