Why Patterns and Measurements are Important in Dressmaking? (part 2 of 2)

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The right way to measure

When it comes to patterns in dressmaking, it is best to always consider the standard measurements used by the dressmaking industry to be able to get accurate results. It is always advisable to make use of the measurement charts that can be found in various pattern books because these are based on the standard measurements used by almost all tailors.

The major considerations when it comes to dressmaking patterns are the accurate measurements of the person's bust/chest, waist, hips, and back length for blouses and tops and the measurements of the crotch area, butt area, and leg length for skirts and pants.

Remember, when taking measurements from these key body parts, always make sure that they are taken with undergarments on using a tape measure that is held just enough to get the correct size and adjustments. It is always best if two people will work on taking these measurements so lesser errors will be committed. If you are the one who is taking the measurements, ask the person to stand up in his or her usual posture to get accurate clothing measurements.

If you are taking bust or chest measurements, make sure that you place the tape measure around the person's body—just across the chest or breasts—and slide it under his or her arms across the back. For the waist, always get the person's natural waistline by placing a string around the waist before using the tape measure. While the measurement of the hips is usually taken below the waist, the back length's measurement is taken from the bone that is most prominent in the back of the person's neck.

Once you get all the measurements correctly, you can proceed to using the right pattern for the person who will wear the clothes and you may proceed to the dressmaking process. To make sure that you won’t have any problems in losing the measurements that are very important for patterns, make sure that you always keep a spare copy.

You can do this by photo copying the listed measurements or by simply copying the measurements in the logbook.