How to design a top-down raglan sweater
Dividing the neckline, planning the raglan increases, matching the yoke depth to the armhole and separating the sleeves — step by step.
- A raglan grows from the neckline along four diagonal lines.
- Divide the neck stitches between the front, the back and the two sleeves.
- Two stitches are usually added at each raglan line every other round — eight per round.
- The yoke must reach both the right width and the right depth.
What a raglan is
A raglan sweater has no shoulder seams in the classic sense. Four diagonal lines run from the neckline to the underarms, and the front, the back and the two sleeves grow out of the neckline together. Knitted from the top down, it is one of the most comfortable constructions to design: you can try it on as you go and decide on the length at the very end.
All the shaping happens along the raglan lines, where stitches are added on both sides of each line. The rest of the yoke can carry texture, cables or colourwork.
Cast on and divide the neckline
Start with the neck circumference you want and convert it into stitches with your gauge. Then divide those stitches between four parts: the front and the back get more stitches, the sleeves fewer. For example, 100 stitches could be divided into 34 for the front, 34 for the back and 16 for each sleeve.
Mark the four raglan lines between the parts. Some designers keep one or two stitches as a decorative raglan line between the markers; others place the increases directly next to the markers. Either way, decide this before you start, because it changes the count.
Raise the back of the neck
A neckline that is the same height at the front and the back tends to ride up at the front. Most top-down raglans therefore add a few short rows across the back before joining in the round, so that the back is a few centimetres higher than the front.
The same effect can be achieved by casting on fewer stitches for the front and adding them in the first rows. Whichever method you choose, it is one of the small details that makes a hand-knitted sweater sit like a well-cut one.
Plan the raglan increases
In a classic raglan you add one stitch on each side of each of the four raglan lines — eight stitches in one increase round — usually every other round. Each part grows by two stitches per increase round.
The yoke has to do two things at once: reach the width of the body and the upper arm, and reach the depth of the armhole. Count how many increase rounds the body needs to reach its width and how many rounds fit into the yoke depth. If the width comes first, work a few rounds without increases. If the depth comes first, add some increases every round, or cast on extra stitches under the arm when you separate the sleeves.
Separate the sleeves and finish the body
When the yoke is deep enough, the sleeve stitches are put on hold and a few stitches are cast on under each arm. The front and the back are then joined and knitted down as one tube to the hem.
The sleeves are picked up later: you take the held stitches, pick up the stitches cast on under the arm and knit the sleeve down to the cuff, decreasing evenly as it narrows towards the wrist.
The raglan in KnitLab Studio
The raglan constructor in KnitLab shows the front, the back and both sleeves in one view, from the neckline to the underarms. You set the neck stitches of each part, add or remove cells at the edges, paint both sleeves together or mirror the front and the back, and a highlighted round shows its stitch counts.
Repeat lines let you place your motifs on the yoke by hand; in Premium they can be placed automatically. The whole raglan stays a chart, so you see the finished yoke before you knit a single round.
Questions about this topic
Top-down or bottom-up raglan?
Both work. Top-down is easy to try on as you go and to adjust in length; bottom-up joins the body and the sleeves at the underarm and decreases towards the neck.
How often do I increase in a raglan?
Usually every other round, eight stitches per increase round. The exact rhythm depends on your gauge, the width you need and the depth of the yoke.
Can I add colourwork or cables to a raglan yoke?
Yes. Plan the motif between the raglan lines so that the increases do not cut through it, and check how many stitches each part has in the rounds where the motif sits.