A few tips for accurate body measurements
Measure yourself in your underwear. If you know which undergarments you'll probably wear with the item you are making, wear them.
Hold the tape snugly, not too tight.
Stand naturally and let your arms hang at your sides. Your clothes should fit the real you, so resist the urge to suck in your tummy.
Try to have someone help you. There are a few measurements that are tough to do on your own. If you haven't got a helper, don't worry – I'll show you a couple of tricks. For the most accurate results, take each measurement more than once.
Although we’re working with a slim figure in the photos, this guide includes notes for measuring fuller body types.
If in doubt, check your measurements against a standard size chart. The numbers won’t match up exactly (after all, we want a perfect fit) but if you see any glaring differences, you’ll know where you probably made a mistake.
What body measurements do you need?
There are several basic measurements you need for sewing besides just bust, waist, and hips. This guide will show you what to measure and how to do it right. You can use your measurements to draft your own shirt pattern or adjust a commercial pattern.
Waist
Measure around your natural waist. Where is it? Look for the narrowest part. It’s higher than you may think, probably even above your belly button.
For full figures the waist may be easier to see from behind. No matter how curvy you are, just look for the narrowest place.
The waist is also narrower for men, though not as noticeably. It tends to be lower than for women, closer to the belly button.
Now that you’ve located your natural waist, tie a string or bit of elastic around it. The waistline is an important reference for other measurements, and the elastic will show you where it is.
Bust
Measure around the fullest part of your bust, across the bust points.
Hold the measuring tape so that it’s perpendicular to your back, not necessarily parallel to the floor. It will probably be lower in back than in front. If your bra fits well (the band in the back doesn’t ride up) then the measuring tape will align with the band.
For men, measure around the broadest part of the chest.
Hips
Measure around your hips at the widest point. Look for the curve at your side and derriere – the line generally runs parallel to the ground.
If your thighs bulge significantly at the sides below the widest point of your bottom, measure the circumference there too; it can be useful for fitted skirts and bodycon styles in general.
Front waist length
The front waist length is measured from the point where the shoulder line meets the neck. Put the start of the tape here, then run it over your bust point to the waistline. Be careful! Don’t raise your shoulder when measuring.
Bust depth
Measure from the point where the shoulder line meets the neck to the bust point.
If you’re measuring yourself, hold the measuring tape with your opposite hand. For the picture above I used the arm on the same side so that you could see the starting point better, but in doing so I raised my shoulder and that whole side of my body. If you hold the tape with your opposite hand, the measurement is more accurate.
Bust span
Measure bust point to bust point. The bust span is the measure of the distance between the fullest points of the breasts, usually where your nipple is (but not always). Just look down – you’ll see where it is.
Shoulder
Measure the distance from the neck to the end of the shoulder on one side (stop where the red line is in the lower picture). You can feel how the bone fits into the socket here with your fingers.
Hold the tape to your neck with your opposite hand and run it over your shoulder. In the photo I’m leaning forward a little to show you the tape, but you should stand up straight.
Shoulders (full width)
This is measured across the back from one shoulder to the other. It’s tricky to do on your own. Try to keep your shoulders level. This is one you should measure a few times to be sure you get it right.
Side waist length
Measure from your waist to the place where the armhole will start. For sleeveless dresses and tops, this should be above the bra line, so that your underwear doesn't peek out.
Waist to hip
Measure the drop from your waist to your hip at its widest part. This measurement is used when drafting skirt patterns.
If you are measuring for a shirt, just stop where you want the bottom hem to hit; this will probably be higher than the hip.
Back waist length
Measure from the seventh cervical vertebra (the back of your neck) to your waist. It’s a little tricky to measure on your own, but if you have a camera with a timer, you can take a snapshot and read the numbers off that.
The lower photo shows a trick to keep you from twisting around: tuck the measuring tape into the elastic band at your waist and hold the tape at your neck. Snap a photo (or mark the spot on the tape with a finger) and subtract to get the length.
If you are large busted, there will be a fairly big difference between your front and back waist length. The front waist length is almost always greater though, even for men.
Arm length
Arm length is measured from the end of your shoulder (the same point where the shoulder length ends, see above) to the wrist. To take the measurement, bend your elbow at a right angle, hold the end of the tape at your shoulder, and run it over your elbow to your wrist.
Keep a body measurements chart
Record your measurements in a body measurements chart along with the date. Our bodies change all the time, so it’s a good idea to retake your measurements every now and then.
How did you manage?
Comments(0)