Essential Stitches and Techniques for Dressmaking and Sewing

The taking of measures is the most important part of drafting. If the measures are not taken correctly one can never hope to make a draft that will fit. The drafting of a garment is no different from the drafting of a house, a bridge, or a machine. If one line is inaccurate the entire draft will come wrong. You cannot be too careful in taking your measures. Above all things do not hurry and do not get excited when taking measures. If the person for whom the garment is being made does not wish to give time for you to take her measures you should not try to make the garment for her.

Before you begin to take the measures, be sure that the patron is standing squarely on both feet.

The measures taken are: —

1. Waist measure.
2. Bust measure.
3. Neck measure.
4. Armhole measure.
5. Under Arm measure.
6. Upper Front measure.
7. Back Length measure.
8. Back Width measure.
9. Front Length measure.
10. Arm Length measure.
11. Elbow measure.
12. Inside arm measure from armhole to bend of arm.
13. Hand measure.
14. Front Length of skirt.
15. Side Length of skirt.
16. Back Length of skirt.
17. Hip measure.

Waist Measure. — Stand in front of the patron. Place the tape-line about the smallest part of the waist. This measure should be very tight. Be sure you have the smallest part of the waist, and draw the measure as tight as a garment could be worn.

After taking this measure, place a cord or tape at least 1/4 inch wide about the smallest part of the waist and do not remove it until you are through taking measures. It is a good plan to have a piece of tape about 1/4 of an inch wide to the end of which has been fastened a small buckle. This can easily and quickly be adjusted about the waist and stay in place nicely.

Bust Measure. — Stand back of the patron. Place the tape-line about the body under the arms and bring it together at the center back. Hold it firmly together with the right hand and step to the side of the patron. Allow the tape-line to slip through the fingers and bring it down in front over the highest part of the bust. Keep it well up under the arms and straight across the back. Allow the patron to draw a long breath and let the tape slip as she does this, so that it will be easy about the body.

Neck Measure. — Have the patron remove her collar; never try to take the neck measure over a collar unless it is sewed to the dress, then take it tightly enough to allow for the collar. Place the tape-line about the neck where the collar should sew on, and measure about as tight as the collar would be worn. It is a good plan to ask the patron what size linen collar she wears. This gives an idea as to whether you are getting your measure correct or not.

Armhole Measure. — Take this measure about the shoulder up high where the arm joins the body. Be sure to take it up over the high part of the bone. This measure should be taken tight, tighter than the armhole can be worn. The armhole can be cut out later, but if it comes too large in the draft and all the seams have to be taken in to make it right, the good lines which gave the waist style will be lost. Be sure to take it tight and be sure the patron’s sleeve is not bunched up under the tape-line, under the arm.

Before taking the next measure, place a piece of tape or cord about the patron so that it comes close up under the arms. Be very sure that it runs just straight around the body. It must not be allowed to dip down anywhere. Draw it rather tight. Do not pay any attention to the prominent part of the bust. Just have it perfectly straight about the body, close up under the arms.

Under Arm Measure. — Take this measure directly under the arm, from the top of this line, straight down to the bottom of the line at the bottom of the waist. Have the patron raise her arm just enough to take this measure. She must not raise it way up.

Upper Front Measure. — Place the end of the tape-line exactly on the prominent bone at the back of the neck. Bring the tape-line around the side of the neck close up to the neck and straight down in front to the top of the line which was placed around the body under the arms. Be sure that you bring the line down exactly straight from the side of the neck. It must not slant towards the back or front.

Back Length Measure. — Place the end of the tape-line on the prominent bone at the back of the neck and measure straight down the back to the bottom of the line about the smallest part of the waist. Be sure to take this measure straight down. It must not slant to right or left. Stand directly back of the patron to take this measure.

Back Width Measure. — This measure is taken across the back about the middle of the armholes. Be sure to get the measure wide enough. Do not pay any attention to the garment the patron has on. Measure out to where the arms join the body. Both arms should be straight down at the sides, when this measure is taken.

Front Length Measure. — Place the end of the tape-line just where the neck should finish in front and measure straight down the front to the bottom of the line about the smallest part of the waist. Do not draw this measure tight. Make it just as you want the waist to set when finished.

Arm Length Measure. — Place the end of the tape-line at the front of the arm where the arm joins the body about on a straight line with the thumb. Measure straight down the arm to the creases about the wrist joint. When taking this measure have the patron stretch the arm out at right angles to the body.

Elbow Measure. — Take this measure around the arm at the elbow with the arm bent at right angle. Be sure the tape-line is over the point of the elbow.

Inside Arm Measure from Armhole to Bend of Arm. — Take this measure from the same point you did the arm length measure down to the inside of the elbow. Have the patron bend her arm so that you can locate the exact stopping-place.

Hand Measure. — This measure is taken about the hand with the fingers held straight out and the thumb close against the hand. Take this measure just snug, not tight.

Front Length of Skirt. — Take this measure from the lower edge of the tape about the waist line at the exact middle of the front of the skirt, straight down the front of the skirt to the floor. When you cut your pattern you can take off what you wish from this length. It is best to take this measure to the floor, for it is difficult to tell just where to stop in taking it any other way.

Side Length of Skirt. — Take this measure from the lower edge of the tape about the waist line, half way between the middle of the back and the middle of the front, straight down the side of the skirt to the floor.

Back Length of Skirt. — Take this measure from a point at the middle of the back, at the lower edge of the tape about the waist line, straight down the middle of the back to the floor.

Take Hip Measure. — Take this measure about 5 or 6 inches below the waist line, straight around the prominent part of the hips. If the skirts are being worn very tight this measure should be taken snug. If the skirts are full take the measure just easy.

If you are careful in taking these measures, your garments will need very little fitting, perhaps not any. Few of us, however, have perfect forms. The method of drafting is worked out in inches, so it is bound to come right if the measures are taken correctly.