Tips When Taking Measurements Before Dressmaking

Taking measurements before dressmaking is an art and a science because you need to combine dedication, time, and accuracy to get the job done. Note that measuring the body is more than just measuring the hip, bust, and waist in inches. Measurements for clothing should be more detailed especially if you aim to come out with a custom-fitted outfit. You have to aim to keep the accuracy at all costs. It can be tedious and costly re-doing a dress from scratch just because you messed up in measurements.

Why Patterns And Measurements Are Important In Dressmaking?

In dressmaking, a pattern is very important because it gives you the initial outline of the dress or any item you are trying to create. Aside from providing you the outline, patterns also give you an idea how much fabric you should use and the ideal kind of the fabric for the project.

Dressmakers who have been in this industry for so long would agree that in order to get the right patterns for dressmaking, the tailor must first decide what kind of item he or she wishes to make and then the list of measurements needed. Compared to tablemats or curtains, patterns are more valuable when it comes to clothing or dressmaking because the "wearability" of the clothes will basically depend on the patterns chosen.

Basic Guidelines To Use When Getting Dress Measurements

Here are some basic guidelines to use when getting these measurements. Always have a second pair of hands to achieve the best measurements. If you are still unclear about how to take your own measurements, you can always have it professionally done for you.

Height: Stand on the floor in bare feet with your back against the wall. Look straight ahead. Chalk a tiny line on the wall level with the top of the head. Measure from the floor to this mark.

Bust: Measure at fullest part of bust.

Waist: tie a piece of string around your natural waist. Measure the string without removing it. Leave the string there for other measurements.

Choosing A Pattern

Because everyone’s figure varies, you must know your figure type and all of its faults. This will make it easier for you to choose a flattering style of dress for you whether it is by an already made pattern, or one you design on your own.

Choosing a pattern can be fun especially if you have already done your homework and know what is in and what will never go out, such as the little black dress. You can find a wide variety of dress patterns online or at your local fabric store. When you have the dress design in mind, pattern books can offer an interesting amount of variations of the particular basic design.