Ladies Raglan Top Pattern
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Be sure to grab your copy of this free sewing pattern! When paired with leggings and boots, this Ladies Raglan Top Pattern is perfect for a morning of school drop off, running errands and snuggling on the couch!
The length is tailor-made for me, but you can easily lengthen or shorten the pattern to whatever length is most flattering for you.
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*Update!! Check out Cowl-neck top I made with this pattern!
Ladies Raglan Tunic Pattern
You’ve probably noticed; I have a thing for tunic-length tops. I like the length on both my daughter and me, especially now that leggings are so popular.
I made her a sequined raglan tunic top several weeks ago, and my plan was to make myself one too. (I bought the prettiest teal sequined fabric and sweatshirt fleece.) But, I spent too much time fiddling over the pattern and now March is practically over.
I’ve decided to shelve the sequined sweatshirt for me until next winter.
Since finishing my Raglan Tunic Pattern, I’ve made a couple different versions so far.
The first top is made with a nice quality French terry fabric (the version shown in coral fabric.)
I love that this particular french terry fabric had such great stretch and recovery. Paired with leggings and my shearling boots, this top is perfect for morning drop off and running around in!
I made no changes to the pattern for this version.
Raglan Tunic Top Sizing Notes
To make this pattern, I traced it off of a favorite top from my closet. One of the reasons I love the top so much is that it is really roomy, but still flattering.
The size of the original top is tagged as a medium, but it really fits more like a small large or a large medium. And when it comes to RTW tops, I wear either a med or a large depending on how roomy the top is. (Clear as mud, lol.)
Since the sizing a bit on the questionable side, I just called it a medium/large and graded the next size down to be more of a small/medium.
On my next pattern, I’ll be more careful to start out with a pattern that is closer to a true size…
Pattern Size Chart
Body Measurements:
- S/M: Bust: 35 – 37 Hip: 35.5 to 37.5
- M/L: Bust: 37.5 to 39 Hip: 38 to 40
Finished Raglan Tunic Measurements:
- S/M: Bust: 39.5 Hip: 39.75
- M/L: Bust: 41.75 Hip: 42
(As you can see, there’s plenty of ease in the top for a nice loose fit. )
Raglan Tunic – Boatneck Version
The next version I made was this denim-blue top, made the same as the first, but with a slightly wider neckline. (For a wider neckline, trim 1/2 inch off the top of the sleeves, front and back bodice pattern.)
I like the blue top in general, but it was a poor fabric choice.
The fabric is another french terry (if you can call it that) – lots of stretch but absolutely no recovery. After wearing it for a bit, it becomes very “shlumpy”. Fine for around the house, but not out and about…
The fabric was an online order failure – had I seen it in person, I wouldn’t have bought it.
Version 3- Tissue Knit Fabric and No Cuffs
This last top was made with a very stretchy tissue weight knit.
For this version, I lowered the neckline, made the sleeves 3/4 length, added an inch to the sleeve cuff and left of the bottom band. I left the bottom un-hemmed in the photo, only because I was out of time, but I do plan on hemming it with my double needle.
Products used and Recommended in this:
- My favorite fabric shop for knits: Funkalicious Fabrics and Girl Charlee. My favorite shop for cottons and other fabrics: Fabric.com.
- My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist, my coverstitch: Janome Cover Pro 1000cpx
- My Serger: Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger or you can just use Pinking Shears
- Rotary Cutter
- I love my large ruler and large cutting mat, but you may prefer to start off with a smaller Cutting set
- Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
- Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!
- Ball point needles
- Ball Point double needle
- Walking foot
Save this pattern for later by pinning here 
Let’s get started!
First, download the Ladies Raglan Tunic Pattern.
Materials needed:
- Pattern
- Fabric: stretch knit, about 2 yards. (With creative fabric wrangling, you can get a large out of 1 3/4 yard of 48 inch wide knit fabric.)
- Ribbed binding: use a ribbed knit or other knit with at least 75% stretch- any less than that, you will need to add a couple of inches to the binding and cuffs. (If you are worried, cut your binding a little long and stretch it with your fingers to make sure it will go all the way around.)
- Ball point/jersey needle
- spray starch/iron
- basic sewing supplies
Ladies Raglan Top Sewing Instructions
(I didn’t do a separate tutorial for this pattern since it is made the exact same way as my child size raglan tunic pattern/tutorial. Instead I just copy and pasted the instructions here so you no longer have to flip back and forth between the two.)
Fit Info:
Body Measurements:
- S/M: Bust: 35 – 37 Hip: 35.5 to 37.5
- M/L: Bust: 37.5 to 39 Hip: 38 to 40
Finished garment measurements:
- S/M: Bust: 39.5 Hip: 39.75
- M/L: Bust: 41.75 Hip: 42
(As you can see, there’s plenty of ease in the top for a nice loose fit. )
Step 1: Print pattern, tape together and cut out size needed.
Once you have downloaded the pattern to your desktop and opened it in the free adobe reader program, there’s a new printing option for you. You can now print only the size needed. (this pattern only, I’ll slowly go back and start updating the older patterns.) This function is super handy and makes it much less confusing when cutting the pattern, plus I love that it enables me to print in black and white. (that color ink can be pricey!)
To print a single size, open the pattern, click the “stack of papers” and toggle the size you want on and the other off. Be sure to leave the pattern markings on.
Step 2. Cut pattern and bindings:
Print the pattern and align the colored dots. Cut out the size needed from the pattern. (two sleeves, front and back bodice)
Cut binding pieces from measurements:
Neck binding: (cut on the fold)
- S/M: 10.5 inches by 2 inches
- M/L: 11 inches by 2 inches
Sleeve cuffs: (not on the fold)
- S/M: 8 inches by 4.5 inches
- M/L: 8.5 inches by 4.5 inches
Bottom binding: (not on the fold)
- S/M: 37.75 by 4.5
- M/L: 40 inches by 4.5
Step 3: Assembling the top:
Line up the sleeve edges and the front tunic piece, right sides together. Pin in place and sew along the edge.
Line up the back tunic piece with the back sleeve edges, right sides together, pin and sew.
Line up the front and back. Pin together and sew, from sleeve (cuff) edge to the bottom of the shirt.
Step 4: Adding the cuffs bottom band and neckband.
Fold all the fabric strips in half, right sides together, so the sort edges line up. Sew along the edges, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. (You should have fabric circles.)
Starting with the bottom band, fold the fabric circle in half, right sides together and press.
Divide the fabric band into fourths, mark these points with pins or a fabric marker. Mark the center of the front and back side of the tunic. Match up the marks, lining the raw edges of the band and raw edges of the tunic up, pin in place. (A much better photo tutorial of this process can be found in my Tie Front Top tutorial.)
Sew along the edge with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Gently stretching the band to fit the bottom of the tunic from quarter mark to quarter mark.
Repeat this process for the neckline and sleeve cuffs.
For a more finished look, you may want to gently press your seams flat and top stitch around the neckband. Since fleece and most knits don’t fray, it’s completely optional to finish the inside seams.
You’re done!
Let me know if you end up making one of these!
Like this project? Be sure to pin it! 
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