is there a best sequence for sewing sleeves?

[downthestream]

Hi and thanks in advance for your help on this. Is there a "best" order to sewing pieces together? I am sewing a baby sweater together and the directions say to sew the shoulders first, then sleeve seams, and finally the sleeves to the armhole. Would it be easier to sew the sleeves into armhole first before sewing the sleeve seams? Then they would be flat instead of tubes.
(I also have a raglan sweater for me waiting to be put together. Any tips or differences between sewing raglan sleeves vs. set in?)
Also, does it matter which direction you sew the seams - toward the neck vs. the shoulder for shoulder seams, or toward the cuff vs. the shoulder for sleeve seams? Is one direction neater than another?
Thanks again.

[miss_molly]

For set-in sleeves, I sew the shoulders first - this is often necessary anyway, as there is a neckband or collar or hood to be put on. Then I find the mid-point of the sleeve and attach that at the point where the shoulder seam ends, then sew down towards the underarm; then attach the other half of the sleeve top, stitching down to the underarm. If I have enough yarn to keep stitching, I continue down to join the sides, and join the sleeves. Otherwise I join in a new stitching thread at the underarm to sew the sleeve and side seams, using mattress stitch.

Only once did I ever sew the sleeve seams first and it was awkward.

Stitching down the sleeve seam from underarm to cuff, and down the side seam, seems easier to me; it all seems to come together better and sit more nicely.

For raglan sleeves, the raglan seams are sti