How to sew a raglan t-shirt: make your own DIY raglan tee sewing tutorial

[@sarahmcvey]

Thank you for the tutorial! I was having an issue with my neckline being too big and your way is genius!

[@janiceharrison8397]

I work from home so will wear my raglan as comfortable work attire. 😁

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

I love it Janice! Raglans are great for that!

[@michaelaschmid]

Basting stitches where the seams meet is such a good idea and I'm definitely stealing that. :D

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Please do Michaela. It saves so many wonky intersections or time taking out the whole seam! The best part is if you miss it the first time, you can literally pull the stitch out in one go because it's just a few stitches---but those few stitches are enough to hold the intersection in place while you're sewing the whole seam.

[@Sooz3112]

Thank you. It looks great. I love the fabric stamp idea too! It looks a great design. Thanks for sharing x

[@MamaBanana]

Thanks so much for sharing. This is such a cute style that can be used for day or jammies. Can’t wait to make for my toddlers 🤗

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

You are so welcome!

[@janspenno2241]

What a clever idea basting the under arm seam joint 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Thanks Jan. It's a small thing that makes a big difference!

[@cindyw4278]

I tried your tips and they work fantastically!

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

I'm so glad to hear that Cindy! Thank you for letting me know--you made my day!

[@sewmuch2wear]

I love your background! So cute!

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Thank you!! 😊

[@stacystewart7744]

Thank for the share. I enjoyed this.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Glad to share it Stacy!

[@_Error_404_Goodbye]

Excellent video!

[@bward1919]

I’m making mine from merino as a mountain biking tee shirt

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Oh that'll be nice. I made one of those a while back and it's been a staple tee to wear!

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Just general or outdoor gear :)

[@lizh9832]

Great video! I’ll be trying out my first raglan and I’m super excited. Can you confirm if I can use fleece?

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Yes fleece, but what kind? Sweatshirt yes, legit Polartec, definitely, maybe skip the cheaper quality stuff from fabric stores as it doesn't have a lot of give and can be hard to move around in. If you do use fleece, it's best to use a rib knit for the neckline and hems.

[@lizh9832]

Awesome thank you so much for the response and advice Elizabeth! I’m so looking forward to making it. :)

[@lizh9832]

Hi Elizabeth, just finished my raglan, I love it with the exception of the collar. Lol.. I don’t know what happened, but it’s sticking out/up instead of laying down flat on my neck. Any idea why that happened? I can unstitch it and redo it but just not sure where I went wrong or how to fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I wanted to post a photo but it does not allow me to.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

It sounds like the neckband is too long. Unstitch it and measure along the seam line with a tape measure. The neckband should be about 10% shorter than the neck, but you may need to adjust it depending on the knit. If it's not sitting flat, it's too long, and if it's making gathers or puckers at all, well, it's too short! You can always baste it on to test it out. Making knits work together is sometimes trial and error, so know that it's not you, it's sometimes just a process.

[@lizh9832]

Omg Elizabeth!! You are awesome!!! That’s exactly what it was. It looks perfect now. Thank you sooooo much! :)

[@thesharpacupuncturist]

Can you use spandex for this? I was given a ton of 80’s black spandex with metallic prints, thinking it could be really interesting. How would the process differ for spandex? Thank you! P.s. totally loving your tutorials.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

The process is the same. Many knits have spandex in them--if what you're talking about is a high percentage spandex blend like a swimwear knit, you might need to go a size down since it'll stretch a lot more. Make sure that you use either a serger or a 75/11 stretch needle. Sometimes high percentage spandex knits will give you skipped stitches. I have a free resource you can grab on my blog--a Knit Fabric Cheat Sheet that'll give you some more tips. You can sign up to get it on this post towards the bottom: elizabethmadethis.com/pick-the-best-needles-for-knits-sewing-with-knits-101/

[@thesharpacupuncturist]

Elizabeth Made This thank you!!!

[@ifancydolls6282]

Can I mix - Bamboo knit ( 95% Rayon , 5% spandex) and Miracle Cotton Knit ( 95% cotton , 5% spandex) for this project or that would look not very good?

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Yes, though bamboo is much more drapey than cotton knits. I would baste the seams and then check if you like the fit. Pay careful attention to the neckband. Baste it on and check to see if it sits flat. If the body fabric puckers, the neckband is too short. If it pooches out, especially at center front or back, it's too long.

[@sheilamoore2607]

what pattern is this and where you buy the fabric weights..tfs

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

I have a tutorial for the pattern here: elizabethmadethis.com/easy-to-make-diy-raglan-t-shirt-pattern/ which has a video version of the tutorial on this channel as well.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

The pattern weights I made myself. You can grab that tutorial here: elizabethmadethis.com/3-fun-diy-pattern-weights-to-make/

[@sherrieshoemaker6862]

When you use the twin needle, what stitch length do you use? I have never had good success with the twin needle.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Hi Sherrie. I would use a 2.5-3.0 length. Have you ever tried it with a narrow zigzag? That can really help on more stretchy knits. A narrow zigzag is 0.5 width + 2.5-3.0 length. You can also try using Wooly Nylon or Bulky Nylon in the bobbin--that will also help with a twin needle.

[@heatherthrone9999]

Just heard about you from Karina.

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Ah, welcome! She's awesome!

[@yougotmeinstitches1847]

Gday Elizabeth, how you doing? Great video. I like the contrast of the two fabrics. Your Raglan looks great on you. Thanku for sharing. anna. x

[@ElizabethMadeThisSEW]

Thanks Anna!