Body Measurement Worksheet

How to take the body measurements dressmaking patterns ask for - bust, high bust, waist, hip, back length, shoulder, arm and more - with a fill-in worksheet that saves in your browser and prints on one page.

Published 4 October 2026

Every pattern, every block draft, and every fitting decision starts with measurements, and most fitting trouble starts with measurements taken hurriedly or in the wrong place. Take them carefully once, record them here, and you'll have them ready for every project. What you type is saved only in this browser on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere. Use the print button to keep a paper copy.

Units Inches Centimetres

Name

Date measured

Circumferences

Full bust
in

Around the fullest part of the bust, keeping the tape level across the back.
High bust
in

Under the arms, above the bust, across the widest part of the back. Use this to choose a pattern size for tops.
Underbust
in

Directly under the bust, snug.
Waist
in

At the natural waist, the narrowest part of the torso. Bend sideways: the crease that forms is your waist. Tie elastic here for the other measurements.
High hip
in

About 3-4" (8-10 cm) below the waist, over the hip bones.
Hip
in

Around the fullest part of the hips and seat, tape level. Stand with feet together.
Neck
in

Around the base of the neck, where a shirt collar sits.
Upper arm
in

Around the fullest part of the upper arm, with the arm relaxed.
Wrist
in

Around the wrist bone.

Lengths (torso)

Back length (nape to waist)
in

From the prominent bone at the base of the back of the neck straight down to the waist elastic.
Front length
in

From the side of the neck where a shoulder seam starts, over the bust point, down to the waist elastic.
Shoulder to bust point
in

From the side of the neck down to the bust point (apex).
Bust point separation
in

Straight across from one bust point to the other.
Shoulder length
in

From the side of the neck to the shoulder bone at the edge of the shoulder.
Across back
in

Across the back between the arm creases, about 4" (10 cm) below the neck bone, arms relaxed.
Across front
in

Across the chest between the arm creases, about halfway between shoulder and bust.
Side length
in

From about 1" (2.5 cm) below the armpit down the side to the waist.

Lengths (lower body and arm)

Waist to hip
in

Down the side from the waist to the fullest part of the hip.
Waist to knee
in

Down the side from the waist to the middle of the knee.
Waist to floor
in

Down the side from the waist to the floor, standing without shoes.
Crotch depth
in

Sit on a hard, flat chair and measure down the side from the waist to the seat.
Inside leg
in

From the crotch to the floor along the inside of the leg, without shoes.
Arm length
in

From the shoulder bone, over a slightly bent elbow, to the wrist bone.
Height
in

Without shoes, standing against a wall.

Before you start

Wear the underwear you'll wear with the garments, and a thin, close-fitting layer or nothing over it. A different bra can move the bust point by an inch.
Use a good tape measure, a fabric or fibreglass one that hasn't stretched. Check it against a metal ruler if it's old. See Measuring Tools.
Tie a narrow elastic around your natural waist and leave it there. Every vertical measurement uses it as a reference, so they're all consistent.
Get help if you can. Measuring your own back length and across back accurately is close to impossible. A helper makes everything quicker and more accurate.
Stand naturally. Breathe normally, don't hold your stomach in, and look straight ahead. Holding a "good posture" pose produces measurements for a body you don't walk around in.

Taking each measurement

Hold the tape snug but not tight. It should lie flat against the body without pressing in, with one finger able to slide under it. Keep horizontal measurements level all the way around, which is easiest to check in a mirror or with a helper. Measure each one twice. If the two readings differ, take a third.

Record exact body measurements, without adding anything. Ease (the extra room a garment needs) is added by the pattern, and adding it to your measurements as well doubles it. The Ease Calculator shows how your measurements relate to a pattern's finished garment measurements.

Using them

Choosing a size for tops and dresses: use the high bust if it's more than 2" (5 cm) smaller than the full bust, and add room at the bust with an adjustment. See Fitting and Alterations.
Choosing a size for skirts and trousers: use the hip, then adjust the waist.
Checking lengths: compare back length, front length and waist-to-knee with the pattern before cutting, and lengthen or shorten on the pattern's marked lines.
Drafting: most of the measurements above are what a bodice block or an A-line skirt draft asks for.

Bodies change. Re-measure every few months, or whenever clothes start to fit differently, and especially before starting a fitted project.