Darts and Dart Manipulation

Lesson card: darts

• Direction: every front bodice dart points towards the bust point (apex) and stops a little short of it, so no sharp point forms.
• Positions: waist, side, shoulder, armhole, neckline, centre front, and the diagonal French dart from low on the side seam. They all give the same shaping because they radiate from the same point.
• Moving a dart: by slash-and-spread or by pivoting around the bust point. The total dart amount stays the same; only its position changes.
• Converting: a dart can become gathers, pleats or tucks, or disappear into a style line such as a princess seam.
• Sewing: start at the wide end and stitch in a straight line to the point, with the last few stitches running right along the fold, and tie the threads at the point instead of backstitching.
• Pressing: vertical darts towards the centre, horizontal darts downwards; a wide dart in thick fabric is cut and pressed open.