How to Measure Your Body for Sewing

Use a fabric tape measure, not a steel sewing rule or a cord. A tape that has been stretched for years reads long, so check it against a rigid ruler over a hundred-centimetre span. If it has grown, retire it: an inaccurate tape makes every number wrong in the same direction.

Tie a narrow elastic or a piece of string around the natural waist and leave it there for the whole session. It marks the waistline consistently, which is the single most important reference point because bust, torso and dress length measurements all pivot off it.

Stand naturally with arms relaxed at the sides, feet together, weight even on both legs. Do not suck in, do not straighten up taller than usual, and breathe normally. Take each measurement twice and record the number that repeated, not the one you preferred.

Bust is measured at the fullest point with the tape horizontal all the way round, parallel to the floor at the back. Run a hand around to confirm the tape has not slid down. Keep it snug against the body without compressing the tissue, and do not let it dip under the arms at the back.

High bust is taken directly under the arms, above the fullest point, with the tape still horizontal. The gap between the two numbers tells you how much cup volume you are carrying and is the reason a pattern's printed size often reads wrong for a fuller bust.

Underbust is measured on the exhale, directly under the bust where the tape meets the ribcage. Together with the bust number it drives the choice between size options in bodices and any fitted knitwear.

Waist is taken at the natural bend, which is usually one to two centimetres above the navel and narrower than you expect. Measure on the elastic you tied earlier, not at the height of a trouser waistband. The number is not where a belt sits.

Hip is measured at the fullest point of the seat, which for many bodies is roughly twenty centimetres below the natural waist. Stand with feet together; a wide stance adds centimetres that are not present when you wear the garment.

For trousers and skirts also record the crotch depth: sit on a flat chair with good posture and measure from the waist elastic down over the hip to the chair surface. That number decides rise, and it is the measurement most often skipped and most often missed.

Shoulder width goes from the bony point at one shoulder edge to the other, across the back rather than over the neck. Find the point by rolling the arm: the joint you feel moving under the skin at the top of the arm is the landmark.

Armhole circumference is measured over the shoulder point where the arm meets the torso, dropping under the arm and back up, with the arm slightly raised. It is an uncomfortable measurement to take alone, so get help or estimate it from a well-fitting garment you own.

Sleeve length is measured from the shoulder point down the outside of the arm with the elbow slightly bent, to the wrist bone or to wherever the cuff should sit. Recording sleeve length with the arm bent, not straight and held forward, prevents cuffs that ride up when the hand moves.

Nape to waist is the back torso length. Find the nape, the prominent vertebra that appears when you tip your head forward, and measure down the centre of the back to the waist elastic. A too-short bodice is nearly always this measurement being guessed.

Front waist length is measured from the shoulder at the neck edge, over the bust point, down to the waist elastic. It is the number that decides whether a fitted front pulls horizontally across the chest or sits smooth.

For dress and skirt lengths, measure from the waist elastic down the side of the body to the intended hem while wearing the shoes you plan to pair with the garment. Knees and ankles are landmarks people misjudge by a full size category.

Write the date beside every measurement and re-measure at least once a year, and again at the start of any garment where fit matters. Bodies drift, and a block drafted from measurements taken three years ago will not fit today.

Keep the record as a table with the measurement name, the number, and a note about what you were wearing. Add a second column of measurements taken from your best-fitting ready-made garment, because comparing body to garment is more informative than comparing body to size chart.

When choosing a pattern size, work from the bust or hip measurement that governs the garment's fit area, then check the ease. If the finished garment bust is only two centimetres larger than your upper bust, it will not close over your chest whatever the label says.