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TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS
Check out our “How to” section of the website to see how to take your own measurements first.
Once you’ve measured your bust, waist and hips and have a note of them you can choose which size of pattern you should make.
It’s really important not to go with your usual dress size you buy in the shops. Every shop is different and wildly inaccurate on the whole.
REFER TO OUR SIZE CHARTS
You can find these on the website beside each style in the shop or with your instructions that came with the paper pattern or download you purchased.
When you look at our size charts you’ll see two sets of measurements. One is “Body measurements” and the other is “Garment Measurements”
Both measurements are shown in inches and in centimeters.
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The body measurement chart stays the same for every style we carry. It’s our standard bible for our sizing. Each clothing and pattern company have their own. (Yes they should all be the same but they’re not)
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The garment chart varies for every style depending on the fit of the garment and type of fabric we advise you make it in.
Note: Our sizes 8 to 24 are UK sizes. As long as you follow our instructions below, it really doesn’t matter where they’re from. Just match your measurement with the pattern size, that’s all you need. Don’t worry if you’re in the US or Europe, it works the same.
CHOOSE YOUR SIZE
Firstly check your bust, waist and hip measurement against the body chart and see where you fall.
According to our body measurement size chart you might measure a size 12 on your hips and a size 12 on your bust but you might measure a size 16 on your waist. – You might be thinking HOLD ON A MINUTE! … Don’t worry this is completely normal. It throws people all the time. We’re all different shapes and sizes and very rarely does anyone measure a perfect representation of any size.
I would usually advise in that case that you go for the largest size (16) and take it in where you need to when it’s made up, but you can also use a bit of your discretion. Here’s where you look at the garment measurement for reference.
If it’s a style that has no fit at the waist and it’s loose, straight up and down then you can go with the smaller size (12) and it should still fit your waist. If your garment is fitted but has waist darts, you can possibly go for the middle size (14) let the darts out a bit if it’s a bit neat on you when you try it on. It’s really up to you but I’d advise airing on the side of caution and checking the sizing on as you sew.
CHOICE OF FABRICS
Every fabric is different especially jersey and stretch wovens. Your pattern will be tailored to allow for this but it can only be accurate within reason. Stretch can be dependent on not only how much Lycra it has in it but also how much mechanical stretch it has. It can be a loose knit or a dense knit. Each will stretch a different way to the other. Experience will let you learn very quickly how to judge this, but the only way to learn is to try so don’t be too scared.
Lastly…. You can always take away but you can’t add on.
HOW TO CHOOSE WHICH PATTERN SIZE TO MAKE
… includes: using our size charts and choosing you fabric.