Where do I measure my hips?

Measure at the fullest point of your hips and bottom, usually 18–23cm below the natural waistline. Keep the tape measure parallel to the floor and snug but not tight.

Should I grade between waist and hip?

Yes. If you need different adjustments at waist and hip, you must blend the adjustment gradually between the two. Draw a smooth curve from the waist adjustment to the hip adjustment, tapering to zero at both ends.

What about high hip adjustments?

The high hip (measured 10cm below the waist) may differ from your full hip. If your high hip is proportionally larger or smaller, you may need to add or remove width in the upper hip area separately from the full hip.

Should Pattern Hip be the body chart or the finished measurement?

Use the pattern’s FINISHED hip, taken from the finished-garment measurement chart or measured flat across the pattern pieces (minus seam allowances). The body-measurement chart already builds in the designer’s ease, so comparing your body hip to it and then adding more ease double-counts the room. Compare your body hip (plus any extra wearing or design ease you want) against the finished hip to get the true difference to add.

Why split the change across side seams rather than the centre?

Adding or removing width at the side seams keeps the grainline, centre front and centre back unchanged, so the garment hangs correctly. Spread the total evenly across the available side seams, then taper the change smoothly from waist to the fullest hip and back out to the hem.

SewCalcs

Hip Adjustment Calculator — Pattern Hip Fit

Calculate hip adjustments for skirts, trousers and dress patterns.

Your Hip

Your full hip body measurement (fullest point)

Pattern Hip

Pattern FINISHED hip (from the finished-garment chart, not the body chart)

Number of Seams

Side seams to split the change across — a basic skirt or trousers has 2

How We Calculate This

Hip adjustments follow the same principle as waist adjustments — the total change is shared evenly across the side seams, never the centre front or centre back. The total difference is your finished-garment target (body hip plus any ease) minus the pattern’s finished hip.

The formula

Per side seam = Total difference ÷ Number of side seams

Per cut edge = Per side seam ÷ 2

A basic skirt or pair of trousers has 2 side seams, each made of a front edge and a back edge — 4 cut edges in all. So a 6cm change is 3cm per side seam, or 1.5cm added at each of the 4 edges. This matches the widely used “divide the hip difference by 4” rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Pattern Sizing Calculator

Find the right pattern size from your body measurements.

Ease Calculator

Calculate wearing ease and design ease for comfortable garments.

Grading Calculator

Grade a pattern up or down between sizes with correct increments.

Pattern Scaling Calculator

Scale a pattern piece by percentage for enlarging or reducing.

Bust Adjustment Calculator

Calculate full bust or small bust adjustments for bodice patterns.

Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify quantities before cutting or purchasing fabric.