How to Take Your Own Measurements

Master the Tape: The Ultimate Self-Measurement Guide for Custom Sewing Patterns

Taking your own body measurements is the absolute first, most crucial step to making, altering, or revising your own sewing patterns. While many people think they need an assistant to get accurate numbers, you can absolutely do it yourself! Writing these numbers down once creates a permanent reference library for all your future custom garment projects.

Here is the complete guide to mastering the tape measure solo.

🛠️ Essential Tools to Get Started

Before diving in, gather these simple household tools to ensure precision:

A Flexible Tape Measure: Ensure it is standard sewing quality (fabric or plastic) so it hugs your curves accurately.
A Rigid Ruler: Essential for linear width measurements where a flexible tape might sag or bend.
Twill Tape or String: Tie this securely around your natural waistline. It serves as a static horizontal anchor point when measuring vertical lengths up and down.
A Full-Length Mirror: Crucial for keeping the tape level across your back and identifying your posture landmarks.

📏 The 39-Point Comprehensive Measurement Breakdown

For a truly customized garment—such as a historically accurate or highly tailored fit—standard sizing won’t cut it. Follow these steps to map your body accurately:

Neck & Upper Body

Neck Circumference: Loop the tape over the prominent bone at the base of your neck (even with your shoulders) and bring it down to rest right on both collarbones. This establishes a standard, comfortable neckline—not a tight choker.
Neck Width: Drop twill tape or string straight down both sides of your neck. Measure the flat distance between those lines using your mirror.
Shoulder Width: Measure from shoulder point to shoulder point across your back. Important posture tip: If you naturally slouch, slouch while measuring! Forcing a rigid, unnaturally straight posture will distort the measurement and result in a finished garment that pulls tight or fits poorly during daily wear.
Chest (Men Only): Loop the tape evenly across the shoulder blades and over the fullest part of the chest.
Upper Chest (Women): Wrap the tape high up under the armpits and above the bust to map the upper chest curve.
Full Bust: Wrap the tape evenly over your shoulder blades and across the absolute fullest part of your bust.
Front Bust: Measure strictly from side seam to side seam across your front bust.
Back Bust: Measure strictly from side seam to side seam across your back.
- Pro Tip: Your front bust and back bust numbers should add up exactly to your full bust measurement. Knowing these separate numbers allows you to mix pattern sizes (e.g., combining a size 14 front with a size 10 back) for an incredibly precise, custom silhouette.
Bust-to-Bust: Measure point-to-point (nipple to nipple). This tells you exactly how far inward your pattern darts need to extend.
Ribcage (Underbust): Wrap the tape firmly right underneath the bust.

Torso & Waist

Waist: Measure around your natural waistline where you tied your twill tape. Note that everyone’s anatomy is unique; some individuals naturally possess a higher waistline and a shorter torso.
Bicep: Wrap around the thickest, fullest part of your upper arm.
Wrist: Measure around your large wrist bone.
Paw (Hand): Wrap around the widest part of your hand across the knuckles. This is vital if you plan to draft custom gloves or tight cuffs.
Hips: Wrap around the absolute fullest, widest part of your hips and seat.

Lower Body

Thigh: Measure the largest part of your upper leg, typically just below the crotch area.
Leg Width: Use a rigid ruler rather than a tape measure. Hold it flat against the back of your leg to line up with the front edge to capture the true linear width without letting a tape measure curve around the flesh. (Typically 6–8 inches for women, 7–9 inches for men).
Knee: Wrap directly over the center of your kneecap.

Vertical Lengths (Front)

Center Front to Waist: Measure from the small dip between your collarbones straight down to your waist string.
Center Front to Ribcage: Measure from the collarbone dip down to the underbust line.
Center Front to Knee: Drop the tape from your collarbone dip, anchor it with your hand as low as you can comfortably reach while standing normally, then bend over to read the number at the center of your kneecap.
Center Front to Floor: Stand directly on the start of your tape measure on the floor and pull it straight up to your collarbone dip.
Side Front to Bust: From the shoulder seam (close to the neck), run the tape diagonally down to the bust point.
Side Front to Waist: From the shoulder seam near the neck, run the tape straight down over the bust to your waist string.
Bust to Shoulder Point: Measure from the bust point up to the rigid bone at the very edge of your shoulder. Keep your natural, relaxed posture while doing this.
Center Front Waist to Shoulder (Men Only): From the outer shoulder point down to the center front waist above the belly button.

Vertical Lengths (Back & Sides)

Center Back to Waist: Measure from the prominent bone at the base of your neck straight down your spine to the waist string.
Side Back to Waist: From the shoulder seam right next to the neck, run the tape down your back to the waist string.
Center Back Waist to Shoulder: From the outer shoulder point diagonally across to the center back waist.
Armpit to Waist: Measure vertically from the bottom of your standard armpit opening down to your waist string.
Arm Length: Bend your arm slightly. Run the tape from your outer shoulder point, around the outside of the bent elbow, down to your large wrist bone.
Shoulder to Elbow Point: Measure from the outer shoulder point straight down to the tip of your elbow.
Sleeve Cap: Tie a piece of twill tape around your bicep as high up into the armpit as possible. Measure vertically from the outer shoulder point down to that bicep tape.
Waist to Hips: Measure down the side of your body from the waist string to the point where your hips project out the furthest.
Waist to Knee: Measure down the side of your body from the waist string to the knee line.
Waist to Floor: Step on the tape measure at the floor and pull it straight up the side of your leg to your waist string.
Inseam: Step on the tape measure on the floor and pull it straight up the inside of your leg to the crotch junction.
Crotch Depth: Sit flat and upright in a hard, straight-backed chair. Measure vertically down your side from your waist string to the hard surface of the chair seat.

💡 Essential Sewing Tips Beyond the Tape

Knowing your raw body metrics is only half the battle. To turn these numbers into functional garments, keep these fundamental pattern-making rules in mind:

1. Always Account for Wearing Ease

Never cut your fabric exactly to your body measurements unless you are working with high-stretch spandex! You must add wearing ease to your patterns so you can breathe, sit, and move comfortably.

Minimum Wearing Ease Guidelines: Add a minimum of 3 to 4 inches to the full bust, 1 to 1.5 inches to the waist, and 2 to 3 inches to the hips for basic woven garments.

2. Identify the “Natural Waist”

Modern fashion commercializes low-rise and mid-rise pants, making people forget where their actual waist sits. Your natural waist is the narrowest part of your torso, usually located right above your belly button and directly below your ribcage. Bending sideways to the left or right will reveal a natural crease—that crease is your true waistline anchor.

3. Record Measurements in Undergarments

Always measure yourself wearing the specific undergarments (like a particular bra, corset, or shapewear) that you intend to wear beneath the finished piece. Different undergarments completely alter your bust height, chest compression, and waist placement, which will quickly throw off a highly tailored pattern.