If you find that a pattern or garment does not draft, there is likely an error with your measurements. Sometimes the system will actually show you an error message that corresponds with a measurement.

We will go through a simple draft and show you where the measurements are used. This may help you identify which of your measurements may have an incorrect value. You may find it helpful to open your measurement set in another browser window to review your measurements and also take a look at the illustration showing how the measurement was to be taken. Those illustrations will line up well with the pattern drafting process below.

This draft uses measurements from the Basic Measurements set. If you want to verify your measurements for an Advanced set, please visit the Drafting Errors - Detailed Measurements page.

Because the basic measurements are simplified, there are some standardized assumptions made in the draft. The detailed measurement drafts are much more precise and that's why they need so many more measurements. These assumptions are noted below.

Starting Point

The first point is the starting point made at the top.

Back Neck Point

The back neck point is made by a standardized distance from the starting point.

Armhole Height

The armhole height is established by using the Armhole Length measurement.

Waist Center Point

The waist center point is created using the Center Back to Waist measurement.

Hip Center Point

The hip center point is located the Waist to Hip measurement from the waist center point.

Armpit Point

The armpit point is at the armhole height level measured over the Bust / Chest measurement.

Hip Side Point

The hip side point is measured off the hip center point the Bust / Chest measurement. Sometimes this may be adjusted to be the hip width measurement, depending on the pattern.

Neck Back Reference

A reference point is created for the neck back. This is horizontal from the neck back point measured over at one-fourth the neck measurement.

Side Neck Point

The side neck point is level with the starting point aligned to the neck back reference point.

Mid-Arm Reference

The mid-arm reference point is located halfway between the neck back point and armpit height point.

Mid-Arm Point

The mid-arm point is measured over from the mid-arm reference point the distance of the across back measurement.

Shoulder Level Reference

The shoulder level is established using a standardized measurement.

Shoulder Point

The shoulder point is placed horizontal to the shoulder level reference. It is extended a standardized distance from the across back measurement.

Neck Front Point

The neck front point is located a standardized distance from the neck back point.

Those are the basic points created for patterns / garments using the Basic Measurement Set. This serves to illustrate where the measurements are used and how errors can occur if those measurements don't line up.