Hello from Scotland

Dear Carla,

If you watch and learn the measuring section of the pattern making videos, you can instruct a friend to take your measurements for you.

Alternately you can follow the instructions below when taking your own measurements for the harder to reach places.

Looking at the lessons where I take measurements, you can take most of the measurements needed yourself, using a mirror to make sure the measuring tape is positioned correctly. The only two measurements that may be hard to take are the back armpit distance and the back bodice length.

For the Back Armpit Distance, you take off your top and place about 10 cm of masking tape cross wise about 2 cm away from the starting end of the measuring tape. Then tape the measuring tape to your back at the armpit line. You can find a still image showing where to measure at the 3:09 mins location on the How to measure for Bodice Pattern-making.

Look in the mirror and read the measurement.

You can also wrap the measuring tape around your body along the armpit line. The measuring tape should go over your arms as well. Place the starting end of the measuring tape over the rest, making a ring and tape it in place. Now rotate the measuring tape and place the starting point on the spot where we want to measure from, while looking in the mirror. See where the other side of the armpit line is along the measuring tape and read the number.

For the Back Bodice Length, first tie a ribbon around your waist as shown, then measure your front bodice length while looking in the mirror and write it down as show on 4:06 mins of the same chapter. Tape a new piece of masking tape on the measuring tape again as the old one may not stick to your body.

Now as I indicate in the How to measure for Bodice Pattern-making you need to measure from the shoulder line down to the bottom of the ribbon, however to make it easier you can measure from the bottom of the ribbon instead. Tape the measuring tape to your body as shown at the 4:36 mins and measure from the bottom of the ribbon up over your shoulder by your neck and down passing the bust point to the bottom of the ribbon on the front. Write down the measurement.

Now all you have to do is subtract the front measurement from the total measurement that you just took. This will give you the measurement for the back bodice length.

You can also measure by holding the start point of the measuring tape on the back from the bottom of the ribbon with one hand, then pass it over your shoulders and your bust point down to the bottom of the ribbon on the front and get the total measurement for the front and back. Then deduct the front measurement from it as before.

Again make sure to watch the video to measure from the spots I indicated on the body.

Happy sewing,

Nehzat