Have you ever been sitting at the fabric store, having just found the PERFECT fabric for someone, but you don’t know their measurements offhand? I know I have. I’ll find the perfect fabric, or the perfect pattern for someone and then struggle over guessing how much fabric to buy or what size pattern I need.
We’ve come up with a great solution for you. Take a little time to measure the people in your life that you sew for often, fill in the free printable below and keep it in your purse. Then you’ll know what size you need, how much fabric to buy and even their current shoe size. The free printable chart is perfect to send to grandma, as well!
How to Take Body Measurements
First, it’s important to have a flexible (non-stretchable) tape measure. You need the flexible nature of the tape measure to wrap around body parts.
Remember to:
- Shoes off, standing up straight!
- Make sure the tape measure is level around the body and parallel to the floor
- Keep tape close to the skin without depressing it.
Measurements:
- Chest: Measure directly the armpits, as high up as possible.
- Waist: Measure at its narrowest point width-wise, usually just above the bellybutton.
- Hips: Measure around the widest part of the hips.
- Inseam: Measure from where you want your pants to end up to the crotch.
- Outseam: Measure from where you want your pants to end up the outside of the leg waist.
- Arm length: Measure from where you want your long sleeve to end (wrist) up the arm to the cap of the shoulder.
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Today’s Prize is a great package of DesignFoam, OlyFun Fabric rolls and more!
To enter the daily giveaway, leave a comment below telling us:
What is one sewing technique you’d love to learn?
Official Rules for Daily Contest
- There is a maximum of one entry per person. The entry will be based upon a comment left on this blog post. Duplicate comments will be deleted and are not tallied.
- Winner will be selected at random from the comments on this blog post below.
- You have until tonight, September 29th, 2015 at 11:59p EST to leave your comment on this post. Comments posted after that will not be counted.
- Contest open to anyone 18+ in US and/or Canada.
Enter daily for your chance to win the National Sewing Month 2015 Grand Prize Giveaway.
- 6 Simply Stylish No Sew Scarves - January 23, 2021
- We Sewed a Zoo: 8 Stuffed Animal Patterns - January 21, 2021
- The Biggest Selection of Free Bag Sewing Patterns! - January 9, 2021
I am very interested in learned the trapunto technique when appliqueing. I love the look, but need to learn how to do it! It would make a super post here.
I want to learn Applique.
My FMQ is pretty sad. It needs work so I would say that would be the one.
I want to learn how to sew buttonholes with my new sewing machine x
I just got my first sewing machine this year and Im working on building my sewing kit. I would LOVE to be able to add this to my craft/sewing area to use. Im also still learning alot of a little bit of everything…
I would really love to win this sewing machine.
I have an awful time of making button holes in garments that I make. would love to accomplish this.
I need to learn free motion quilting! thanks!
I have just bought my first serger, and I would love how to use it to finish seams. It is a little intimidating, but am looking forward to learning the different techniques that a serger can be be used for.
I am teaching myself to sew, not an easy task! I would like to learn how to do everything the proper way. I have a terrible time with my seams coming apart, I know I should leave more room but the pattern pieces are so small, there wouldn’t be anything left of it. lol
How to do machine embroidery.
I’d love to learn more free motion quilting. I’ve tried it and it looked like drunken ants has rambled over my fabric!
I would like to learn applique.
I’d like to learn how to do a rolled hem on my serger.
I’d love to learn Free Motion Quilting.
art quilts, making pictures with fabric. Thanks.
I’ve never tried quilting! I think that would be fun to learn.
I would like to learn some basic hand stitches so I can do can learn how to do hand application.
I would like to learn applique.
I would love to learn how to design my own clothing patterns.
I would like to lean more embroidery stitches to embellish some of my quilt blocks.
I would love to learn how to do hand smocking. Thanks!
I would love to learn how to use my serger beyond the basics such as rolled hems, gathering, putting in a zipper, sewing on elastic and any other techniques that one can use a serger for.
I would love to learn to make a quilt, so I would need to learn many things to accomplish that.
Good variety pack
I started a quilt as you go minky blanket and had to tear it apart. Help please!
I would like to learn more about paper piecing.
I’d like to learn Richeliu machine embroidery the old way, where you become the zigzagger. I couldn’t find this entry. Today was supposed to be a video on how to alter clothes I was kind of excited about.
I would love to learn how to do smocking.
I want to learn machine embroidery.
How do you print the printable measurement cards above?
I would like to learn better techniques with sheer fabrics, such as hemming, cutting, measuring.
I would love to learn how to do free motion quilting on my sewing machine. I try but for some reason I just can’t get what is in my head to what I am making. Oh well, we just keep trying and remember that perfect is not the answer. Doing your best and the rest will come.
Thanks for the contest and may God Bless 🙂
I would love to learn how to machine stipple quilt for garments and quilts.
I would love to make button holes that do not look homemade!
I’d like to learn more about free motion quilting. I’ve tried it and really like it but need lots more practice.
I’d love to be able to make good buttonholes–that actually fit the buttons! I’ve done so much, at least to try things, that I’m not sure what’s left to learn.
No particular technique but I would love to be a better seamstress. I can do most things okay but I would like to have my sewing projects look more professional. It is frustrating, I know how to do it, but it is never great!
I would love to learn to apply binding to edges.
Free motion quilting is what I would like to master!
Oh gosh! There is such a list! Button holes, paper piecing quilts, there is a never ending list of things I want to learn!
I would like to learn trapunto quilting.
I would like to learn how to use clothes patterns.
I am just starting out and would love to learn hand embroidery techniques as well as button holes.
I have been trying all day to get to this entry for today………….kept getting that this page is no longer available. So I had to find another way to get here.
Anyway I would like to learn how to do a rolled hem on a regular sewing machine.
Machine embroidery
There are many techniques I would like to learn, but number one would be
When I do a satin stitch around an appliqué and I come to a corner do I place the needle on the inside or outside of the corner, and how far in advance do I shorten the stitches and when do I lengthen the stitches again I have been sewing for close to 60 years, and I ne ear seem to get the hange of this techinique. Thank you for the contest entry
Js
Learning to use a computerized sewing machine would be nice one of these days.
I would like to learn how to use more rulers in quilting and sewing.
I’d kind of like to learn how to do small quilting projects! Thanks and God bless!
I would like to learn how to do a miniature quilt. Thanks for the giveaway.
I would love to learn applique
I would like to learn how to do the zig-zag stitch by hand.
I would love to learn how to fitted shirts and pants with knit fabrics.
I would love to master my narrow hemmer.
I have only been sewing for a couple of months. I feel like I have everything to learn!!!
Would love to learn how to use my serger.
I want to learn applique, and so much more.
Love quilting!
I did a lot more sewing in my younger years but I’d love to learn machine embroidery because I think it is so pretty!
I would love to learn how to do free motion quilting that comes out in an even sort of pattern that looks like something it was intended to look like instead of just random craziness.
I wanted to learn how to sew curved shapes in quilts.
I would love to sew many things properly as I’ve never made anything that I haven’t bodged! Help please ……… !
These look like so much fun and have endless possibilities. Fun and colorful isn’t just for kids anymore.
I am trying to print out the body measurements chart.
I just found this link.
Some really useful information.
I would love to learn how to make quilts, so that I can make quilts for my 15 grandchildren
I would like to re-learn hand stitches so I can do better hand rolled hems on sheer and delicate fabrics.
I would love to learn machine quilting.
I would love to learn machine quilting
want to learn quilting…I get the basics and the putting them together is where I get stuck
I would love to learn how to do art quilting
Making bust alterations to your pattern.
I’m a quilter. I want to learn to make clothes. I see so many clothes that I can’t afford for me or my three boys but every time I go to try and make something I end up wasting a lot of fabric because I done it wrong. Oh well maybe one day. I’m going to keep trying.
I have a serger and don’t know how to use it? Can we start from the beginning?
I would love to learn to customize a pattern to accomodate my quirky body parts! Thick arms (think wings–thanks grandma, I’ll never wear sleeveless again!), thick middle, and short. I adapt all sleeves to be longer, but with my big bust (44 F bra) sometimes the sleeve holes seem to pull and not fit right.
Serging Techniques–I have a Baby Lock—Love love it!!
I have a passion for sewing for others. Make pillowcases for the local hospital Children’s wing and quilts for Linus Project. Been sewing since I was 7 years old and I found you still can learn something new each day
Trapunto! I’ve done a machine embroidery version. I’d like to do it the “real” way.
I am new to the sewing world and loving every minute, I would love to learn invisible zipper
Applique is my nemesis! I usually give up in the middle of my project because I can’t get the curve right or the stitch right! It doesn’t help that I have an old sewing machine. I would love a new sewing machine with all the latest stitches.
I would like to learn how to use Jelly Rolls and a lot of other stuff .I’ve been sewing since high school but would like to learn the new stuff.
I want to learn to applique
I would like to learn how to make a trapeze dress pattern for myself. I have sewn since I was 9 years old (for my Barbie), but I am kind of difficult to fit.
I would love to learn how to make a flounce for the bottom of a skirt or sleeve.
I’m always leery of the button holes and look for patterns without them. spacing anf making them on a finished item is scary — always afraid I’ll mess up!
I would be interested in machine embroidery on my Bernina Artista 730. Very intimadating