How To: Take Your Measurements

These measurments should be taken and recorded before drawing up you clothing design pattern.  Wear the bra and panties you will be wearing with the final garment.  Another option, especially if you are going to be selling a series of the garments, is to follow a size chart. While sizing is not very standardized in the clothing industry, I like the charts on the Burdastyle website which are in both inches and centimeters. When measuring, the tape measure should be neither too tight nor too loose.

1. FRONT WAIST LENGTH. From the shoulder through the apex of the bust, to the waistline.

2. BUST POINT. From the shoulder at the base of the neck measured vertically to the apex of the bust.

3. BUST SEPARATION. The distance between both apexes in the bust.

4. BUST CIRCUMFERENCE. Measure with the measuring tape below the armpits all the way around the body one time making sure to keep the tape measure parallel to the floor and around the widest part of the bust.

5. HALF BUST. From one side at the bust height traveling through the apex to to mid-center of the chest.

6. THORAX WIDTH. Horizontal measurement (between the bust and the collar bone)the distance from one armpit to the other.

7. NECK CIRCUMFERENCE. One wrap of the measuring tape around the base of the neck.

8. BACK LENGTH. From the shoulder at the base of the neck measured vertically down the back to the waistline.

9. BACK WIDTH. From the end of one shoulder across to the end of the other.

10. SHOULDER WIDTH. Take measurement on top of shoulder from base of neck to the widest part of the shoulder.

11. ARMHOLE. One wrap around where the arm begins at the shoulder. Do not measure too snugly.

12. SLEEVE LENGTH. Arm slightly bent, measure from the shoulder through the elbow to the wrist.

13. ELBOW. From the shoulder to the elbow.

14. WRIST. (Measure snugly) One wrap around the wristbone.

15. FIST. One wrap around a clenched fist, over the knuckles. (To take into account space needed to get hand through finished sleeve.)

16. SHOULDER CUP. Place a ruler horizontally under the armpit, measure from the ruler, over the shoulder to the ruler on the other side. (Take this measurement slightly loose.)

17. SIDE LENGTH. Measure along the side, the distance from the armpit to the waistline.

18. WAIST. One wrap of the tape measure around the waist.

19. SECOND HIP. One complete wrap with the tape measure around the widest part of the hips (at approximately where the femure starts) and rear end.

20. HEIGHT OF SECOND HIP. Measure along the side of the hip, from the waist to the second hip.

21. FIRST HIP. Find the point between the waist and the second hip, (approximately 10 cms or 4 inches down from the waist) Measure the circumference of that point with the tape measure.

22. HEIGHT OF FIRST HIP. Along the side of the hip, from the waist to the widest part of the first hip.

23. SKIRT LENGTH. Measure down the side from the waistline to the desired length of the skirt.

24. KNEE. The same as 23 but to the knee.

25. ANKLE. The same as 23 but to the ankle.

26. OUTERSEAM (for pants). The same as 23 but to the desired pant length, using the shoes that will be used when wearing the final garment.

27. INSEAM (for pants). Measure from the desired length to the crotch along the inside of the leg.

28. CROTCH. From the front waistline, through the legs to the back waistline.

29. FRONT CROTCH. Take the outerseam measurement and subtract the inseam measurement. This measurement can also be taken by sitting on a hard chair and placing a ruler on the side of your body, measuring from the waist line to the surface of the seat.