When someone requests a custom piece, the very first thing I ask for is measurements. It is also the part people worry about most, usually because they are afraid of getting it wrong and ending up with something that does not fit.
Here is the good news: you only need five numbers, and you can take all of them by yourself in about ten minutes.
Before You Start
- Use a soft measuring tape, not a metal one from a toolbox. If you do not have one, a piece of string plus a ruler works.
- Measure over a thin layer, not a bulky sweater.
- Stand normally. Do not suck in, do not stand up straighter than you actually stand.
- Keep the tape snug but not tight. You should be able to slide one finger underneath.
- Write each number down as you go. You will not remember them.
The Five Measurements
1. Chest or Bust
Around the fullest part, with the tape level all the way around. Check the back in a mirror. This is the number most likely to be off, because the tape tends to ride up behind you.
2. Waist
The narrowest part of your torso, usually an inch or so above your belly button. If you cannot find it, bend to one side. The crease that forms is your natural waist.
3. Hip
Around the fullest part, usually seven to nine inches below the waist. Keep your feet together.
4. Shoulder to Hem
From the top of your shoulder, next to your neck, straight down to where you want the piece to end. This is the measurement that decides whether a top hits at the hip or below it, and it is the one people most often forget to send.
5. Sleeve Length
From the shoulder point, down the outside of a slightly bent arm, to the wrist. Bending matters. A sleeve measured with a straight arm will be too short every time you reach for something.
The Mistakes I See Most
- Sending the size instead of the numbers. A medium at one brand is a large at another. Numbers do not lie.
- Measuring over a favorite hoodie. You will add two inches everywhere without realizing it.
- Rounding to be polite. Give me the number you actually got. I would much rather have 34.5 than a rounded 34.
- Guessing at length. If you are not sure, measure a piece you already own and love, laid flat, and send that instead.
A Shortcut That Works
If measuring yourself feels overwhelming, do this instead: find something in your closet that fits you the way you want the new piece to fit. Lay it flat, smooth it out, and measure across the chest, across the waist, and from the shoulder seam to the hem.
Tell me it is a flat-lay measurement of an existing garment, and I can work from that. Honestly, it is often more accurate than a first attempt at body measurements.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
— Proverbs 31:13
Why This Matters for Handmade
With mass-produced clothing, fit is a compromise between you and an average of thousands of other people. With something made by hand, it does not have to be. The whole reason to commission a piece is that it can be built around your actual shape.
So take the ten minutes. Write the numbers down. The piece will be better for it, and so will the wearing of it.
When you are ready, the custom orders page walks through how the process works from there.