Measurement, Marking and Cutting
This domain tests body and garment measurement, marking accuracy, spreading and cutting discipline, and the grain and shade controls that prevent twisting and shading defects.
Measuring
- 1 inch = 2.54 cm. Learn the landmarks: bust or chest, waist, hip, shoulder, neck, sleeve length, inseam, outseam, crotch depth, armhole depth.
- Hold the tape flat and snug, not tight; measure over light clothing; record to the nearest 0.5 cm.
- Work to the spec sheet and size chart; garment measurement tolerance is commonly around plus or minus 6 mm unless the buyer specifies otherwise.
Marking
- Mark on the wrong side using tailor's chalk, tracing wheel and carbon, thread tacking, or drill holes.
- Grainline arrows must run parallel to the selvedge; mark notches, dart ends, pocket placement, buttonhole positions.
Cutting
- Relax and spread fabric; use face-one-way lays for napped or pile fabrics and face-to-face lays for symmetrical, non-directional fabric.
- Respect the ply limit set by fabric thickness; keep marker efficiency high without shifting pattern pieces.
- Cut on the line; keep notches shallow, about 3 mm, so they do not cut into the seam allowance.
- Bundle by size, shade and ply; never mix shade bands in one bundle.
Worked example
A trouser leg twists after washing. Check whether the marker grainline was parallel to the selvedge for every panel. Reasoning: off-grain cutting lets the warp direction drift, so the leg spirals once the fabric relaxes in wash.
Traps
- Stretching the tape or measuring over thick clothing, producing a wrong size.
- Forgetting to add seam allowance when drafting a pattern.
- Cutting deep notches that nick the seam allowance.
- Mixing dye lots or shade bands inside one bundle.