Facebook Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Tiktok Icon YouTube Icon Headphones Icon Favorite Navigation Search Icon Forum Search Icon Main Search Icon Close Icon Video Play Icon Indicator Arrow Icon Close Icon Hamburger/Search Icon Plus Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon

Threads Project Guides

Learn to Sew

Guide Home
Chapter
Insider

Sign in or become an insider to access this story

Sign In

Measure Your Clothes for Fit | Video

Threads

Measure your clothes, such as a favorite shirt, jacket, and pants, then compare the results to sewing patterns. You’ll quickly recognize when a pattern has more or less ease than you prefer.

Every sewer has a unique body, as well as personal preferences as to style. When you measure your clothes, you will have a definitive set of measurements and take some of the guesswork out of selecting patterns.

This detailed tutorial is one video in the comprehensive Teach Yourself to Sew series.


Teach Yourself to Sew

Judith got her first taste of sewing when she took the free lessons that came with her mother’s sewing machine purchase. Judith was 9 at the time. Soon after, she was sewing her own clothes and feeding her passion for the craft. In her Teach Yourself to Sew series, Judith shares her enduring love of sewing and her invaluable years of sewing experience.

Getting started

She starts with discussing the equipment and the essential sewing notions for anyone who sews. You’ll learn about shopping for fabrics, choosing patterns (including selecting the correct size), and planning the perfect pattern layout. From machine-sewing simple seams to inserting zippers and stitching buttonholes, Judith demonstrates the key steps to making a custom garment.

Discover methods for clean-finishing seam allowances and applying facings so all edges are neat. To add shape to garments, Judith explains how and why to sew darts, and how to gather fabric for volume. Other garment elements, such as sleeves, pockets, and elasticized waistbands, are shown in easy-to-follow video tutorials.

Advancing your skills

When you’re ready to challenge yourself further, tune in to Judith’s overview of couture garments and sewing techniques. Even if you never intend to become the next Coco Chanel, you’ll learn methods that add quality to your everyday wardrobe.…

Previous: How to Measure a Pattern to Assess its Fit Next: How to Analyze the Fit You Prefer | Video
Discuss

Log in or become a member to post a comment.

Learn to Sew

Learn to Sew

Discover the tools and techniques for successful results.

View Project Guide

View All Project Guides »

Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Learn to Sew Project Guide.

Start Free Trial

Getting Started
Construction Basics
Garment Details
Fitting Fundamentals
Easy Projects