How to draft the CAPE-RAGLAN

The Cape with a Raglan Cut

 Very, very easy garment to draft. The pattern is done from the basic block so it can be close fitted enough around the shoulder and follow the body shape nicely.

Follow the instruction and the video is at the end of that page for more fluency.

start from the basic dart block

First, dart distribution.

The shoulder dart and the bust dart are pivoted into the armhole for more ease of arm movement. 

There is no sleeve but the extra dart value counts.

Always make sure that the side seams and the shoulder seam dont change length. 

Now , the most important thing : levelling the shoulders

Draw an horizontal line from the lower tip (here the back, it can be the front, depending on your original block)

Lower the tip of the front shoulder so it reaches the horizontal line. The shoulder should have the same length and it can be done by pivotting the segment around the neckline-shoulder point.

Now the shoulders are levelled. It will allow total symetry on the curves drawn from that point down.

Draw the outline of the cape from the shoulder tip.

In our drawing, the cape will be very close fitted. You can draw it further away from the block to make the cape wider.

Mirror that line on the front.

Those curves are equal length because we have levelled the shoulder. It is important as those curves are part of the same seam.

Please, note that, if you have levelled the sides and the shoulder properly, the mirroring of the curve should be easy and be "spot on".

We can leave it here and drafa a simple cape with lateral seams

But we add Raglan cut openings for the arms

Draw the raglan lines.

Draw the front opening overlap line (2 cm away from the center front to position button and buttonhole.

Separate the pieces

Joining the two "sleeve parts".

Make sure than the bottom is the same as the original draft.

The overlap is minimal and at the arm level.

The top of the shoulder turns into a dart.

Round the outlines

And notch properly. The notches mark the end of the seam and the begining of the split to let the arm throught.

and the video :

The Shirt Collar without a stand - How to draft the pattern

 

How to draw a shirt collar

You can start by drafting a mandarin collar (see previous post there)

The rectangle equal the neckline measurement of the pattern

Raise it of 1/10 the total length.

Note that the raise part (center front side is narrower. The stand is smaller that at center back.

The fall (green line)

Draw the fall. Straight line at the top from center back to center front.

Shape it at center front to look like something you like.

The fall should "cover" the stand, it should be highter.

The stand in blue

The fall in green

Mirror the fall along the straight line.

The collar is taking shape

Modify the center back so it keeps right angles. (red lines)

We can extend down the center back line until a right angle is found. Then curve into the lower line (sewn on the neckline)

In red, we have the new collar outline.

We will have to develop so it sits well.

draw the cutting lines.

3 or 4, at equal distance and close to the shoulder seam : that where the collar turns the most.

Develop the collar.

Pivot at neckline making sure that no value is added there.

3 to 5 mm gap is enought for a small collar

Redraw nice curves and we are done

Watch the video for more details