Sewing Pattern Sizes, Explained
Sewing pattern sizes follow a standard body measurement chart, not store sizes, so your pattern size is often one or two sizes larger than off the rack.
By Elliana SmithContributing writer.
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The short answer
A sewing pattern size is a set of body measurements: bust, waist and hip. It is not the number on the tag of the clothes you buy. Simplicity's sizing guide notes that ready-to-wear brands each use their own measurements, while patterns follow a standard chart, so your pattern size may be one or two sizes above your store size.
Measure yourself, then pick the size on the pattern's chart that matches your numbers.
Sewing pattern size chart (Misses)
These rows come from Simplicity's Misses standard body measurement chart, in inches. Misses patterns are drafted for a height of about 5 ft 5 in to 5 ft 6 in.
| Size | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 30 1/2 | 23 | 32 1/2 |
| 8 | 31 1/2 | 24 | 33 1/2 |
| 10 | 32 1/2 | 25 | 34 1/2 |
| 12 | 34 | 26 1/2 | 36 |
| 14 | 36 | 28 | 38 |
| 16 | 38 | 30 | 40 |
| 18 | 40 | 32 | 42 |
| 20 | 42 | 34 | 44 |
Women's patterns (16W and up) use a separate chart drafted for a C cup, and the Misses chart is drafted for a B cup.
How to choose your size
Simplicity's guide splits the choice by garment:
- Tops, dresses, jackets and coats: the bust measurement sets the size.
- Pants and most skirts: the hip measurement sets the size.
- Skirts not fitted at the hip: the waist measurement sets the size.
For a fuller bust, the guide compares two measurements. Subtract your high bust (taken above the bust, under the arms) from your full bust. If the difference is 2 1/2 inches or more, it suggests matching your high bust to the chart's bust column instead. That keeps the shoulders, neckline and upper back fitting, and you adjust the bust area separately.
If you fall between sizes, a closer fit points to the smaller one and a looser fit to the larger one.
How to read a sewing pattern envelope
The envelope carries more than the size number:
- Body measurement chart: the table you match yourself against.
- Finished garment measurements: the size of the sewn piece at key points such as bust or hip. They are also printed on the pattern tissue on most patterns.
- Ease: the gap between those two. Wearing ease is the small amount of room for moving. Design ease is extra fullness that creates the intended look.
To judge the fit before you cut, compare the finished measurements with a garment you already own and like.
Why sewing pattern sizes are different
Store sizes are set by each brand, and the same number can mean different measurements from one label to the next. Pattern companies draft from their standard chart, so the size you sew depends on your tape measure, not your closet. Many patterns are also multi-size, with several cutting lines printed on one tissue, so you can blend sizes when your top and bottom fall in different rows.
Simplicity also suggests measuring again every six months, since your measurements can change.
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