Raglan

Dear users and authors,
it would be great if you could post some information here about raglan or "raglan from the top," as this term may not be familiar to all users.
Thank you for your contributions.

A raglan sweater is a top in which the section of the sweater from the shoulder to the underarm is knitted in the round. Decreases are made at four points (diagonally from the underarm to the neck) so that the rounds gradually become smaller.

You can start a raglan sweater at the neck and increase one stitch at four points in every second row—one on the right and one on the left of the line—until you reach the underarm. From here on, the front and back panels, as well as the sleeves, are knitted separately to completion.

Alternatively, you can first knit all four sections up to the underarm, then transfer the sections one by one to a large circular needle and continue knitting up to the neck while decreasing (at the transition points between the sleeves and the front or back, on every other row, slip 2 stitches, knit 1, then pass the 2 slipped stitches over).

The advantage is that there are no seams at the shoulder or where the sleeve joins the front or back.

My first sweater was a top-down raglan.
I think it’s great, especially for beginners, because the four marked spots clearly show exactly where the increases need to be made. The pieces come out evenly, and you can try them on as you go.
Since it’s essentially knitted in one piece, there’s no sewing involved. I also started the sleeves on circular needles, though that doesn’t work as well for children’s sweaters due to their small circumference.
There are also some very good RVO calculators online. These provide precise knitting instructions. In some cases, you can even choose the neckline style (V-neck, crew neck, turtleneck, etc.).
I’ve also crocheted an RVO before. That works well too and is quite easy, especially for the sleeves.

I love raglan shaping! It always seems to fit somehow, and you save yourself the hassle of sewing in sleeves.
But it’s not just sweaters—you can also knit gorgeous ponchos with beautiful raglan shaping.
I knitted my Swoncho Nessa as a “top-down raglan” with a lovely pattern, with the increases worked along the sides. ☺