📐 Body Measurement to Pattern Size Calculator

Enter your bust, waist, and hip measurements to find your closest standard commercial pattern size (based on commonly published Big-4-style size charts). Bodies vary — always compare to the pattern's own finished measurements too.

Bust (in)

Waist (in)

Hip (in)

How the closest size is picked

The tool holds a nine-row body chart, sizes 8 to 24, and scores every row:

score = |chart bust - your bust|
      + |chart waist - your waist|
      + |chart hip - your hip|

Lowest score wins, ties going to the smaller size. Enter 37 / 29 / 41 and size 14 (36 / 28 / 38) scores 1 + 1 + 3 = 5 while size 16 (38 / 30 / 40) scores 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, so 16 wins. Because the differences are simply added, one badly matched measurement can be outvoted by the other two.

Reading the chart it uses

Bust steps 1 in from size 8 to 10, 1.5 in to 12, then 2 in all the way to 24 - the gaps widen as the range goes up, so grading is not a constant percentage. Waist follows its own rule, so bust and hip can land on different rows.

These are body, not garment, measurements. Keep the tape level and snug and add nothing for movement: ease and seam allowances - 5/8 in on most commercial sheets - are already in the pieces.
Blend when rows disagree. If your bust matches 12 and your hip matches 16, cut 12 at the bust and walk the side seam out to 16 by the hip instead of forcing one number on it.

Commercial pattern sizing is a different system from ready-to-wear: a size 16 here is not a shop size 16, and two or three sizes of difference is normal.

Frequently asked questions

What size am I in sewing patterns?

Whatever your bust, waist and hip say on the chart - the envelope number is unrelated to your jeans size, and usually runs larger.

Should I use my full bust or my high bust?

Big-4 patterns are drafted for a B cup. If your full bust is more than about 2 in larger than your high bust, size by high bust so the shoulders and armhole fit, then make a full bust adjustment for the difference.

Do I add ease to my measurements before looking up a size?

No. The chart is pure body measurement. Wearing and design ease are drafted into the pattern, which is why a finished bust measures several inches more than the chart figure.