How to Measure Fabric Lengths for a Shift Dress

Dressmaking Tips

This video shows you how to coorectly measure lengths of fabric suitable for a shift style dress.

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"Today we’re going to explain how we would measure a length of fabric necessary for a simple shift style dress. Most fabrics are wide, 140 centimetres to 150 centimetres wide. In this case, we would double check that the customer is easily able to fit in one length. The way we do that is by measuring the bust. For example, when measuring Melissa, she’s 1 metre 10 so she’s well less than the width of the fabric. Just to be double sure, we measure the hips as well. Again with Melissa as an example, she’s at 1 metre 10, so there’s plenty for one length of fabric. We’ll also measure her length, from the top of her shoulder for a long as she would want the dress to cover, which would probably be below the knee. In Melissa’s case, this is 1 metre 15. We add an extra 10 centimetres for the shoulder, seams and for the hem, which makes it a 1 metre 25. Assuming that the fabric is wide enough, 1 metre 25 is ample for a simple shift style dress. Now of course if she had sleeves, we would add on the length of the sleeve. Say we’re doing ¾ sleeves. Measuring Melissa from the shoulder, full length, it’s 50 centimetres. Add another 10 cm for the seams, that’s 60 centimetres. That’s the extra she would need if she was putting sleeves on the dress. Now of course if it was a very narrow fabric, say 1 metre 10 wide, we’d be measuring two lengths, and if there are sleeves, a sleeve length – it’s as simple as that." - Suzanna and Melissa from d’Italia

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