How the Measure Your Wool Interlock Longies

This tutorial is how to measure your wool interlock garments with a crotch seam. This will include your longies, shorties, bloomers, euro pants etc.

You will need the following tools:

1. Your wool

2. Clean hands (always a good idea)

3. Something to occupy the kids

4. Last and most important a soft flexible tape measure. Using a metal tape measure is not the best tool for measuring clothing. I highly recommend getting the right

Step 1: How to Measure the Inseam

First step is how to measure the inseam. Inseam is the length of the pant or short leg from the crotch to the hem. Whether the hem is cuffed, ruffled, adjustable or hemmed the process is the same.

With the garment right side out place the tape measure into the crotch, then run it along the inner leg until the bottom edge of the hem.
Some people get inseam and outseam mixed up. Just remember the inseam is inside the leg and the outseam is the outside of the whole garment.
Some methods involved folding the garment in half or measuring inside out, but this can give an inaccurate measurement as to how the garment will actually fit.

This garment has an 8" inseam

Step 2: How to Measure the Waistband

Step two is how the measure the waistband.

Wool interlock stretches easily, so the sewn edge where it attaches to the garment is going to be stretched more than the outer edge. The waistband should be measured as it was cut for resale. Please note the "X" in the picture, so not measure at this seam

I find the most accurate way to measure the waistband is by laying the tape measure across the outer most edge of the waist. Span the entire length of the waist and then fold it back over itself. Using both hands make sure the tape measure is equal and the wool is flat. This will give you a final number and involve no math.

If you attempt the put the tap measure in a loop inside the waistband, it is extremely difficult to get an accurate measurement.

This garment has an 11" waistband

Step 3: How to Measure the Hips

Measuring the hips is basically the same as the waistband.

Lay the tape measure across the hip area. This should be about 1/3 the way up the garment from the crotch seam. Below this area is to go between the legs and will give an inaccurate hip measurement.

Span the entire length of the garment and then fold it back over itself. Using both hands make sure the tape measure is equal and the wool is flat. This will give you a final number and involve no math. The wool should be flat and the legs splayed out to get the most accurate measurement. The pair shown have an 18" hip.

Step 4: How to Measure the Rise

This is the hardest, most complicated and easiest to get wrong part to measure. First, what does rise mean anyways? Rise is the measurement from the top of the waistband through the crotch to the top of the back of the waistband.

First step, hold the measuring tape with your thumb at the top of the waistband, line up the edge of the wool with the edge of the tape measure as shown in image one.

Second step, run the tap measure to the crotch and wrap is around to the back.

Third step, Hold the tape measure at the top of the back of the garment. Now tug on the loop in the crotch, ensuring that the tape is flat along both front and back.

The wool should not be bunched at all anywhere, as this will give you a shorter measurement. The tape measure should be lined up at both front and back of the waistband. The loop between the crotch should be right against the wool and not hanging down or bunching the wool.

Measuring the front and back and adding together can give wrong measurements, I have seen people out by more than an inch measuring that way.

This garment has a 17" rise.