One of the most important things in sewing for yourself is to get accurate measurements! It is also much harder than it sounds. I had my sister take a few quick pictures of me measuring so I could explain and give a few tips.
I took my pictures in a tight tank. I recommend taking your measurements in a thin/tight shirt or even just in the bra you are going to normally wear. (This is especially important if you are going to be making a more formal garment and plan on wearing a different bra for it- think strapless, push up, etc).
I HIGHLY recommend measuring in front of a mirror! This helps you really see where you are measuring and if you are holding it evenly around your body. It can mean a big difference!
On all measurements breath normally! Most people want to take a big breathe in and then take them— no need! Patterns are drafted with ease to breathe and move normally 🙂 So breathe in and out, then measure. You want to hold the tape snug to your body, but not squeezing.
Here are some common measurements needed for a pattern:
Bust— Full bust is around the fullest/biggest part of your bust. You want the tape as even horizontally as possible.
Over Bust– This is taken around upper back, under arms and over your bust.
Under Bust– This is taken directly under your bust around back. Try to keep your tape as even horizontally as possible.
High Hip– This is taken around your hip bones (this is where I like to wear my pants 😉 and most youth patterns are drafted to hit)
Hip– This is a deceiving name. It is measured around your fullest/biggest part, which is usually your booty. Most definitely my booty is my biggest part 😉 Try to keep your tape as even horizontally as possible (a mirror really helps on this one!)
Waist– This is your natural waistline. Contrary to most belief, it is NOT your belly button or where you wear your pants (even though you might like high waisted pants). It is taken at the smallest part of your mid section. if you don’t have a very defined natural waist there is a very easy way to find it.
Take any kind of stretch trim, fold over elastic, thin elastic, even a strip of knit will work, and tie it snuggly around your mid section. Now MOVE around, bend walk around, sit down, it will naturally settle on your smallest part.
This is your natural waist 🙂
Side Waist Length– Taken from your armpit vertically down to your natural waist. This measurement is vital in any pattern that should hit as your natural waist like the Sweetheart Dress or Boundless Knit Dress. Making sure this measurement is accurate will give you the most flattering fit. If the seam doesn’t hit you at that smallest point then you’re not using it to your advantage 😉
You can see here mine is about 8.75″. For reference the avg is 8″. I’m 5’10” :).
*Updated* I had a few more questions about the side waist length. So I’ve added a couple more pictures— THIS is how much I LOVE my group, I’m willing to put up pictures in my sports bra 4 months after I had a baby!!!! They are cropped very well 😉
Start with your arms DOWN. You want your tape to start where your crease naturally lies— not all the up to your arm. Think where you’d like your shirt to be (if it’s all the way up as tight as possible then it is uncomfortable and you can’t move your arms around).
This was such a hard picture to get! But here are the best we could get to explain… yes, I taped the tape to myself lol!!!
Thigh- Taken around thigh close to crotch, keeping the measuring tape flat horizontally around.
Total Crotch Length- Taken from back center natural waist, under booty, through legs, and up to center front natural waist. You will want the tape pulled taut. The easiest way I think is to tape the center back and then pull through front and read at the front. These are measured with tight, high waisted yoga pants here:
Inseam- Taken from crotch to where you’d like hem of pants. Notice the close up of my ankle here. The difference between ankle height (for skinny leg options like Peg Legs and SOS pants) and a floor length is 3″ on me! That’s a big difference!
Arm length-from armpit to hem of shirt. Most P4P patterns are meant to hit at the base of thumb, so past the wrist. It’s just a personal preference of mine– so if you prefer the traditional wrist length here is where you’d want to measure against the finished measurement in the pattern.
Finished lengths- I will use “inside shoulder to hem” on some shirts and “armpit to hem” on others depending on which is easiest to measure on that particular pattern. Here are both:
Take your time measuring yourself to ensure great fit! It will make a big difference in how happy you are with the outcome!
Hello,
Please could we also have an upper arm photo? Or is it just the chunkiest part of my arm?
HI- Bicep is taking about midway between armpit and elbow around the widest part with arm bent. Hope that helps… I will try to add that photo in here.
Nice
Your all guides images are perfect but in my opinion some measurements will come wrong as taking measurements yourself your body shape changes which will make some incorrect in final measurements. Better ask someone to take or avoid some shape changes during measurements.
What about the calf measurement? I always thought I had big calves, I think so… I am measuring 14 inches… If I’m in the right place which is size large on the peg legs, but I am a extra small to medium everywhere else.
Calf is around the biggest part in that area 🙂
What is the total trunk? Looking at a pattern and it says total trunk, but I don’t see where to measure it on this page.
Total trunk is from top of one shoulder, down front, through your legs and up back to same shoulder top.
I was just reading through you blog for body measuring as I am getting ready to make the Minute Maillot. I don’t see anything in the blog as to measuring total trunk length. Can you explain the procedure.
HI- Total trunk length starts at the top of one shoulder, goes down your body, through your legs, and up your back to your shoulder again. Holding tape measurer tight.