Well, hello all!  This is my first time on the Made for Mermaids blog, so let me introduce myself.  My name is Jennifer and I have been sewing apparel for the past seven years.  Sewing has always been a part of my life.  I used to hand sew clothes for my dolls and I still have some of the outfits.  Can you believe it?!

As an adult, it took me about a year and a half to be 100% comfortable with PDF patterns and what fabrics work with them, not to mention sewing them on my machines!  In the past few years, I have been all about getting creative with pattern mashing to make something that inspired me online or around town.

Welp, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Now, you might be wondering, “What are finished garment measurements, and where do I find them?”.  M4M includes finished garment measurement charts in most of their patterns, and this will give you an idea as to how the garment will fit you.  You can find the charts in the online listing before you purchase which is super amazing and helpful.  With this information, choosing and confirming your size is simple!

For this loose-fit top, I used the Women’s Ava.  You can find the measurements and sizing charts and information in the listing here.

You will want to start by measuring yourself.  The Women’s Ava is a straight fit, so I like to measure my bust and hips only.  This puts me in size Purple.

Next, take a look at the SIZING section of the pattern.  There is a ton of great information here!  From intended fit to what type of fabric would work for that specific pattern.

Then, look at the finished measurements section of the pattern.  This pattern lists the Finished Width only.  This is because the Women’s Ava is a straight fit, which you know from reading the sizing section, amiright?  With this pattern, you will want to choose your size based on hip measurement.  So, let’s start there!

My hip measurement is 38”.  If you look at the Finished Width for size Purple, 39” is listed.  I then take my tape measure and place it around my body where I measure my hips, but I put it at 39” to see how much room I will have for movement, like a hula hoop!  Because this is a knit pattern, your fabric will stretch with you when you move (i.e. sit).  For me, the 1” of space, plus the stretch of the fabric, with the loose fit nature of the Women’s Ava, I will stick to my measured size of Purple.  A recommended practice is to also take that 39” and check your waist and bust to make sure you have the ease you want there too.

If you want more room at your hips, you can look to see what the next size up Finished Width is and repeat the previous steps to see how much space there will be for you.  You can also use that information if you are thinking you want a tighter fit.  Tada!  I did end up cropping this one, so it is a little shorter than the shirt length.  I love tucking mine into the front of my jeans!

Well, that is all for you this time!  It was a pleasure being here with you today.  If you have any questions, let me know! I’d be happy to help. You can find me at:

Instagram: @theCozyClothingCo

Facebook: Jennifer Anne

Kindly, Jennifer