Embroidered Raglan / Dolman Top

I recently acquired some absolutely STUNNING embroidered fabric from India, and just…yeah. I have a total of three different imported embroidered fabrics that are simply burning a hole in my stash! The colors are so vibrant, and the thread so fabulous that I can barely stop staring at them. My ‘petting fabric’ obsession is at an all-time peak.

So I am using these fabrics, bit by bit, incorporating them into pieces of my wardrobe so that I can cherish and wear in my every day life. Because my motto is, a fabric is no good to me if it just sits on a shelf!

Life is meant for LIVING, and fabric is meant for SEWING!!! Woot woot, let’s do this!

Embroidered Raglan / Dolman Top

I know what you are asking. What’s a raglan / dolman top?

Weeeelllllllllll…..truth is, I don’t really know. I didn’t know what else to call this shirt, as it is dolman in style, but I hacked the sleeves up a bit, but not fully. So it is half a raglan – maybe more of a raglan yoke…but the yoke doesn’t go across the full front. Still dolman in style though. So yeah, let’s just go with raglan / dolman top. Makes the most sense. On with the show.

How to sew a raglan / dolman top

Skill level: Advanced Beginner

Time needed: 2 – 3 hours

MATERIALS:

• Free dolman dress pattern, found HERE
• 2 – 2.5 yds knit fabric
• Coordinating woven or knit fabric for raglan sleeves
• Coordinating thread
• Rotary cutter/ fabric scissors
• Universal ball point sewing needle
• Ruler
• Pins
• Cutting mat
• Sewing machine

INSTRUCTIONS:

*Print out the free dolman dress pattern above, or draft your own dolman top pattern. 

1. Lay out the front and back dolman dress or top pattern pieces so that the shoulder seams are butting up next to each other. Using a ruler and pen, draw a straight line from the neckline to the end of the sleeve or armsyce, cutting the sleeve in half down the middle. Repeat for both front and back pattern pieces. Butt the cut out pattern pieces next to each other at the shoulder seam, and tape together. Add 3/4″ seam allowance to each of the cut sides. This will be your raglan pattern piece. Cut (2) mirror image raglan pattern pieces from your coordinating woven or knit fabric. Cut the remainder of the pattern pieces as indicated.
2. Sew the raglan sleeve to the front and back pattern pieces as you would a normal raglan, right sides together at the front and back shoulder seams. Fold dress right sides together, matching up the side seams and underarm seams. Pin and sew, turn right side out. Sew neckline binding or facing as indicated. Hem the bottom.
3. Fold sleeve right sides together, pin and sew outer edge. Press seam open. Fold sleeve tube in half, wrong sides together, sandwiching the seam in the middle. Slip sleeve around armsyce, matching up the seam, pin around and sew.

And you are finished!

I went a little light on these instructions, as they really do refer back to the free dolman pattern for most of them. But they are pretty straight forward, and I absolutely love my new shirt!

Fabric seen in these photos:

• Embroidered fabric from Craftise on Etsy
• Striped knit fabric from Mood HERE

PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS:

Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time…

Happy sewing!