Loviisa Denim Dress Sewing Pattern, Named Clothing

Basic Body Measurements:

All Named patterns are designed for a 172 cm (5ft 8in) tall person. Take your own measurements and compare them to the size chart to select your size:

A. High bust measurement: Hold your arms relaxed by your sides and measure above the bust, at armpit height. Measure firmly, but do not hold the tape measure so tight that it cuts into your skin.

B. Full bust measurement: Measure your chest circumference at the widest point, over your bra, with the measuring tape held horizontally.

C. Waist circumference: Measure horizontally around the waist at its narrowest point, directly against the skin.

D. Hip circumference: Measure your hips at the widest point, over your underwear, with the measuring tape held horizontally.

In case your measurements lie between multiple sizes, choose the right size based on the style of the garment you are sewing; tops, such as blouses and jackets should be chosen based on the bust and waist measurements, whilst bottoms, such as skirts and trousers, should be chosen based on the hip and waist measurements. For dresses, jumpsuits and long coats, the size should be chosen based on some kind of ‘average’, or where the garment will be most fitted. If any of your body measurements differ from the size you have chosen, alter the pattern as necessary.

Size Chart:

Body Length Measurements:

In addition, you can take your own length measurements. These will be helpful in altering the pattern length, but they do not play any role in choosing the size:

E. Back length: Measure the length of the back from the seventh vertebra (the most prominent vertebra at the nape of the neck), following the shape of the back to the narrowest point of the waist.

F. Waist-to-hip: Take the measurement from the side of the body, from the narrowest point of the waist to the widest point of the hips.

G. Arm length: Bend your arm at a 90-degree angle with your hand on the hip and measure the length from the tip of the shoulder to the tip of the elbow and on to the lower edge of the wrist bone.

H. Inseam: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and measure the length from the crotch straight to the floor.

I. Side seam: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and measure from the waist’s narrowest point to the hips, following the curve of the hips, and from there straight down to the floor.

Detailed Size Chart for Pattern Alterations:

Pattern Cup Size:

Please note that the size chart’s cup size does not correspond to typical bra cup sizes. The “pattern cup size” indicates the difference between the full bust and the upper bust measurement. Using the chart cup size, an A-cup’s full bust size is 2.5 cm (1”) greater than the upper bust size, and this difference increases by 2.5 cm (1”) for each increase in cup size. Therefore, the difference between the full bust and upper bust is 5 cm (2”) for a B-cup, 7.5 cm (3”) for a C-cup and so forth. Knowing the correct cup size is useful for choosing the correct pattern size and modifying patterns.