Sewing is an art form that allows your creativity to really shine but it also requires precise measurements if you want to get professional results and make sure all the pieces match up the way they should! Thankfully, there is a wide selection of measuring tools available made specifically for sewists. I’ve compiled a list of the top 3 measuring tools that I get the most use out of in my sewing room and that I think every sewist should have! Plus, I’ll show you how I use each of these tools!
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Seam Gauge
The first measuring tool that I use all the time is my seam gauge (also known as a “hem gauge” or “sewing gauge”). This tool is basically a tiny ruler (usually about 6 inches long), with measurements marked on it, that has a plastic slider that slides up and down the ruler to “mark” whatever measurement you need.
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How to Choose a Seam Gauge
When choosing a seam gauge, look for one that includes both imperial and metric measurements for maximum versatility. Also, choosing a metal seam gauge is usually a great option because it will last longer than a plastic seam gauge.
How to Use a Seam Gauge
I generally use my seam gauge either at my ironing board or at my sewing machine. At the ironing board, I often use it to measure hems as I iron them in place. It’s super easy to leave the seam gauge set at the measurement my hem needs to be so I can periodically check to make sure I’m turning under the right size of hem.
At my sewing machine, I typically will use my seam gauge to measure from the needle to the edge of my fabric to determine where on the machine my fabric needs to be lined up to take the appropriate seam allowance. This is especially useful when I need to use an odd seam allowance amount that is not marked on my sewing machine stitch plate.
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Clear Sewing Rulers
While you certainly can use a standard ruler for sewing – a clear ruler made specifically for sewing and crafting (also known as quilting rulers) will really make your life easier! These clear sewing rulers are usually wider than a typical ruler and often have grids on them to show the different measurements. Also, because the ruler is clear, you can see your fabric or pattern through the ruler, making it basically function as a moveable grid over the thing you are measuring. This makes measuring fabric and patterns for sewing so much easier!
How to Choose a Sewing Ruler
I would recommend choosing a few different sizes of sewing rulers so that you’ll have a ruler ready for anything you need to measure. For example, a longer, narrower ruler can accommodate measuring longer areas, whereas a square ruler can accommodate wider areas. Also, most sewing rulers I’ve seen don’t include both metric and imperial measurements. So I would suggest choosing whichever measuring system you use most often.
How to Use a Clear Sewing Ruler
The great thing about clear rulers that include a grid is that you can line them up on the edge of your fabric or pattern from any direction – even multiple directions at once! For example, if you want to cut a 5 inch square from the bottom, right corner of your fabric, you can line up the 5-inch mark on your ruler grid along both the bottom and right side of your fabric and draw in the top and left side of your square.
You can also easily mark straight strips that need to be cut from your fabric by lining up the appropriate line on the grid with the edge of your fabric and drawing in a line along the edge of the ruler. Often, I’ll even skip the marking part completely and go in right away with my rotary cutter along the edge of the ruler.
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Measuring Tape
A good measuring tape is an absolute must-have for anyone sewing clothing. Whether you make clothes for yourself, your kids, or someone else – you’ll need to have a way to take body measurements so that you know what size to sew and what adjustments need to be made to the pattern.
How to Choose a Measuring Tape
When choosing a measuring tape, the number one thing to keep in mind is that you need a flexible measuring tape – not the kind you’d find at your local hardware store. The tape needs to be able to form to the shape of the thing you’re measuring – because our bodies aren’t flat!
Also, decide if you prefer a retractable measuring tape (where the tape rolls itself up into a plastic or metal container when not in use – similar to hardware store measuring tapes), or a standard folded or rolled measuring tape. A retractable measuring tape will be easier to store, but with a non-retractable tape, you won’t have to deal with that large plastic or metal case hanging off the end of the tape while trying to get measurements. Another thing to keep in mind is what units of measure are on the tape. I would recommend getting a measuring tape that has both metric and imperial measurements, even if you tend to work more with one measuring system. This is because some patterns are created using imperial and some with metric – so you’ll have way more versatility in the patterns you can use!
How to Use a Measuring Tape
I use my measuring tape for 2 purposes in my sewing: to take body measurements and to take longer measurements on patterns and fabric that my sewing rulers won’t accommodate.
To take body measurements with a measuring tape: Simply hold to “0” end of the measuring tape in one hand against your body in front of you and wrap the other end of the tape around the area you need to measure, holding the tape so it is snug but not tight. Then see what number the “0” end of the measuring tape matches up to on the other side of the tape – this is your measurement.
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