For me, the whole reason I started sewing was because I wanted cute clothes for my son. The reason I continue to sew (besides being addicted to fabric), is definitely because I’m able to get a perfect fit for clothes for my kid’s oddly proportioned bodies, and especially myself!
I can’t make a garment these days without grading. If I’m being honest, I’ve gotten so used to it that if I don’t have to grade, I think I’m doing something wrong. When my daughter was little and I was still very new to sewing, I remember making her a pair of Cades Cove leggings that were 3/6 month in length, and 12/18 width. And that pair of leggings is what had me hooked on grading! I’ve learned that measurements are everything when making your own clothes. Just like every clothing store has different sizing, so does every pattern company. In some companies, my daughter is a 18/24 chest and 5T in the hips, and in SMD she is a 2T chest, with 4T hips. You just never know! But every company varies so much that I’ve become addicted to the perfect custom fit, I’ve just about stopped making clothes to sell unless I have measurements.
I know it can look so confusing when you’ve got measurements all over the place. So hopefully I can break it down to make it so much easier for you. Because it really is so much easier than it looks!
SAMANTHA MARIE DESIGN ADULT PATTERNS ARE DRAFTED FOR 5'5" HEIGHT, 30' INSEAM AND 63" TRUNK LENGTH. TO GRADE FOR THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE PERSON THE GARMENT IS INTENDED FOR, YOU WILL ADD .5 FOR EVERY 1" TALLER OR REMOVE .5" FOR EVERY 1" SHORTER.
I have to break it down into top and bottom first. So you've got chest and trunk or height. If you’re making a shirt, use the trunk measurement; if you’re making a dress, use height. And if you’re making a romper, use the trunk measurement to do shoulder to crotch, and then the inseam measurement for the legs. Now for width, start at the shoulders and neckline, use the chest measurement. If the waist measurement is bigger or smaller than the chest measurement, from the armsyce where you’re using the chest measurement, until you get to the crotch or the bottom of the shirt, you would go out or in slightly based off the measurement. For chunky babies, big busty ladies, or that nice dad bod, it’s perfect because then you don't have a garment that's too tight in one place, but totally swallowing the wearer in another. Which is just what my family needs, because we are tall, but smaller in one place, and bigger than another.
For bottoms, you want to look at hips for width, and inseam for length. Usually, your legs will follow suit to the width of the hips, but that would then be trial and error. If you’ve got a kindergartner who is tall but super skinny, you would want to also get the trunk measurement and add to the top of the pants for the rise so that their butt crack isn't hanging out.
According to the measurements above, for my daughter, I make her straight 2T in dresses, but if I’m making a shirt and pants set, I do a 2T width, out to 3T, with 3T length in the top. For her pants I do 3T width pants, and her inseam is between 2T and 3T so I cut between the two for the length. She’s not as all over the place as she used to be. But If I make her a 3T shirt, it would fall off her shoulders.
With adult clothes, I think the most important adjustment you need to be aware of that really tripped me up when I started making clothes for me was adjusting for height. Adult clothes are drafted for one height because adult height varies so much. So you can customize the height and length of your clothes perfectly. There is always a key for how to adjust for height, and usually it’s +/-.5 inch for each inch taller than what the pattern is drafted for. I’m 5’10’ with a really long torso, and there is no chance of me being able to wear a RTW romper, from anywhere. However, one of my new favorite garments is my adult Camellia romper! It’s so comfy - but because I don’t have a giant wedgie!
Grading has definitely saved my life (not to be dramatic), but for sure has saved my wardrobe, and my kid’s wardrobe! Their clothes last so much longer, and thankfully, they continue to choose momma made clothes over most of their ready to wear clothes!
