How do you accurately take your measurements?

One of the most important steps in sewing is taking the correct measurements. It is recommended to take measures over clothes and not take measures on your own. Instead, ask someone to help you. When taking measures, you should stand upright, but relaxed and without tightening.

It is recommended to tightly tie the ribbon around the waist, as many measures are taken from the waist or up to the waist.

When constructing garments for a normal human build, four basic measures are used:

• 1. Body height
• 2. Breast circumference
• 3. Waist circumference
• 4. Other

auxiliary measures are measured on the model or calculated from the proportion of the human body (the body of an adult can always be divided into eight equal lengths, where one length (eighth) corresponds to the length of the head).

Below are illustrations of taking measures with short instructions. The paintings are not mine, but are taken from the Burda catalogue, because they are illustrative and "one picture speaks more than a thousand words."

1. Bust measurement - is always taken across the fullest part of the chest.
Neck measurement - is taken along the base of the neck.

2. Waist measurement - is taken over a firmly tied measuring tape at the waist, while
Hip measurement - is taken across the fullest part of the hips.

3. Front waist length - is measured from the side of the neck over the apex of the bust to the lower edge of the waist tape.
Bust depth - is measured like the front waist length, but only up to the bust point.

4. Back length - is measured over the first cervical vertebra to the lower edge of the waist tape.
Back width - is measured horizontally from one arm joint to the other, with the arms hanging naturally by the sides. It is important to maintain an upright posture.

5.Shoulder width - is measured from the highest point of the shoulder at the base of the neck to the shoulder ball.
Upper arm circumference - is measured across the fullest part of the upper arm.

6. Sleeve length - is measured from the shoulder ball, over the bent elbow, to the wrist joint.

When taking measurements, your size is the one that best corresponds to your measurements. First, the bust and hip measurements should correspond to the chosen size. The size chart is provided below.