UserManual:SeamlyMe Measurements

Seamly2D User Manual: SeamlyMe Measurements

About SeamlyMe

SeamlyMe is the integrated program that one uses to record and save Standard(Multisize) Measurements and Individual Measurements.

To learn about the measurements available in SeamlyMe, please go to the following link:
Measurements

Starting a New Set of Measurements

Once you have SeamlyMe open, you will be presented with a blank screen which asks you to select a new measurement file. At this point, you may select File, Open, and select a measurement file that you wish to edit, or ... You may click on the 'Open Individual' Button to edit an Individual Measurement file, or ... You may click on the 'New' Button to create a new measurement file.

Multisize Measurements

Standard Measurements are measurements that increase by a set value over a number of sizes and are determined by Height and Width or Vertical and Horizonal. For example, a person could wear a size 10 blouse, but, because they are short, the blouse could be worn as a dress unless they take the hem up. So by choosing both their height (vertical) and size (horizontal), a pattern for the blouse could be created that will automatically adjust the armhole, length to waist and many other dimensions to have as close a fitting garment as possible very easily, which could be used to create a pattern for someone who is very tall and relatively thin, as well.

Note

I am repeating this bit about choosing the Height and Size of an Individual so that you can understand the importance of being accurate in entering the correct data into SeamlyMe. If the data is faulty, your patterns won't resize correctly and your patterns will be unusable:

An example of choosing Height and Size of an Individual who is 128cm tall and normally wears a size 30:

As you can see from the above images, I have changed the size and B11 has moved slightly to the right (A4 to B11 is the only line in this example that I am actually using a formula from the measurements) and you can see that the move caused the front shoulder to move out of the image.

Size is the bust circumference divided by 2, so half the bust circumference. In the example above, the bust is 60cm so the size is 30.

Creating a Multisize Measurements File

In this section, I will be creating a new Standard(Multisize) Measurement file so I will click on the 'New" Button.

A box will pop up where you may select the details of the new measurement file that you are creating:

In this case, I am using the standard measurements from 'Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear' by Winifred Aldrich to base my patterns on. You will find this book on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Metric-Pattern-Cutting-Womens-Wear/dp/1405175672

I have chosen to create a standard measurements file for a women's size 10 which is size 34 and the standard height falls into the 160cm to 172cm range so I chose the height to be 164.

Once you have done that, click on 'Ok' and you will be able to start entering the sizes that you require.

Entering the sizes

It’s easier to start with the known sizes – by this; I mean the ones that have already been given a place in the database and the names have already been typed in for us.

Add Known Items of Measurement

Click on ‘Add Known’ and a long list of measurement points appears. (Most people seem to start with using the Aldrich Standard Measurements, so I will do the same. I’m using the table for Women of Medium Height on page 11 of her book.)

When you either click on an item or select an item, an image appears that shows you the area that should be measured when you use this measurement with a title and small explanation. As you can see, I have selected A1 in the list (it has a tick in the box before it) and in the diagram, I can follow the line that is intercepted with a ‘1’ in a circle for measurement purposes. While I’m in this screen, I go through and tick all the items that I will use for this MultiSize measurement file: Height, Bus, Waist, Back Width, Chest, Shoulder, Neck Size, Dart, Top Arm, Wrist, Ankle, High Ankle, Nape to Waist, Front Shoulder to Waist, Armscye Depth, Waist to Knee, Waist to Hip, Waist to Floor, Body Rise and Sleeve Length.

Once I have ticked the ones that I need, I click on ‘Ok’ and I have my list ready to be worked on.

You may resize the columns by dragging the line between the columns in the direction that you wish to, you may reorder the list by using the little icons below ‘Details’ and you may remove an item using the ‘-‘ icon on the right. If you have missed an item, you may click on ‘Add Known’ and add it at any time. I move the items in my list into the order of the table that I’m working from because this makes it easier for me and I don’t miss any measurements and I can check that I’ve entered the correct values when I’m done much easier. And then, because I’m OCD, I count the number of measurements in my table and check that I have the same quantity of lines in SeamlyMe. The next 3 areas that I have marked with a red arrow above, are the Base Value, In Sizes and In Heights, and these are where the ‘magic’ happens.

Entering the Measurements and Increments

Since the table is for women of ‘Medium Height’ from 160cm to 172cm, I should have made my base height 160, but SeamlyMe only allows 6cm increments from height 50cm to 200cm, and I’m using 164cm and it would be better to use 158cm. I have now created my new MultiSize table using the correct base sizes of Height - 158cm and Size – 40 (which is half of the smallest bust measurement in the table).

After highlighting the Height line by clicking on it, I can now enter the base value of 158cm and the height value of 6cm: The Aldrich sizes don’t really work with heights, as such, but I’m doing this ‘just in case’ it makes a difference. Her measurements are all according to size, so from here on, we will be using only the size increments. In the table, she gives the following for the bust size:

The smallest size is 80cm and the next size is 80cm + 4cm = 84cm So we enter 80cm into the base and 4cm into the size. Height remains 0

As you can see, the ‘Calculated Value’ is 60cm. If you change the size value in the bottom left, the calculated value will automatically change accordingly:

While if you change the Height value, the Calculated Value will remain the same. You may now go down the list entering the base values and increments as explained above. The names of the different measurement points will differ for different tables and between SeamlyMe and these tables. Every effort has been made to include as many measurement points as possible and to show them on diagrams so that you may make sure that you are using the correct measuring points.

Add Custom Measuring Points

However, when in doubt, you may create your own points by clicking on ‘Add Custom’.

This will create a new item with a prefix of ‘@’. You will be able to name this item appropriately without using spaces or other special characters. Should you want a space, it is best to use an underline ( _ ). As this is a custom measurement, there is no picture reference. Further than that, you may enter the base measurement and size increment in the same way as in the previous section.

Other Measurement Tables

Some measurement tables give major increments by size and height. These are pure magic and are catered for by having the 2 increment options which may have values entered into both.