A raglan is a type of seam that runs in a diagonal line from the underarm to the neck. A regular sleeve is ‘set in’ which means the sleeve has a cap and shaping to fit into an armhole. Look at your blouses and coats for an example.
suzeeq, thanks for the explanation,it’s so nice to know how to answer a question when asked.
I hate to say this but I am stuck on my pattern, again:???:
I have reach the End of raglan increases with 56sts on the back and 36 on the sleeves .
I have read the next instructions over and over and I just don’t understand how to do it.
it reads;
Then divide off work by working across,binding off the “seam” stitches and putting the sleeves on stitch holders.
Do I divide the sts by putting them on other needles?
how do you bind off the “seam” sts? and still
Continue to work the front pieces and back pieces all in one?
Can someone make sense of this for me??
You ‘divide’ the stitches by putting them on stitch holders or another needle. Divide just means separate them off. I wouldn’t BO the seam sts, that makes no sense to me, and there’s no need to do that. Just knit them, put the sleeve sts on a holder and kind of ‘fold’ them (this is why putting sleeve sts on another circular or scrap yarn is good) until the edges of them meet. Then the back sts will be right there to knit as the next set of sts.
can I divide them just by using markers? I have all my sts on circular needles right now.
Binding off the 2 seam sts didn’t make any sense to me either, but that’s what the pattern says to do.That’s what confused me the most.
So you say keep knitting the seam sts?
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/babysweragcard.htm
Do I continue doing the increase sts before and after the “seam” sts?
I’ve made several baby raglan sweaters and I’ve never heard of binding off the seam stitches. You can use stitch ‘holders’ if want, but they need to be removed from the rest of the sweater for now. I recommend using waste yarn as it’s easier to do the rest of the sweater that way. You’ll see what I mean.
Thread a yarn needle with some contrasting yarn first. I’d make it about 18" for safety. Then just knit across to the raglan seam and taking a needle slip it through the stitches to the other seam removing them from the knitting needles. Now join the front to the back. If it’s a little loose don’t worry about it now. Knit across the back to the other raglan seam and do the same things you just did, join and knit across the front.
Now you’ll be knitting the bottom of the sweater. Continue with buttonholes as before.
Suzeeq said to just knit the seam sts.
Do I still do those increase sts ?
and will there be a huge gap as I by pass the sleeve sts?
Do the increase stitches. Once you get the sleeve sts on some yarn, you’ll see they will scrunch up so there’s no gap between the front and back of the sweater. Do the increases, then push the first few back sts close to the left needle tip and knit them, making sure there’s no gap between them. The sleeve sts fall out of the way and it’s just like knitting a continuous row of sts. Don’t over think it, just do, grasshopper.
Grasshopper 
Thank You Master’s
That’s Sifu to you… 
Ahhh…so sorry Sifu
I must be doing something wrong. If I continue with what I am doing I will have the Raglan seam running the length of the sides of the sweater . Is that right?
Did you mean to remove the markers that I had in place for the “seams” and continue by knitting all sts including the "seams"sts on what is my increase row?
I want you and Jan in CA to know that without your guidance with my sweater I would have probably givin up by now. You two are unbelievably the best! and I greatly appreciate your help.
If I continue with what I am doing I will have the Raglan seam running the length of the sides of the sweater . Is that right?
No you won’t. The raglan ‘seam’ stops when you stop the increases and separate off the sleeve stitches. The ‘seam’ stitches will be incorporated into the lower body of the sweater and won’t look any different than the other stitches.
No, no…once the sleeve stitches are on the holders there will be no more increases. Just plain ol’ stockinette.
The stitches may be loose at the underarm join, but that will be taken care of when do the sleeves.
Don’t over think this… just do as I wrote before. If you want to do the increase first as Sue says that’s fine, but I don’t think you need to.
I found a page with some pictures. It’s not exactly the same because they have you add some stitches under the arm, but you can see the sleeves on waste yarn.
http://www.knittingpureandsimple.com/knitalong.html
I found a page with some pictures. It’s not exactly the same because they have you add some stitches under the arm, but you can see the sleeves on waste yarn.
OMG, Thank you ,what a helpful link.I get it.
Excellent! 
I think the increases after you place the sleeve sts on a holder would take the place of cast on sts at the underarm. I sometimes do that, just inc a couple, one the front, one on the back.
Oh I see, that makes sense.
I have completed the body of my sweater and now am off to work the sleeves :woohoo:
It looks like the picture so far:yay:
Yay!! :yay:
Yipee yay! even…
I started my first sleeve and I got to thinking,ya I know I shouldn’t do that. But could you do the sleeves on one circular needle and use the Magic Loop technique?
Just thought that it might be easier . What do my Sifu’s think?
Nana,