How to Take Clothing Measurements Without Measuring Tape
Look for flexible material., Try to find an object with a known length., Mark increments on the material., Lay the material on the body for measurement.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for flexible material.
Find a common item in your home that is flexible, meaning that it bends so you can use the length of it to measure curves on your body.
Try common materials like string, yarn, a piece of scrap fabric, or a cable.
Make sure the material you use isn’t precious, as you will be marking it up, cutting it, or otherwise potentially damaging it for use in taking measurements. -
Step 2: Try to find an object with a known length.
Look for an object that you have on hand that has an even, known length to allow for easy measuring.
Depending on the object, you can either use it to directly measure on your body, or to measure the length of another material like string.
For instance, a standard American printer paper size is
8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long.
An American dollar bill is
2.5 inches wide by 6 inches long.You can also look up the size written on the bottom of a baking pan, a box, or another object that you can easily find the exact dimensions of. , If you don’t already know the exact length of the material you’re using in place of measuring tape, use a flat ruler to mark increments on it.
If you use a material that is long, you can mark off every 6 or 12 inches on it to measure longer lengths of the body, like inseam.
On shorter material like a piece of paper or dollar bill, you can simply use it to measure one length at a time, or fold it in halves to measure smaller increments.
If you don’t have a ruler, you can measure lengths with standard objects like printer paper or a dollar bill.
Or, approximate lengths using your hand and arm.
The distance from your first knuckle to the end of your fingertip is about 1 inch, the distance across your palm underneath the fingers is about 4 inches, and the distance from elbow to fingertips is about 18 inches.
However, these approximations vary on each body., Place your material across or around the part of the body you want to measure to find its length based on your marks or understanding of the material’s length.
If your material is too short to span the length of the area, place your finger as precisely as possible where the material ends and begin there with another length of the material, doing this as many times as you have to to reach the full length of the area.
If you want to find the length of an area of your body beforehand and then measure it afterward, place it on the area of your body you want to measure and carefully take hold of the material (or even cut it if it is a material like string) where the length of your body ends.
Then use a ruler or approximate measurements from your hand to determine the length.
Make sure you write down all numbers and label them with the body measurement they correspond to. -
Step 3: Mark increments on the material.
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Step 4: Lay the material on the body for measurement.
Detailed Guide
Find a common item in your home that is flexible, meaning that it bends so you can use the length of it to measure curves on your body.
Try common materials like string, yarn, a piece of scrap fabric, or a cable.
Make sure the material you use isn’t precious, as you will be marking it up, cutting it, or otherwise potentially damaging it for use in taking measurements.
Look for an object that you have on hand that has an even, known length to allow for easy measuring.
Depending on the object, you can either use it to directly measure on your body, or to measure the length of another material like string.
For instance, a standard American printer paper size is
8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long.
An American dollar bill is
2.5 inches wide by 6 inches long.You can also look up the size written on the bottom of a baking pan, a box, or another object that you can easily find the exact dimensions of. , If you don’t already know the exact length of the material you’re using in place of measuring tape, use a flat ruler to mark increments on it.
If you use a material that is long, you can mark off every 6 or 12 inches on it to measure longer lengths of the body, like inseam.
On shorter material like a piece of paper or dollar bill, you can simply use it to measure one length at a time, or fold it in halves to measure smaller increments.
If you don’t have a ruler, you can measure lengths with standard objects like printer paper or a dollar bill.
Or, approximate lengths using your hand and arm.
The distance from your first knuckle to the end of your fingertip is about 1 inch, the distance across your palm underneath the fingers is about 4 inches, and the distance from elbow to fingertips is about 18 inches.
However, these approximations vary on each body., Place your material across or around the part of the body you want to measure to find its length based on your marks or understanding of the material’s length.
If your material is too short to span the length of the area, place your finger as precisely as possible where the material ends and begin there with another length of the material, doing this as many times as you have to to reach the full length of the area.
If you want to find the length of an area of your body beforehand and then measure it afterward, place it on the area of your body you want to measure and carefully take hold of the material (or even cut it if it is a material like string) where the length of your body ends.
Then use a ruler or approximate measurements from your hand to determine the length.
Make sure you write down all numbers and label them with the body measurement they correspond to.
About the Author
Janet Foster
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
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