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Tag: Patterning

Ankle

Ankle measurements are useful for knitting custom socks (why, don’t you?), making jewelry (specifically anklets), and fitting big-poofy-gathered-at-the-ankle style pants (clowns, harem pants, etc).

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Thigh

Thighs happen.  I’ve personally always found that a bit disappointing, especially when I try to find pants that fit.  If you’re making a bifurcated nether-garment of any sort, and you want it to fit over your thighs, it’s helpful to have a proper measurement.  This measurement is also used in many men’s short-pants throughout history (canions, slops, etc).

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Waist to Full Hip

The Waist to Full Hip measurement is used to fit pants, fitted skirts/dresses, and very long line corsets.  It’s the secret measurement that lets you make patterns that keep skirt hems and prints level on figures with a pronounced tum or bum.  (For historical purposes, making patterns up using a modified Waist to Full Hip measurement taken over hip pads/skirt supports can be used to keep hems and fabric patterns level.)

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Armscye to Waist

The Armscye to Waist measurement, sometimes called the Side Length, is important for properly fitting bodices, jackets, blouses, or any other fitted torso garment.  Properly used, it helps us create garments that don’t wrinkle or poof at the sides of the torso.  The Armscye to Waist measurme becomes critical in boned bodices and corsets, because it prevents garments that dig in to the waist or armpits – problems that are uncomfortable at best, and leave scars at worst…

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Armscye, Front/Back Armscye

The Armscye measurement, loosely defined, is the size of the hole you need to put into a bodice, shirt, doublet, etc in order for your arm to fit through.  I suspect that many people guess on this point, and tend to guess large.  For many periods of history, including the Elizabethan era, however, the armscye measure needs to be fairly precise to help create the long, unbroken torso seen in period artwork.

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