If you sew, you eventually need the same handful of numbers over and over: your own body measurements, how much fabric a project actually takes, and what a “queen size” or a “fat quarter” really measures. This page collects all of it in one place, so you can bookmark it instead of digging through ten different blogs each time a pattern envelope asks for a number you don’t have handy.
We’ll start with how to take body measurements for sewing correctly (the single most common source of a badly fitting garment), then move through choosing a pattern size, fabric yardage and widths, precut sizes, and standard quilt and bedding dimensions. Grab the flexible tape measure from your basic kit (see our sewing tools and notions guide if you need to buy one) and you’re ready to go. This page expands Step 7 of our beginner sewing roadmap, so if you’re just getting started, that’s a good place to see where measuring fits into the bigger picture.
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How to Take Body Measurements
Before you touch the tape, a few rules make the difference between numbers you can trust and numbers that send you chasing the wrong pattern size:
- Measure in the clothes you’ll actually wear under the finished garment (or bare minimum underwear/shapewear). A bra or shapewear can shift your bust, waist, and hip numbers by an inch or more.
- Keep the tape parallel to the floor all the way around your body. A tape that dips in back or rides up in front is the single most common measuring error.
- Pull the tape snug, not tight. You should be able to slide one or two fingers underneath it. If it leaves a mark, or you can’t slip a finger under, it’s too tight.
- Don’t suck in your stomach or puff out your chest. Stand and breathe naturally. Measure the body you actually have, not the one you’re posing as.
- Stand up straight, feet together (or about 6 inches apart), arms relaxed at your sides. Slouching or shifting weight to one hip skews circumference measurements.
- Have a helper measure you when you can. It’s genuinely hard to keep a tape level and read it accurately on your own body, especially for back-waist length and shoulder width.
- Measure everything twice, ideally on two different days, and write the numbers down. If the two readings don’t match within about 1/4 inch, take a third measurement to break the tie.
With those rules in place, here’s exactly where to put the tape for each core measurement.
Bust. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your bust (usually across the nipple line), keeping it straight across your back and parallel to the floor. Wear the bra you’ll wear with the garment. This is the primary measurement for choosing a pattern size on tops, dresses, and jackets.
High bust. Wrap the tape around your ribcage directly above the full bust and under your arms, straight across the back, snug but not tight. If full bust minus high bust is more than 2 to 2.5 inches, use high bust (not full bust) to pick your pattern size, then do a full bust adjustment (FBA).
Waist. To find your waist, use the bend test: stand up straight, then bend directly to one side. The crease that forms across your torso marks your natural waistline, typically the narrowest point on your body and about 1 inch above your navel. Straighten back up and measure snugly around that exact line, keeping the tape parallel to the floor. This is the measurement for sizing skirts, pants, and fitted waistlines on dresses and tops, and it’s also the anchor point for back-waist length and rise.
Hips. Measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, typically 7 to 9 inches (18 to 23 cm) below your natural waist. Keep the tape level and snug. This is the primary measurement for choosing pattern size on skirts and pants, and it’s also used to check ease through the hip on dresses.
Shoulder width. Locate the bony point at the edge of each shoulder, where a set-in sleeve seam would sit, and measure straight across the back from one point to the other. Use this to check or adjust shoulder seam placement and bodice fit on tops, dresses, and jackets.
Arm/sleeve length. Start at the shoulder point, run the tape over a slightly bent elbow, and measure down to the wrist bone. Use this to set or adjust sleeve length on long-sleeve garments.
Inseam. Measure from the crotch straight down the inside of the leg to the desired hem point (ankle, floor, or capri length). This sets pant, legging, and shorts length.
Back-waist length. Measure from the prominent bone at the nape of the neck straight down the spine to your natural waistline. Use this to check or adjust bodice length on dresses and tops, especially for petite or tall adjustments.
Height. Stand against a flat wall without shoes, heels touching the wall, and measure straight up from the floor to the top of your head. This helps you choose the right pattern size range (many companies offer petite/tall variants) and calculate overall garment proportions.
| Measurement | Where to measure | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Bust | Fullest part of bust, straight across back, parallel to floor | Choosing size for tops, dresses, jackets |
| High bust | Ribcage above full bust, under arms, straight across back | Alternate sizing point when full bust minus high bust exceeds 2-2.5 in |
| Waist | Natural waistline found with the bend test, about 1 in above navel | Skirts, pants, fitted waistlines; anchor for back-waist length and rise |
| Hips | Fullest part of hips/seat, 7-9 in below natural waist | Choosing size for skirts and pants; checking dress ease |
| Shoulder width | Bony point to bony point, straight across back | Shoulder seam placement, bodice fit |
| Arm/sleeve length | Shoulder point, over bent elbow, to wrist bone | Sleeve length on long-sleeve garments |
| Inseam | Crotch straight down inner leg to desired hem | Pant, legging, shorts length |
| Back-waist length | Nape of neck straight down spine to natural waist | Bodice length, petite/tall adjustments |
| Height | Floor to top of head, standing against a wall | Size range (petite/tall), overall proportions |
How to Choose a Pattern Size From Your Measurements
Choose your pattern size for tops, dresses, and jackets by your bust measurement, not your ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing size. Pattern company sizing runs differently from store sizing, and treating them as the same number is one of the fastest ways to end up disappointed with a finished garment.
The high-bust rule. If the difference between your full bust and your high bust is more than 2 to 2.5 inches, pick your pattern size using the high-bust number instead of the full bust, then add width back at the bust with a full bust adjustment (FBA). This keeps the shoulders, neckline, and armholes fitting your frame instead of ballooning to match a larger bust.
Bottoms. Choose pattern size for skirts and pants by your hip measurement (waist only for very fitted, waistband-only styles).
Between sizes. If your measurements fall between two pattern sizes, check the pattern’s finished-garment measurement chart, not just the body-measurement chart, to see how much room the design actually has. Size down for a style meant to be loose or oversized, size up for a fitted style, or blend and grade smoothly between the two size lines at bust, waist, and hip if your proportions don’t match one size straight through.
Ease. Ease is the difference between your body measurement and the finished garment measurement. Positive ease means the garment is looser than your body (a relaxed fit). Negative ease means the finished garment measures smaller than your body and relies on fabric stretch to fit, which is common in knits and activewear. Most woven garments need a minimum of about 2 inches of wearing ease at the bust just to move and breathe comfortably; patterns add more on top of that depending on the intended silhouette.
Once you’ve settled on a size, these same measurements do double duty during fitting. Our garment construction guide walks through checking fit against your numbers as you sew, so pin this page open alongside it.
Fabric Yardage: How Fabric Is Sold
One yard of fabric is 36 inches, which is 3 feet or 0.9144 meters (91.44 cm).
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 yard | 36 in = 3 ft = 0.9144 m (91.44 cm) |
| 1/2 yard | 18 in |
| 1/4 yard | 9 in |
| 1/8 yard | 4.5 in |
| 1 meter | 39.37 in, approximately 1.094 yards |
Fabric is also sold by width, and the width you buy changes how much yardage a project needs.
| Fabric type | Typical width |
|---|---|
| Quilting cotton | 44-45 in |
| Apparel/fashion fabric | 54-60 in |
| Home decor fabric | 54 in and up |
| Some knits | 60 in |
A 60-inch-wide fabric typically needs 15 to 25 percent less yardage than 45-inch fabric for the same project, because pattern pieces nest more efficiently across the wider bolt. That’s worth knowing before you buy, especially on projects with large pattern pieces like a full skirt or a coat.
The table below gives rough garment yardage for a mid-size adult, at both common widths.
| Garment | Yardage at 45 in | Yardage at 60 in |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirt/knit top | ~2 yd | ~1.5 yd |
| Simple skirt (straight/A-line) | ~1.5-2 yd | ~1.25-1.5 yd |
| Full/circle skirt | ~3-3.5 yd | ~2-3 yd |
| Simple dress | ~3 yd | ~2.5 yd |
| Pants/trousers | ~2.5-3 yd | ~2-2.5 yd |
These are rough averages for a standard-width layout. Add 10 to 20 percent for prints that need pattern-matching, for napped fabrics, or for plus or tall sizing. The pattern envelope’s own yardage chart is always the most accurate source for a specific design, since it accounts for the exact pieces in that pattern.
Precut Fabric Sizes
A fat quarter measures 18 by 22 inches.
It’s cut differently than a standard quarter-yard: instead of a long, narrow strip (9 by 44 inches), a fat quarter is a half-yard cut in half again across the width, giving you a wider, squarer piece with more usable width for blocks and appliqué. Here’s how the rest of the common precuts stack up.
| Precut | Size | What it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Fat quarter | 18 x 22 in (45 x 55 cm) | Patchwork blocks and appliqué needing more usable width than a standard quarter-yard strip |
| Fat eighth | 9 x 22 in | Small accent pieces, appliqué, scrappy blocks |
| Jelly roll | 2.5 in x width-of-fabric strips (~42-44 in), 40 strips per bundle | Strip piecing, sashing, rail-fence and log-cabin style quilts |
| Charm pack | 5 x 5 in squares, 42 per pack | Simple patchwork, charm quilts, postage-stamp layouts |
| Mini charm pack | 2.5 x 2.5 in squares, 42 per pack | Miniature quilts, doll quilts, fine detail work |
| Layer cake | 10 x 10 in squares, 42 per pack | Larger blocks with fewer seams, beginner-friendly quilts |
| Honey bun | 1.5 in x width-of-fabric strips, 40 per bundle | Fine sashing, strip-pieced borders |
Standard Quilt Sizes
A typical queen quilt measures around 90 inches wide by 90 to 100 inches long, sized to drop over the sides and foot of a standard queen mattress.
Quilt sizing starts with the mattress itself:
| Bed | Mattress size |
|---|---|
| Crib | 28 x 52 in |
| Twin | 38 x 75 in |
| Twin XL | 38 x 80 in |
| Full/Double | 54 x 75 in |
| Queen | 60 x 80 in |
| King | 76 x 80 in |
| California King | 72 x 84 in |
From there, finished quilt sizes typically run as follows. The “typical” column is a common target size; the “range” column shows how far quilters and pattern designers actually spread that number.
| Bed | Typical quilt size | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Baby/receiving | 36 x 46 in | 30×30 in to 40×50 in |
| Crib | 36 x 52 in | 36×36 in to 45×60 in |
| Lap/Throw | 50 x 65 in | 48×66 in to 60×72 in |
| Twin | 70 x 90 in | 63×87 in to 72×95 in |
| Twin XL | 70 x 95 in | 64×90 in to 81×111 in |
| Full/Double | 84 x 90 in | 78×87 in to 90×100 in |
| Queen | 90 x 100 in | 84×92 in to 90×108 in |
| King | 104 x 96 in | 98×106 in to 110×108 in |
| California King | 102 x 100 in | 98×96 in to 108×108 in |
If you’d rather calculate your own size than pick from a chart, use this formula: finished quilt width equals mattress width plus (2 times the drop), where the drop is typically 8 to 12 inches per side, depending on how far you want the quilt to hang over the mattress edge. Finished quilt length equals mattress length plus the drop at the foot of the bed, plus an optional 10 inches if you want a pillow tuck at the head.
Quilt batting also comes in standard precut sizes, which is convenient if you’re not piecing your own backing:
| Batting size | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Crib | 45 x 60 in |
| Twin | 72 x 90 in |
| Full/Double | 81 x 96 in |
| Queen | 90 x 108 in |
| King | 120 x 120 in |
Quilt sizing varies quite a bit by source and by pattern, so treat every chart here, and everywhere else, as a starting range rather than a fixed rule. Always check the finished-size measurements printed on the specific pattern you’re using. For seasonal projects that use these same dimensions, our holiday and seasonal sewing guide has quilt and pillowcase projects built around them.
Standard Pillowcase and Bedding Sizes
A standard pillowcase fits a 20 by 26 inch pillow and measures about 20 to 21 by 30 to 32 inches finished.
| Item | Insert size | Case size |
|---|---|---|
| Standard pillow | 20 x 26 in | ~20-21 x 30-32 in |
| Queen pillow | 20 x 30 in | ~20 x 34-36 in |
| King pillow | 20 x 36 in | ~20-21 x 40 in |
| Euro sham | 26 x 26 in | 26 x 26 in (square, envelope back) |
| Body pillow | 20 x 54 in | ~20 x 54-60 in |
| Throw pillow (small to large) | 16×16, 18×18, 20×20, 22×22 in | Same as insert, cover cut ~1 in larger |
| Lumbar pillow | 12 x 20 in | ~12-13 x 20-21 in |
To make your own pillowcase, cut your fabric about 2 inches wider than the pillow (to allow a 1/2-inch seam allowance on each side) and about 10 inches longer than the pillow (this builds in the side seam allowances plus a generous 3 to 3.5 inch cuff at the open end). For example, a standard 20 by 26 inch pillow needs fabric cut roughly 21 to 22 inches wide by 36 inches long before folding and stitching. Once it’s cut, our how to hem guide covers finishing that open-end cuff cleanly.
Every pattern in our library lists its exact yardage and finished sizes for you, so there’s no guessing at the numbers above when you sit down to cut. Browse the 155+ printable PDF sewing patterns if you’d rather start from a tested design than build your own from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many inches are in a yard of fabric?
One yard of fabric equals 36 inches, which is the same as 3 feet or 0.9144 meters (91.44 cm).
How do I measure my waist for sewing?
Stand straight and bend directly to one side; the crease that forms across your torso marks your natural waist, usually about 1 inch above the navel. Straighten up and wrap the tape snugly around that line, keeping it parallel to the floor.
What size is a fat quarter?
A fat quarter measures 18 by 22 inches. It’s a quarter-yard of fabric cut as a half-yard cut in half across the width, rather than a long, narrow quarter-yard strip.
What are the standard quilt sizes?
Typical finished quilt sizes run: crib 36×52 in, twin 70×90 in, full/double 84×90 in, queen around 90×100 in, and king around 104×96 in, though exact dimensions vary by pattern and desired overhang.
What size is a queen size quilt?
A queen quilt typically measures around 90 inches wide by 90 to 108 inches long, depending on how much drop you want over the sides and foot of a 60×80-inch queen mattress.
What is the standard pillowcase size?
A standard pillowcase fits a 20 by 26 inch pillow and typically measures about 20-21 by 30-32 inches finished, leaving extra length for the open-end hem.
How do I choose a sewing pattern size?
Choose by your body measurements, not your ready-to-wear size: use bust (or high bust, if it differs from full bust by more than 2 to 2.5 inches) for tops and dresses, and hip for skirts and pants. Compare to the pattern’s own size chart, since sizing varies between companies.
How much fabric do I need for a dress?
A simple dress typically needs about 2.5 to 3 yards of 45-inch-wide fabric, or roughly 2 to 2.5 yards of 60-inch-wide fabric. Full-skirted or maxi styles need more, and the pattern envelope’s yardage chart is always the most accurate source for a specific design.