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Raglan Review: Named Geneva

Happy Raglan Thursday to you! I'm so excited to be bringing you another edition of the Women's Raglan Review Blog Tour. When you ge...

Happy Raglan Thursday to you! I'm so excited to be bringing you another edition of the Women's Raglan Review Blog Tour. When you get ALL the way to the bottom, you'll see our very full schedule. The permalinks are all there, so just wait for the right day and the links will be live. Be sure to click over to The Art Of Oh to see her Raglan Thursday review too! Just keep in mind Kyema is on the west coast, so her posts are on PST, not EST like me. :) Be sure to read through to the end of each post to check for a coupon code!
Please note, that raglans are presented in no particular order of preference. For your ease of reading, every review will include the same chart that will help you quickly compare and contrast. The final round up will do a side by side comparison chart, awards in multiple categories, AND a HUGE fabric giveaway so don't miss it.

 Today's Raglan is the Named Geneva
Sizes
0-14 (bust 30-41)
Printable pattern pages/copy shop version
16
Skill Level
Beginnger
Measurements for Rectangles
No
Line Drawings
Yes
Size made
8 bust with an adjustment to the hip
Options chosen
Short sleeve (not included) and hemmed neckline (not included)
Fabric Requirement for your size
2 yards
Measurement Chart
Bust, waist and hip
Cutting Instructions
Yes
Pattern Printing Layout
Yes
Cutting Layout
Yes
Suggested Fabrics
Light but firm knit with 30-50% stretch
Layer Printing Option
Pattern is nested with 2 sizes per set.
Neck Line Options
Crew only
Sleeve Options
Long Only
Hem Options
Shirt hem
Color Blocking
No
Seam Allowance
3/8"
Hem Allowance
3/4"
Separate add-on pack
No
Fit
Semi Fitted
Easy to read instructions
Includes sewing term "dictionary"
Drawing or photograph instructions
Drawings

So before I even started sewing the Name Geneva I knew this was not going to be an ideal look for me. The neckline is REALLY high and there is a dart in the shoulder. So I hacked as best I could to make it a little better, but it still isn't ideal. That said, all in all, it turned out pretty ok.

 So I started out with the size 40 (which is the best match for my over bust measurement. Unfortunately, the size 40 is stacked with the size 42. For my hip I needed somewhere between a 36 and 38. Since learning how to adjust length for my body shape, I knew the first step was to adjust the lengths in the pattern. Thanks to Becca over at Free Notion, I knew that Named Drafts for someone that is 5'8". That means there is 7" extra height in the patterns compared to my body. I normally use designers that draft for 5'5" so I knew that is 3 extra inches in the entire pattern. I took a wild guess here and cut the extra 3" in half (so it would be taken half out of my top half and the other half out of the bottom). So I removed my usual 1 1/2" from the pattern, then took out 1 1/2" more. o.O That is 3 total inches! Meep... I took 1" out of the high bust and 2" out of the waist. I checked it against one of my other patterns and the waist seemed to be lining up properly. Whew. Scary time though. I took that 1" out of the "armscye" and had to chop up the sleeve pattern piece too. While it felt scary, it wasn't any worse than adjusting the sleeve cap on any other pattern. (I'll be sharing with you how to make that adjustment tomorrow, so be sure to come back. :) )

 Now that all my length adjustments were done, I basically took the pattern straight down from the waist measurement. This pattern is meant to hit just past the high hip and I know my high hip and waist are pretty much the same size. Because the pattern already included a finished measurement chart, it was really easy to see that there was a fair amount of ease in the waist (finished measurement was 33") so I knew my hips wouldn't be a problem.
Assembly was super fast just like all the other raglans. The dart in the shoulder was an extra step but no big deal. The end of the dart "should" hit at the end of my shoulder. Mine doesn't. Instead it created this strange little lump toward the end of my shoulder. That says i should have sized down compared to my usual measurement. So when between sizes, size DOWN. I also skipped out on the full bust adjustment and got a tiny wrinkle. Blah. If I size down, I'll definitely need a FBA.

 Now the pattern does NOT include a short sleeve option. I just cut the pattern at about 2" beyond the armscye and then hemmed it up 1". That makes a nice little cap sleeve. I should have taken it up maybe another 1/2" as the cut makes me look a tiny bit wide. I also did not add in the neckband. I knew that would make my neckline so many ways too high. Instead I turned the neckline down 1/2". That isn't even close to my usual neckline. If i was going to make this again, I'd probably cut 1" off the entire neckline and then turn it under another 1/2". I actually ended up liking the way this looks on me, even if it isn't perfect. The dart in the shoulder makes for a really nice smooth shape.

 Who will love this pattern? Tall people. I took 3 full inches out of the pattern to get it to hit exactly where it was intended. If you're 5'8" tall or taller, you'll find the proportions on this one spot on. Pear shapes will also love this pattern. The pattern only has a shirt length, so you won't have to mess with adjusting the pattern to fit over your hips. The shoulder darts could make for a very nice feature, rather than just a fitting element. You're probably thinking, "but this pattern doesn't have all the features the others do." That's true. But this pattern is so finely drafted, it is like a work of art. It includes cutting and seam allowance lines (in case you want to draw in your own seam allowance. The "basic instructions and vocabulary" is like a little mini class on how to sew. After seeing this one, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Named pattern. It just isn't the right style for my body shape.

 AND, of course I've got a coupon code for you! Use code: GENEVARAGLAN to save 15% off the Geneva Pattern through Saturday March 19. 

 So there you have it. The final official review For Raglan Thursday. I have to admit I don't need any more raglans in my wardrobe. Possibly, for forever, LOL. Next week I'll have a final round up post. I'll compare all the patterns I've reviewed. I'll do a mini round up of the raglans that have been released since we finalized our calendar for the series and The Art Of Oh will have a rafflecopter for a huge fabric giveaway. And don't miss out your chance to link up your raglans because there'll be a nice linky party at the end too!

 We're so excited to have so many raglan reviews for you! Be sure to check out every single one. We're sure we can help you find your favorite!

Hi, I'm Ti and I'm so happy you're here. I'm a self taught seamstress that loves to focus on good fit, well drafted patterns and of course, FABRIC! As a self proclaimed fabric-aholic, it only made sense to open a fabric store, thus, Simply by Ti was born. Here on my blog, you'll mainly find work that I've done for myself and my family. I am always looking to expand my sewing abilities and spend a lot of time learning new fitting and sewing techniques. I aim to provide objective, honest, creative content that will keep you actively engaged and wanting to read more.

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