Enrichment · Arts & Creativity · Sewing

Inches, centimeters,
and the ease
in between.

Type your measurements in whichever unit your tape shows. The converter gives the other unit, rounds inches the way a tape reads, and adds ease for the finished size.

Convert my measurementsWhat you get

The sewing pattern measurement converter

The worked example is a relaxed linen shirt. Nothing you type leaves this browser.

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What you get

Enrichment · Arts & CreativityFree

What you finish with
Every body measurement in inches and centimeters, the finished garment measurement with ease in both, and the seam allowance converted. It prints as a measurement card to keep with the pattern.
Who it is for
Students learning to sew, home sewists using patterns from different countries, and costume crews measuring a cast.
Format
Browser converter for a phone, tablet or computer, by touch or keyboard. Prints a summary; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); export and import a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Arts & Creativity space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions, a correction or a request: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pick the unit your tape shows.
  2. Add each measurement.
  3. Choose the ease for the fit.
  4. Check the seam allowance.
  5. Compare with the pattern’s finished sizes.

Convert my measurements

How the conversion works

An exact factor, a tape-measure rounding, and ease.

The worked example: a linen shirtBody36 inbust, measured× 2.5491.4 cmexactly+ ease40 inrelaxed fitFinished101.6 cmgarment bustThe worked example: a linen shirtBody36 inbust, measured× 2.5491.4 cmexactly+ ease40 inrelaxed fitFinished101.6 cmgarment bust
Inches times 2.54 give centimeters exactly; ease added to the body measurement gives the finished garment measurement.

Exact, then rounded

An inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters. The page converts exactly, then shows inches to the nearest eighth, the finest mark on most tape measures, and centimeters to the millimeter. Do the arithmetic in the exact figures and round only at the end.

Ease and seam allowance

Ease is the room a garment has beyond the body: a few inches at the bust for a relaxed shirt, almost none for a fitted dress or knit. Patterns print finished measurements that include it, so compare your finished figures with those. Home sewing patterns usually use a 5/8-inch seam allowance; metric patterns 1 or 1.5 centimeters.

Sources

  1. National Institute of Standards and Technology. The international inch: 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters exactly (nist.gov).
  2. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (nist.gov).
  3. Smithsonian Institution. Measuring and fitting historic and modern clothing, educational resources (si.edu).
  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension. Clothing construction and fitting guides (extension.org).

Fit is personal; compare with the pattern’s own finished measurements before cutting. Your entries stay in this browser. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.