HOW TO TAKE ACCURATE PANT MEASUREMENTS
Today, we’re going to focus on taking accurate measurements to draft a pants sloper or alter a commercial pants pattern.
Are you having issues fitting your pants? Are your pants bunching at the crotch? Are they too tight across the hips? Do your inseam pockets bulge out?
Issues of this type are caused by either taking or using incorrect body measurements when drafting the pant sloper or altering a commercial pant pattern.
If you are learning how to draft or alter a pattern and experience FIT ISSUES, your first step should be to verify that you have taken accurate measurements.
If you fail to take accurate measurements you will have fit problems with your slopers, patterns, and finished designs – guaranteed!
First, let me share THREE BASIC FACTS OF PATTERN DRAFTING with you.
1. To measure the body accurately for drafting or altering a pattern, you ABSOLUTELY MUST, know WHAT to measure and WHERE the measurements are to BEGIN and END [point to point].
2. If you are inconsistent or sloppy when taking your measurements you will have inconsistent or sloppy results – sad but true. . .
3. Learning to take accurate measurements is a SKILL that you can develop through skillful, deliberate, and consistent practice – kind of like learning to play the piano.
So, today, we’re going to master the skill of TAKING ACCURATE PANT MEASUREMENTS!
LOWER TORSO CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENTS
We begin with the Torso Circumference Measurements. When referring to the “Torso Circumference Measurements” in pattern drafting, we are referring to measurements “around” the torso.
The “torso” is simply the “trunk” of the body, meaning it is the body without attachments such as the arms, legs, and head.
Record the measurements on the worksheets as you take them.
For the bodice measurements, we took “Upper Torso” measurements, but for the pants, we are taking “Lower Torso Measurements” – measurements “Below” the waist.
GETTING STARTED
Okay, before we get started, you will need:
1. To wear tight-fitting clothes, a body suit, or a leotard – no loose clothing
2. A good measuring tape,
3. An extra pair of hands to help take the measurements, and
4. A worksheet to record your measurements.
LOWER TORSO HORIZONTAL MEASUREMENTS – FRONT
Now we move to the Lower Torso Horizontal Measurements
4. WAIST ARC – Measure from the center front waist to the side waist
5. HIGH HIP – Measure from the center front high hip to the side on the high hip line, starting 3-inches down from the center front waist
6. HIP ARC – Measure from the center front on the hip line to the side on the hip line
7. DART PLACEMENT – Measure from the center front waist to the side front along the waist at the “princess seam line.” [To establish the “princess seam line” divide the waist arc by 2 and subtract .25-inches, then measure this distance from the center front waist, along the waistline towards the side
front]
TORSO ARCS
What the heck does bust arc, back-arc, waist arc, high-hip arc, and hip arc mean?
We measured the “circumference/torso” of the body in the first step taking the whole measurements around the body.
So, when I refer to arcs, I’m talking about measuring a quarter section of the body. Measuring from the center front or center back to the side of the torso.
LOWER TORSO CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENTS
1. WAIST – Measure around the waist
2. HIGH HIP – Measure around the abdomen, 3-inches below the center front waist to identify the “high hip” then measure around the high hip for this measurement
3. HIP – Measure around the widest part of the hip with the measuring tape parallel to the floor (9-inches below the center front waist)
LOWER TORSO HORIZONTAL MEASUREMENTS – BACK
8. WAIST ARC – Measure from the center back waist to the side waist
9. HIGH HIP ARC – Measure from the center back high hip to the side on the high hip line, starting 3-inches down from the center back waist
10. HIP ARC – Measure from the center back on the hip line to the side on the hip line
11. DART PLACEMENT – Measure from the center front waist to the side front along the waist at the “princess seam line.” [To establish the “princess seam line” divide the waist arc by 2 and subtract .25-inches, then measure this distance from the center back waist, along the waistline towards the side back]
WHAT ARE ASYMMETRIC HIPS?
I’ve mentioned “Asymmetric Hips” in Series 2 “How to Take Accurate Skirt Measurements.”
If you have not worked your way through Series 2, “Asymmetric Hips” occur when one side-hip depth is 1/8-inch higher or lower than the opposite side-hip depth, which is why we measure both the right and left side-hip depths.
TORSO VERTICAL MEASUREMENTS – BACK
17. BACK HIP DEPTH – Measure from the center back waist down to the hip line
TORSO VERTICAL MEASUREMENTS – SIDE
Vertical Lines – go up and down, or down and up
12. SIDE HIP DEPTH – Measure from the side waist to the hip line [measure the right and left sides, if the measurements differ by more than 1/8-inch, the hips are asymmetric, and you would draft the pattern differently].
13. WAIST TO KNEE – Measure from the side waist to the knee
14. WAIST TO ANKLE – Measure from the side waist to the ankle
15. WAIST TO FLOOR – Measure from the side waist to the floor
TORSO VERTICAL MEASUREMENTS – FRONT
16. FRONT HIP DEPTH – Measure from the center front waist down to the hip line
LEG MEASUREMENTS
Moving on to the lower circumference measurements
18. UPPER THIGH – Measure around the thigh near the base of the crotch
19. MID-THIGH – Measure around the thigh between the crotch and the knee
20. KNEE CIRCUMFERENCE – Measure around the knee
21. CALF CIRCUMFERENCE – Measure around the widest part of the leg below the knee
22. ANKLE CIRCUMFERENCE – Measure around the ankle
VERTICAL TRUNK
The vertical trunk measurement may be used when you are drafting jumpsuits, overalls, bodysuits, or a one-piece swimsuit foundation
23. VERTICAL TRUNK LENGTH – Measure from the front to back at the shoulder/neck, passing under the crotch
FOOT ENTRY MEASUREMENT
We need to take the foot entry measurement so that when drafting the pants foundation, we can make sure the bottom of the pant leg is wide enough to get our foot through the opening
24. FOOT ENTRY – Measure around the heel and the instep of the foot
CROTCH DEPTH MEASUREMENT
The “Crotch Depth” measurement is one of the most misunderstood areas of drafting pants or altering a commercial pattern. To achieve a good crotch fit when drafting your pants block or altering a commercial pattern, you must understand how to accurately take the crotch measurements, which include the crotch depth, length, and crotch level.
Now, let’s do the crotch measurements
25. CROTCH DEPTH – Place a belt or strip of elastic around the waist, measure below the belt/elastic to the base of the chair
CROTCH LENGTH, OUTSEAM, AND INSEAM MEASUREMENTS
26. CROTCH LENGTH – Measure from the center front waist under the crotch [between the thighs] to the center back waist
27. OUTSEAM – Measure from the waist down to the floor in your bare feet
28. INSEAM – Measure from the crotch point between the thighs down to the floor in your bare feet
CROTCH TERMINOLOGY
I’m going to take just a moment to discuss some crotch terminology that you’ll run across when drafting the pants foundation.
The crotch is an area where many drafters and sewists run into problems. If the measurements for the crotch area are inaccurate or skipped, you will have fit issues, such as “camel toe” in the crotch area.
Let’s quickly touch on FOUR points for clarity affecting the crotch area.
CROTCH – base of the torso where legs join the body
CROTCH EXTENSION – An extension of the crotch line beginning midway between the center back and front waistlines that curve outward to provide coverage for the inner thighs
CROTCH POINT – End of the crotch extension
CROTCH LEVEL – Dividing line separating the torso from the leg line of the pant from the front crotch point to the back crotch point
Okay, now that you know how to take accurate pant measurements – it’s back to the drawing board. First, be sure you use a good measuring tape, wear tight-fitting clothes or a leotard, and have someone assist you.
Record your measurements on the worksheets that are included in my EBOOK – “PATTERN DRAFTING FOR WOMEN | HOW TO TAKE ACCURATE PANT MEASUREMENTS.”
Get in the habit of checking your measurements a couple of times a year to update your worksheets, for body changes due to weight gain or loss and gravity shifts.
Once you’ve mastered the skill of taking accurate “pant” measurements, you’re ready to draft your “basic pants foundation” – BTW this process is known as “flat patternmaking.”
You can also view the YouTube video at: CLICK HERE. . .
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ANALYZING BODY SHAPES
You don’t want to miss my 5-part Series on “ANALYZING YOUR BODY SHAPE!”
I discuss five different body shapes and the impact that body shapes have on designing, drafting, and sewing patterns.
Knowing your BODY SHAPE is essential when designing, drafting, and sewing custom or me-made garments.
Wearing a garment with style lines that flatter your body shape, enhances your appearance, and makes you feel confident when wearing the garment because you know you look fabulous in it, which elevates and boosts your confidence.
Understanding your body shape can help you choose clothing styles that fit well, looks fabulous, and feel comfortable on you – Elegance, Style, and Comfort are what we at Lorayne Style strive for!
To get started with “How to Analyze Your Body Shape” CLICK HERE. . .
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