Shoulder measurement Vertical measurements: bust, waist, full length, hip length Round measurements: chest, bust, waist, hip Neck measurements: front depth, back depth Sleeve measurements: arm round, arm hole, sleeve length, sleeve opening
It might be easier to have someone do this for you. Alternatively, you can get a dress form or make a duct tape mannequin. If you are using a dress form, adjust the bust, waist, and hip dials to match your measurements.
Continue pulling the tape down to the narrowest point of your waist. Write the measurement down next to “waist. " Pull the tape down to where you want the kurti to end, and record the measurement under “full length. " If you’re doing this on a dress form, you may have to hold the tape against the waist as you kneel. For the hip, place the tape at your shoulder and measure straight down to your hip’s fullest point. This completes the “Vertical measurements” category. Always put a finger between your measuring tape and your body—this prevents your measurements from being too snug.
Write the chest, bust, waist, and hip measurements in each of their designated sections. Don’t pull the tape tight or suck in your stomach. Keep both relaxed.
Repeat the process for the back of your neck. This measurement should be rather small, about 1 to 2 in (2. 5 to 5. 1 cm). Don’t worry about the shape of the collar (e. g. , round, V, or square). Just focus on the length.
Sleeve length: measure from the tip of your shoulder down to where you want the sleeve to end (e. g. , halfway down your arm). Sleeve opening: wrap the tape around the spot where you want the sleeve to end (e. g. , halfway down your arm) and record that measurement as well.
The mark that you make is actually the shoulder, not the bottom of the kurti.
You don’t need to do the “full length” mark because that’s the bottom edge of the paper.
Make the shoulder line half your shoulder measurement, and the other lines a quarter of your round bust, waist, and hip measurements. Align 1 side of the Swanson tool against the vertical line. Use the other side of the tool to draw the shoulder, bust, waist, and hip lines.
These measurements are standard and should work for most people. Use a ruler when drawing the diagonal line connecting the dot to Point A.
For example, if your shoulder measurement is 14 in (36 cm), make the mark at the 7 in (18 cm) point. Erase the shoulder line and anything outside the slope so that you don’t get confused later on.
Make sure that you are measuring down from the horizontal shoulder line, and not up from the horizontal bust line.
Don’t worry about the exact length of the line; try to make it around a quarter of your round chest measurement, however.
For example, if your hips measured 36 in (91 cm), your new hip measurement would be 9 in (23 cm). Measure 9 in (23 cm) along the hip line and make a mark.
If you want the kurti to be more fitted in the hips, reduce the ease to 1⁄2 in (1. 3 cm). “Ease” is the extra space that non-stretching clothing has. It allows for the garment to fit comfortably. If you don’t add the ease, the kurti will be too tight. You won’t have room to move around or breathe.
If the bust mark falls outside the line connecting the chest and waist ease dot, add more ease to the chest and waist, and try again. Make the line between the chest and waist ease dots straight, but gently curved between the waist and hip ease dots. If you can, use a dressmaker’s curved ruler for this. When you’re done, go back and use a French curve (or similar tool) to gently curve the corner in the waist created by the joining lines. Curve the corner between the hip and bottom vertical line too.
Think of this as creating a reverse “ease” point.
This completes the front arm hole. You are using the ease point on the shoulder slope, but the original point (not ease point) on the chest line. If you don’t have a French curve, you can draw the arm hole freehandedly.
This will make the back arm hole. Make the line a different color, if possible; alternatively, make it dotted. When you cut the kurti, you will cut this part first. Then, you will cut into the pattern and trace the front arm hole.
For example, you can widen your neck hole to 3 1⁄4 in (8. 3 cm). Remember, your neck hole will be twice as wide after you cut the kurti.
This is the front neck hole. You will trace the back neck hole later using a different color.
If you don’t want a curved neckline, you can leave it as a rectangle or turn it onto a V-shape. You could even add a scalloped edge! Whichever shape you choose, remember that you are only drawing half of it for right now. For example, if you wanted a V-neck, you’d draw a diagonal line.
The back neck hole should always curve, even if the front neck hole is a V or rectangle. Like with the arm holes, you will trace and cut this part first, then go back and do the front neck hole.
Keep the folded edge of the paper facing you. Depending on the length of your desired sleeve, a regular sheet of printer paper should work just fine for this.
This mark will be the top of your sleeve. The edge of the paper is the opening of the sleeve.
If you are a size small, make a mark 3 1⁄2 in (8. 9 cm) from the top edge of the sleeve. For a size medium, make a mark 3 3⁄4 in (9. 5 cm) from the top edge. If you’re a size large or extra-large, measure down 4 in (10 cm), and make your mark.
You should still add 1⁄2 in (1. 3 cm) ease here even if you added 3⁄4 in (1. 9 cm) ease to the arm round.
The top edge of your sleeve length line is the mark that you drew at the very beginning. You won’t be cutting along this line, so make it light.
The outward curving line is the sleeve cap. The inwardly curving line is the armpit. Use a French curve tool for this, or free-hand it. This completes the front part of your sleeve pattern.
Use a different color of pen or pencil for this mark. This will eventually become your back sleeve pattern.
Don’t connect this line to the top of the sleeve length line.
This completes the back sleeve pattern. Use the same color that you used for the diagonal line you drew earlier.
When you first cut the paper, both sides will create the back arm hole. When you unfold and cut the paper again, the other side will become the front arm hole! Don’t forget the side edge of the sleeve.
You are skipping the front neck and arm holes because those are bigger. Don’t worry about adding the seam allowance here. You will add those later, when you cut the fabric.
Purchase fabric that is twice the length of your desired kurti, plus 4 in (10 cm). Cotton is a great beginner fabric because it is easy to work with, but you can also use silk or linen.
Make the bottom edge of the pattern about 1 in (2. 5 cm) from the bottom edge of the fabric. You need extra space above the shoulders for the seams.
Bottom hem and sides: 1 in (2. 5 cm) Arm hole and shoulder: 1⁄2 in (1. 3 cm) Neck hole: 1⁄4 in (0. 64 cm)
You are actually cutting through all 4 layers of fabric. Don’t worry about the front neck and arm holes; you’ll take care of those next!
Use the same seam allowances as you did for your back pieces. For example, if you used standard seam allowances, then use them here as well.
You can use your own seam allowances, or you can use standardized seam allowances. For standardized seam allowances: add 1 in (2. 5 cm) to the bottom and side edges, and 1⁄2 in (1. 3 cm) to the curved edge. Fold the sleeves in half so that the sides match up, then cut a little notch into the top, curved edge. This will help you center the sleeve onto the shoulder!
