Ease Calculator
Compare your body measurement with a pattern's finished garment measurement to see how much ease it has and how it will fit - or work out the finished measurement you need for the fit you want.
Published
What ease is
Ease is the difference between your body measurement and the garment's finished measurement at the same place. It comes in two parts:
- Wearing ease is the minimum room needed to breathe, sit and move in a woven fabric. As a rough guide it's around 2-3" (5-7.5 cm) at the bust, 1" (2.5 cm) at the waist and 2" (5 cm) at the hip.
- Design ease is everything added on top of that to create the style: the difference between a fitted sheath and a boxy smock.
Pattern size charts tell you which size matches your body. The ease tells you how the designer intended the garment to sit on that body. A pattern that "runs large" usually just has more design ease than you expected.
How to use it
- Find the finished garment measurements. Many patterns print them on the envelope or on the tissue at the bust, waist and hip. If not, measure the paper pattern between the seamlines (not the cutting lines) and add up all the pieces. Exclude darts and pleats, which are sewn closed.
- Enter your body measurement at the same place.
- Read the ease and fit. If it's more or less than you want, choose a different size, or adjust the pattern at the side seams.
To work backwards, enter only your body measurement at the bust. The table that appears shows the finished bust measurement to look for on a pattern for each fit.
Fit categories at the bust
Pattern companies describe fit with standard words, each corresponding to a range of bust ease. The ranges below are approximate and based on the descriptions used by the major US pattern companies for woven fabrics. Individual patterns vary, so always check the pattern's own description.
| Fit | Dress, blouse, top | Jacket | Coat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close-fitting | 0 - 2 7/8" (0 - 7.3 cm) | under 3 3/4" (9.5 cm) | under 5 1/4" (13.3 cm) |
| Fitted | 3 - 4" (7.5 - 10 cm) | 3 3/4 - 4 1/4" (9.5 - 10.8 cm) | 5 1/4 - 6 3/4" (13.3 - 17 cm) |
| Semi-fitted | 4 1/8 - 5" (10.5 - 12.7 cm) | 4 3/8 - 5 3/4" (11 - 14.6 cm) | 6 7/8 - 8" (17.5 - 20.3 cm) |
| Loose-fitting | 5 1/8 - 8" (13 - 20.3 cm) | 5 7/8 - 10" (15 - 25.4 cm) | 8 1/8 - 12" (20.6 - 30.5 cm) |
| Very loose-fitting | over 8" (20.3 cm) | over 10" (25.4 cm) | over 12" (30.5 cm) |
Jackets and coats carry more ease because they're worn over other clothes. A jacket worn over a fine blouse needs less than a winter coat worn over a jumper.
Knits and negative ease
Stretch fabrics follow different rules. A knit garment can be smaller than the body (negative ease) and still be comfortable, because the fabric stretches to fit. Leggings, swimwear and fitted knit tops are commonly drafted with negative ease. The limit is the fabric's stretch: if the garment is 10% smaller than you, the fabric needs to stretch comfortably by more than 10% and recover afterwards. Patterns for knits usually state the minimum stretch percentage required. Test your fabric by stretching 4" (10 cm) of it along the crosswise grain against a ruler.
Ease isn't the same everywhere
One garment can have generous ease at the hip and almost none at the shoulders. When choosing a size, compare each area separately, and fit the area that's hardest to alter first, usually the shoulders and bust on tops and the hips on skirts and trousers. The Fitting and Alterations page covers what to do when your measurements fall in different sizes.