Carpenter's measuring tape

If you are going to be sewing and need to measure fabric then you will need to invest in a fabric measuring tape. This type of measuring tape does not come with the hard case that so many people think of when they picture a measuring tape but instead is a long and flexible piece of material that is designed for taking measurements of the body and of fabric. Normally these measuring tapes are just 60 inches long, although it is possible to buy specialty fabric measuring tapes that are up to 120 inches long, which are very useful if you are going to be measuring larger pieces of fabric for furniture, quilts, or curtains.

These measuring tapes generally include both imperial and metric measurements to make it easy to quickly measure your fabric; simply flip over to the other side of the tape if you need to switch between units. They generally come with hard pieces of metal on the ends to make it easy to place the tape at the exact location where you need to start measuring.

It’s important to realize that with these types of measuring tapes, unlike other, more durable types, you can easily stretch them out. This will result in inaccurate measurements. It’s best to either buy new ones on a regular basis to ensure correct measuring or to opt for a fiberglass fabric measuring tape that won’t stretch