Modern Sewing Starts Here Edition 15

Tips for measuring
AND MAKING SUCCESSFUL GARMENT
Julie Bonnar from The Pattern Pages shares her tips on making
sure your garment is the perfect fit!
We’ve all done it, haven’t we? We’re so excited to be sewing that we’ve launched straight in! Then we spend all that love,
attention and time, cutting out and sewing only to find it doesn’t fit properly. You heard the phrase ‘measure twice and cut once’
well this is how you put it into practice!
THINGS ABOUT A SEWING PATTERN YOU
MIGHT ASSUME:
1. The pattern size is the same as readymade garments you buy on the
High Street. It’s not and also more importantly each indie pattern
company will have its own sizing charts and measurements too.
2. All sewing patterns follow a set of standard measurements. No
they don’t, and very few of us would match these measurements
completely as we’re all different shapes and sizes and something to
be celebrated.
3. Use your own
measurements for every
pattern you sew. Yes this is true,
but you should always redo
these every time you start to
make a garment, even if it’s
a pattern that you’ve made
before. Just like our weight, our
measurements can fluctuate too.
WHAT MEASUREMENTS
DO YOU NEED:
thepatternpages.com
A. Height - Stand with your
back, head and heels against My measurements cross between two sizes
the wall without shoes. Your on this Olive Dress from Megan Nielson so I’d
friend should place the ruler pick to make the size 14 for the bust, as the
across the top of your head and
dress is loose fitting.
mark. Measure from the floor to
the mark for height.
B. Chest - Measure immediately under your armpits and across the top of chest.
C. Bust - Measure across the bust’s fullest part and the widest part of the back.
D. Waist - Measure your natural waistline. To find this – you can tie a piece of string around
your waist and let it settle as you bend left and right.
E. Hips - Take the measurement around the fullest part (this is usually 8cm-23cm below the
waistline).
TIP: For more precise measurements, always round up to the nearest whole centimetre.
thepatternpages.com
HOW TO TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS
Making a pattern fit you well is all about taking accurate body measurements.
Take your measurements over your usual underwear and don’t be tempted to pull the
measuring tape too tightly. Ask a friend around and ask them to help. They will be able to
get more accurate measurements as you can stand still.