Take Body Measurements You Can Use Again

A useful measurement record tells you where the tape went as well as what it read. Start with paper, a pencil and your pattern's measuring diagram. The aim is a repeatable starting point for choosing sizes and testing fit. Measurements alone cannot describe every curve, proportion or movement a garment must accommodate.

Jump to: Set up · Measure around · Measure lengths · Keep a record · Checklist

1. Prepare the tape and your reference points

Use a flexible sewing tape with readable markings, a mirror and, if possible, a helper. Avoid measuring over bulky clothing. Wear the underwear you expect to wear with the finished garment, including a bra if you will wear one. Stand in your usual relaxed posture and breathe normally.

Choose centimeters or inches and write the unit at the top of your page. Keep the tape comfortably against the body without compressing it or leaving a loose loop. For circumference measurements such as full bust and hips, check the back in the mirror: the tape should remain level rather than climbing or dipping.

2. Take the circumferences your pattern needs

Read the pattern maker's definitions before measuring. “Bust”, “high bust” and “underbust” describe different tape positions and cannot be swapped.

• Full bust: measure around the fullest part with your arms resting down after placing the tape.
• Waist: locate the natural waist using the maker's diagram. A gentle sideways bend can help identify it. Tie narrow elastic there comfortably to preserve the reference point.
• Hips: measure around the fullest part of the hips and seat. Check several nearby heights rather than assuming the fullest point is a fixed distance below the waist.

If the instructions request high bust, thigh or upper-arm measurements, add them using those specific diagrams. Do not replace a requested measurement with a number inferred from another one. Keep your body measurements unaltered; room for movement and the design belongs in the garment comparison.

3. Record where important levels fall

Circumferences tell only part of the story. A pattern's waist or hip shaping can sit above or below the corresponding place on your body. Measure the lengths needed for this project, following the maker's stated start and end points.

For example, record the distance down from your waist marker to the level where you measured your full hip. For a bodice, the instructions may ask for a back-waist length from a particular neck landmark. A helper can read the tape without making you twist. Keep a small sketch showing each route; a label such as “back length” alone may be unclear next time.

4. Make the record reusable, then recheck it

Give each measurement a row with its name, unit, first reading, repeat reading and landmark note. Release and reposition the tape for the repeat. If readings disagree, check the tape's level and position before deciding which to keep.

Illustrative example, using fictional measurements: a hip reading is 104 cm, then 101 cm. Instead of averaging them, the maker notices that the second tape position was higher. Repeating at the recorded fullest level gives 104 cm again. The useful result is the confirmed measurement together with its location.

Date the sheet and note the underwear used. Recheck relevant measurements before a new project, particularly if the old record no longer reflects you. Keep older sheets separately so their figures cannot be mistaken for current ones.

Before choosing a pattern size

• Every figure has a name and unit.
• The tape position follows the pattern's definition.
• Uncertain readings have been repeated.
• Body measurements and garment measurements are recorded separately.
• The sheet includes a date and useful landmark notes.

For a short reference while you work, see the Measuring Guide.

Further reading: Utah State University Extension's measuring guidance; Tilly and the Buttons on measuring for pattern selection; Seamwork's full-bust definition; Seamwork on length and proportion.