When I first started sewing indie patterns I was shocked that pretty much every designer had a raglan pattern. Why, I wondered? Don’t they know that style has already been “done”? After sewing a couple though, I quickly realized that while the basic design was the same, they all put their own spin on the fit, style, and options included.
With dozens of choices out there, then, how do you decide which one is the best for YOU? I see this question come up frequently – so I’m taking one for the team (#goteamraglan) and sewing and comparing as many as I can. I hope its helpful!
The Patterns:
Today, I’m sharing the first 4 patterns in my Raglan Comparison series: The Greenstyle Centerfield Raglan, the Hey June Lane Raglan, the New Horizons Riviera Raglan and the Blank Slate Rivage Raglan. Most were sewn straight out of the envelope in similar fabrics for comparison purposes, but if I made any modifications, I will let you know!
About me: A little TMI about me and my body type, for comparison purposes: I’m an hourglass/pear shape, with a A/B cup bust and 5’2″ tall. Most of my height is in my torso (which really came in handy when I was carrying twins), so I never make adjustments to tops for my height- but I’ve got REALLY short legs!
Ready for raglan-a-palooza (I came up with dozens of these lame sayings while I was sewing- this won’t be the last, I’m afraid to say. Putting up with them will be the price of my comparison series.)? Let’s get started!
Tip: Here’s a quick comparison table to get the ball rolling- and then I’ll dive into the specifics of each pattern. Want to see a side by side comparison of all four from different angles? Scroll to the bottom!
Sewing with Sarah ~ Raglan Comparison Chart
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1
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Greenstyle Creations Centerfield Raglan | New Horizons Riviera Raglan | Blank Slate Patterns Rivage Raglan | Hey June Lane Raglan |
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2
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Printable pages/versions available | 19 pages for main PDF file, 8 for add on pack Letter, A4, Copyshop |
35 pages for all options. Letter, A4, A0 versions available |
28 pages for PDF, Letter, A4 and Copyshop Included | 37 pages (all options). A0, Copyshop, Letter |
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3
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Layers | No- colored size lines | Yes | No | Yes |
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4
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Sizes | XXS-3XL (bust 31”-47”) OR Plus Sizes 2XL-3X (bust 46”-62”) |
xx-small, x-small, small, medium, large, xl, 2x, 3x (bust 29”-51.5”), or 00-26 |
XXS-3X (bust 31-53 inches | XS-2XL(31”-45” high bust) |
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5
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Finished Measurements | None | Included | Neck to waist length only | Included |
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6
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Options included: sleeves | Long (three different cut lines for the long), ¾, Short sleeves, Ruched sleeves |
Tank, short sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, long sleeves, cuffed | Short, elbow, or long sleeves | Short, ¾ or long or long banded sleeves |
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7
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Options included: hem type and length | Straight or curved hem | Shirt hem, banded hem, handkerchief hem, and tunic length | hi-low hem or dress length | Curved or banded hem |
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8
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Options included: neckline | Regular or scoop | Crew neck, henley, slit neck, v-neck, hoodie | Scoop neckline | Scoop neck, hood |
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9
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Options included: other | 2 elbow patch shapes (heart and oval), ruched sides | thumb-hole cuff, breast pocket | chest pocket | FBA pieces included, thumbhole cuffs, chest pocket |
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10
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Add on pack | Yes $4.00. Includes three piece hood and cowl neckline and thumb cuffs. Click here for add on pack. | No | No | No |
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11
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Seam Allowance | ⅜” | ⅜” | ½” | ¼” |
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12
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Fit | Close fit | Fitted at bust, semi fitted at waist/hips | Relaxed | Semi-fitted |
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13
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Instructions: Line Drawings or Photographs | Both | Line drawings and photographs (mainly line drawings) | Both, mainly line drawings | Line Drawings |
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14
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Cost | $10 | $10.95 | $11.95 or $15.95 for printed copy of large format included | $10 |
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15
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Pattern Assembly | Overlap (non trim) | Overlap (non trim) | Overlap | Trim |
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16
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Recommended Fabrics | Fabric with at least 25% stretch (I recommend more for this pattern- its quite fitted) |
Fabric with 35% stretch (i.e. rayon spandex, french terry with lycra) | “Stretch knit fabrics” – no percentage given | “Stretch knit”- no percentage given |
1) Greenstyle Centerfield Raglan
Fabric used: Rayon Spandex from Pretty Posh Prints
Size/options sewn: XXS, curved hem, (shorter) long sleeves.
Modifications made: Lowered neckline several inches for nursing. Standard neckline is a high scoop.
Thoughts: Greenstyle never disappoints when it comes to a good, athletic fit. This is the most fitted raglan I tried- it isn’t skin tight, but it does hug me in all the right places. I love that there are multiple sleeve lengths in the long sleeve option, for those of us that have extra long or short arms (I’m in the latter category, if you’re wondering).
This pattern includes an optional add on pack for $4 with a 3 piece hood and cowl option. Hood is shown below in yoga knit from Knitpop (full blog post here). Heart and oval elbow patches are included in the main pattern- I’m dying to make a sized up version for valentine’s day with the hearts!
There’s also a separate plus size pattern available. Greenstyle drafts for a height of 5’7″ and a C cup bust, but I’m neither (size a/b cub thanks to nursing three kids) and don’t need to do any adjustments- I have a long torso and chose the size based on my bust measurement. Because of the slim fit, if you are a larger or smaller size in the hips/waist, I would recommend grading in/out. No hip/waist measurements are listed, but you can estimate based on your experiences with other patterns. My straight XXS is a perfect fit- but I might add a little extra room in the hips next time- a common adjustment for me.
I love this one as a slim fit layering piece under a winter vest or as an athletic tee. If you want a looser fit, you could easily size up. It’s super simple to assemble thanks to the no-trim pages, but doesn’t have layers, so all sizes print at once. This doesn’t bother me since I prefer to use the large format anyway, but it’s something to note. This pattern is on sale through 1/28 if you join the Greenstyle FitCapsule group for the code (grab some other athletic patterns and make a capsule for a chance to win some prizes!)
Blog posts/hacks:
- Video tutorial on how to mash this pattern with the Scarlet Swing Dress
- Sleeveless raglan tank tutorial
- Maternity Hack (by Sweet Mama Sharon)
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2) Hey June Lane Raglan
Fabric used: Bamboo Spandex from Pretty Posh Prints and La Mercerie (stripes)
Size sewn: XS, curved hem, banded sleeve option.
Modifications made: None.
Thoughts: The Lane is another crowd favorite, and its easy to see why. I’ve made it and hacked it multiple times. For this post, I chose a bamboo spandex blend and made my measured size, an XS. The fit is looser than the centerfield- I’d describe it as “semi-fitted”, with a bit of ease all over.
The neck is lower and wider than most of the other raglan patterns, which makes it nursing friendly as drafted, though sometimes my bra straps peek out a bit.
The raglan seams are also positioned farther into the body of the top than several other patterns, which is a nice casual look. The pattern includes a FBA piece (Hey June drafts for a B, without the FBA) and a hood, thumbhole cuffs, and a chest pocket- no add on pack needed. The pages do need to be trimmed, which isn’t my favorite part of sewing, but if you use this tutorial, it goes pretty quickly.
Hey June drafts for a “B” cup and a 5’5″ height.
Blog posts/hacks:
How to Narrow the Neckline (From the Doing Things Blog)
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Blank Slate Rivage Raglan
Fabric used: Striped Sweater knit from Boho Fabrics, and ponte from Surge fabrics for the neckband. This fabric had good 2 way stretch, but curled quite a bit and caused some issues, which is why I didn’t use it for the neckband (see modifications)
Size sewn: XXS, hi/low shirt option.
Modifications made: Because I had to remove the original sweater knit neckband, the neck ended up slightly wider and lower than the original pattern.
Thoughts: This is one you don’t see very often, but that’s a shame.
I like the relaxed fit, and while I’m not in love with the hi/low hem on the striped fabric, I think it would look really cute in a solid.
The Rivage also includes a dress length, which most raglan patterns don’t- so that’s a nice unique feature. A chest pocket is also included, but no other options, so if you want a hood or a lot of add ons, this might not be the right one for you. The pages need to be trimmed, and while there aren’t any layers, the designer does offer to ship a printed copy of the large format for a small fee. A basic, but solid relaxed raglan pattern that I’m happy to have in my collection.
Blank Slate drafts for a C/D cup and a height of 5’4″- I did feel like this one ran a bit shorter than the others, but it was hard to tell with the hi low hem. If you’re really tall, you’ll want to lengthen it for sure.
Blog posts/hacks: None that I could find. If I make it again I’ll probably hack it to include a straight or banded hem.
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New Horizons Riviera Raglan
Fabric used: Rayon Spandex from Pretty Posh Prints (I own WAY too much of their floral yardage!)
Size sewn: XS
Modifications made: None. I sewed the V neck view with short sleeves.
Thoughts: Holy moly! The Riviera Raglan pattern is packed full of unique options! It’s the only raglan I’ve come across so far that includes a v neck, tank and a henley placket option, among others. Thumbhole cuffs and a hood are also included.
I only had enough fabric for short sleeves (brrr….) but I know this will be a favorite once the weather warms up a bit. I would describe it as fitted in the bust with slightly more ease in the waist and hips- very flattering for the “mummy tummy”, or just for a looser look over leggings. It also goes down to one of the smallest bust sizes I’ve seen- 29″.
New Horizons patterns are drafted for a B/C cup, with a D for sizes 20 or 2x and up, and a height of 5’5″. This didn’t feel short on me at all- I actually like the bit of extra coverage over the rear!
I have to admit, this one really surprised me- I love it and will be making it again in the future, and exploring some of the other great options (when I start feeling the need for more raglans…which could be tomorrow or not for another 5 years).
Blog posts/Hacks:
Side by Side Visuals:
Well, that’s it! The first four in my series- with more to come soon! Here’s a visual comparison of three different views, side by side:
I’m dying to know- what is your favorite of these four? Do you have something specific you’d like to see me review? Drop me a comment and share your thoughts!
Want to make sure you don’t miss the other posts? Subscribe to my blog here, and follow me on Facebook and Instagram here! Curious about the rest of my closet (hint: it isn’t all raglans)! You can lurk my closet on Pinterest here!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. The fabric/time to make a dozen or more raglans doesn’t come free, though I admit it was fun. I’d love it if you clicked on any of my links- there’s no cost to you, but it helps me keep things running.