How to Measure Your Body for Crochet Garments

One of the most common issues we see when making crochet garments is frustration around fit, especially when everything seems to be done “right.” Gauge is correct, stitch counts match, and measurements match the pattern, yet the finished garment still feels more oversized or different than expected.

This is a very common experience in crochet garment making and almost always comes down to how body measurements, ease, fabric behaviour, and garment construction work together.

Patterns cannot account for every body type, proportion, or fit preference. Instead, they are designed to give you the information you need to make informed choices before you start, so you can adjust fit expectations or customize when needed.

Taking accurate body measurements and understanding how they relate to finished garment measurements allows you to:

• Choose the correct size with confidence
• Understand how much ease a garment will have and where it will show up
• Anticipate how a straight or unshaped design will sit on your body
• Decide whether small adjustments or alterations may be helpful before you begin

Once you understand these pieces, garment sizing becomes far less confusing and much more predictable.

This post walks you through how to measure your body correctly for crochet garments, why those measurements matter, and how they are used alongside gauge and schematics to predict fit.

This post works together with:

• Choosing the Right Size, Ease, and Fit for Crochet Garments (coming January 15, 2026)
• Why Gauge Matters (and How to Measure It Correctly)

I recommend reading all three before starting your first garment.

“To fit bust” vs “finished bust”; Understanding the size chart

One of the most common points of confusion when reading a size chart is the difference between “to fit bust” and “finished bust.” Understanding this distinction makes everything else about sizing and fit much clearer.

To fit bust refers to your body measurement.
This is the measurement taken around the fullest part of your chest and is used as a guideline to help identify a starting size range.

Finished bust refers to the measurement of the completed garment, not your body.
This number includes any ease built into the design and shows how large the sweater will be once finished.

These two numbers are not meant to be the same.

For example:

• If your bust measures 36 inches (to fit bust)
• And the finished bust is 39 inches
• That garment has 3 inches of positive ease, around the bust.

This is intentional in most sweater designs and does not mean the pattern runs large.

Some designs intentionally include negative ease, meaning the finished garment is smaller than the body measurement, so it stretches to fit.

Ease is not always evenly distributed throughout a garment. Depending on construction, ease may show up more through the body, under the arms, at the shoulders, or in the sleeves. This is why two garments with the same finished bust measurement can feel very different when worn.

When choosing a size, it’s important to:

• Know your to fit bust (your body measurement)
• Compare it to the finished bust (the garment measurement)
• Decide how much ease you want based on the style of the design

Once this difference is clear, the rest of the size chart and schematic become much easier to understand.

The most important measurement: full bust

Most crochet garment sizing is based on full bust measurement. This is true even if the garment is oversized, cropped, or unshaped.

How to measure your full bust

• Wear the bra you would normally wear with a sweater
• Stand naturally with arms relaxed
• Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest/bust
• Keep the tape level and parallel to the floor
• The tape should be snug, but not tight

This number is the primary reference point when choosing a size.

Plus-size and fuller bust note (top-down garments)

For top-down garments, it’s also important to take an upper chest measurement, especially in plus sizes or for those with a fuller bust.

Why this matters:

• The yoke determines shoulder fit and armhole depth
• Choosing a size based only on full bust can result in armholes that are too deep or oversized
• Upper chest measurement helps ensure the garment fits comfortably through the shoulders and underarms

Upper chest is measured above the bust, under the arms, with the tape measure level and snug.

For more details on how this affects fit, see Choosing the Right Size, Ease, and Fit for Crochet Garments.

Additional measurements that strongly affect fit

While bust measurement determines sizing, other measurements determine how the garment looks and feels on your body.

Waist or torso measurement

• Measure around the natural waist (the smaller circumference of your torso)
• Many people’s waist is significantly smaller than their bust
• In straight or unshaped garments, this difference creates visible ease

Hip measurement

• Measure around the widest part of the lower hip
• Essential for longer sweaters, tunics, dresses, and cardigans

Upper arm or bicep measurement

• Measure around the widest part of the upper arm, near the underarm
• Important for sleeve comfort and mobility

Arm length

• Measure from the underarm straight down to the wrist
• Keep the arm relaxed and slightly bent
• This measurement is used to determine sleeve length in standard sizing

Back length

• Measure from the most prominent bone at the base of the neck down to the natural waistline
• Helpful for adjusting garment length
• These measurements allow you to anticipate fit and decide whether adjustments may be helpful before you begin.
• ‘

Visit the Yarn Craft Council for Measuring Standards.

Common measuring mistakes

Some of the most common errors include:

• Guessing measurements instead of using a tape measure
• Measuring over bulky clothing
• Pulling the tape too tight
• Using clothing size instead of body measurements
• Assuming bust measurement and torso proportions are the same

Accurate measurements should always be taken directly on the body.

Knowing your body proportions

Body measurements don’t exist in isolation. How a garment fits is influenced by the relationship between your measurements, not just the numbers themselves.

Consider the following when reviewing your measurements:

• A larger difference between bust and waist will create more visible ease in straight or unshaped garments
• Broader shoulders or a fuller upper chest can affect yoke fit and armhole depth in top-down designs
• Fuller hips may impact fit and length in longer garments
• Upper arm measurement can influence sleeve comfort more than bust size alone

Understanding your proportions helps you anticipate where ease will show up and whether small adjustments may improve fit. This is especially helpful when working with relaxed or oversized designs.

Why measuring before gauge still matters

The gauge tells you whether your fabric matches the pattern math. Measurements tell you whether that fabric will fit your body.

Gauge and measurements work together. One does not replace the other.

For a deeper dive on gauge and why it matters, see our full guide to gauge.

Fabric behaviour and stitch pattern impact

Stitch pattern plays a significant role in how a garment fits. Dense fabrics tend to hold structure and feel firmer, while open or textured stitch patterns can stretch, drape, or relax with wear. This means two garments with identical measurements may fit differently depending on the stitch pattern used.

Final thoughts on measuring

Understanding your measurements gives you control, helps you predict fit, and makes it easier to choose the right size or make adjustments with confidence.

Next, learn how to use those measurements to choose a size, understand ease, and predict fit in crochet garments.

This post is written by Michelle Moore of MJ’s Off The Hook Designs Inc, based in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. Your go-to source for modern, easy crochet patterns. Published on January 15th, 2026.

Thank you for visiting MJ’s Off The Hook Designs. You can find more crochet patterns in our Ravelry and Etsy shops.
For daily inspiration and behind-the-scenes peeks, join me over on Facebook or Instagram, or join our YouTube Membership for exclusive content!