Raglan Seam Help

Hi everyone, me again.

I’m knitting the Flax Sweater (Aran weight) by Tin Can Knits. Photos attached.

I’m really happy with it overall but the raglan seam going to the armpit area bulges out and I hate that. I don’t mind carrying on with this particular sweater as this is recycled, repurposed yarn and it’s my first sweater but I’d like to knit it again with a much nicer yarn and I really don’t want those bulges.

I haven’t blocked it yet. It’s Sirdar Jewelspun Aran 100% Acrylic.

Is there a way to minimize them. I didn’t do short rows. My bust isn’t particularly big but my overall rib cage is wide and large.

When people design a modified raglan what are the modifications exactly? Anything that’s minimizes the puffy, bulgy raglan seams at the armpits.

Thanks.

By any remote chance, might you have it on backward? Sweater backs are usually a bit wider than fronts at the shoulders / armhole area.

It seems to be quite snug at the bust, which could be causing at least some of that bunching. A looser fit would allow the upper part to relax and lie flatter. If you pull forward at the bust, does it make the seams lie flatter? Then working a larger size below the armhole would help. Also, pull down a bit at the shoulder…when the sleeves are on, that seam may straighten out some.

If you felt like ripping back to the underarm point, you could check the fit prior to casting on the extra stitches for the underarm and see if it lies better. And you could also determine how many extra stitches to cast on for YOU. No two bodies are truly the same.

1 Like

Same amount of stitches front and back, could be worn either way. Same thing happens whichever way I wear it. I’ve already started the sleeve on one side. I’m just going to keep going, it is what it is. It’s learning and growing in my opinion. I was just hoping people had some advice for next time.

I tried it on as I went and it seemed fine. There is one thing I noticed, the increases stopped a few rows before the arm opening which is odd to me because when I look at photos of other raglans the increase seam looks like it goes all the down to the arm pit opening. I reckon if I had carried on increasing until the armpit opening and then cast on less stitches for the arms it might have sat better.

The sleeves will help some, and you may be able to block it to be a wee bit longer / wider right at the armpit area.

Looking at the pics on Ravelry, there is some amount of bunching on almost all of them, so it’s likely a pattern issue. It seems odd to me as well, that the increases don’t keep going all the way. Maybe on your next one, just keep increasing until you reach the yoke depth. You may then have to adjust and cast on fewer stitches, and/or maybe follow the next size up?

Nothing wrong with doing a project for the experience and learning process!

That’s exactly what I was thinking. I think I may just frog it and start over. I already frogged this yarn from a crochet project that never got used so I really want to like and wear this. Best to frog and start over and then I will actually wear it. Thanks

@ColoCro makes some great observations. Above the bust fits like a sweater with more ease than the bust. I think the armhole depth doesn’t work with the body fit. I think the front is too long from neckline to the bust.

My experience in learning to fit a raglan has been interesting. Years ago I tried using the same pattern you used, found it at best confusing, gave up on it, and figured out how to do it my way without a pattern. Your increase rate is off for your body. You night need some short row shaping to shorten the top front above the bust while lengthening the back and sleeves. If you do that you’ll most likely need more short rows to lengthen the front farther down. Do you often have problems with necklines being too deep in front or they just don’t lay right and gap? I do so I learned to do short rows to adapt the fit. If we could get together IRL I might be able to help you figure out what to adjust. I can say that if you figure out where exactly the excess fabric is coming from then a way to eliminate it and increase where needed is possible. I rely on “try it on and figure it out”. I can’t seem to do it by measurements alone. That’s me. What works for you could be very different.

Does this pattern have back neck shaping? I don’t remember as it’s been years since I looked at it. If not then back neck short rows could make a big difference.

There is an option to do short rows in the back to raise the neck area a tad. Because I have never done short rows before I figured I would skip them this time. I also think I need to go up a size, looking at it on me I do think it’s a tad tight and I’m at the age now where I really don’t want tight fitting clothes.

I crocheted a Raglan sweater called The Brogan by Ruby Webbs and it was perfect from start to finish. The raglan increases went all the way to the armpit opening so I’m thinking I should do that.

Never had problems with necklines before or them lying funny.

I think you’ll be happier if you frog it. It’s a hard decision, but sometimes the best way, rather than putting more time into something that isn’t right.

Before you frog it, use some stitch markers to pin out that excess, on both sides. That will show how many stitches to reduce at the raglan seams (i.e. how many increases to leave out). It might work better for you to increase every 4th row instead of every other row, or something like that.

Or simply find a different pattern. You’ve learned a lot, and maybe this one just isn’t right for you. There are tons of basic raglan patterns.

Best of luck, and we’re always here to help!

1 Like

Thanks a lot, great advice that I will take on board.

Oh and BTW, the crochet raglan I mentioned above is what I’m wearing in my profile pic before I sewed in the ends. I have worn the heck out of it the last few months.

1 Like

I started with crochet raglans. I think frogging and working on learning back neck short row shaping with this yarn could be a good idea, and to see how you like the larger size. Getting short rows down with yarn you’re willing to sacrifice to experimentation and learning would make sense.

1 Like

I have already frogged it and put it on the back burner for now. Right now I need to work on my mums sweater for her 80th b’day on the 28th Feb. I’d like to get it done on time but it doesn’t matter if I don’t. A practice sweater for me isn’t the priority right now. Thanks.

1 Like

A very happy Birthday to your mother! Her sweater definitely has priority.

1 Like

Thank you

If you don’t mind ripping back a little, you can add short row bust shaping. This will alleviate the difference between having positive ease above the bust and negative ease at the bust.

Coco Knits has a good tutorial for top-down sweaters here:

(Note that the shaping they refer to is usually called horizontal bust darts, or short row bust shaping. Just in case you look anywhere else for further details.)

If you want to get into more sophisticated shaping, you could consider that your cross back measurement is probably wider than your cross front measurement (see sewing resources for how to take these measurements).

So you can make your cross front measurement above the bust slightly narrower, then add width and length over the bust.

The aim being to keep the amount of ease somewhat constant.

Then there are a bunch of further refinements done in sewing, but in knitting, which is stretchy and more forgiving than woven fabric or tight-fitting t-shirts, they are usually not needed.

2 Likes

Thank you, that’s very informative.

1 Like