Darts are one of the techniques used most in sewing, they add shape to a garment and ensures that it fits perfectly to the figure.
A few problems can happen with darts if you do not sew them correctly: they may point outward instead of lying flat, or the dart can be placed incorrectly so that the garment sits strangely when worn. The latter will mostly occur if you are creating your own pattern, shop bought patterns will always have the correct position of the dart, so long as you transfer it with care. Whereas, if you are creating your own pattern and add a dart the wrong size or in the wrong place, it will have a huge impact on the finished product.
There are two types of darts: a single or a double dart. A single dart is used on the shoulders, the bust, armholes, skirts or trousers. A double dart is used on a bodice, under the bust or lower back, and will only occur in the middle of the fabric, not on the edge. There is only a slight difference when sewing the two, and I will explain it in the instructions below.
How to Sew a Dart:
Transfer the shape of the dart from your pattern piece to the wrong side of the fabric with a tailors chalk or pencil. A single dart will have the shape of a triangle, placed on the edge of the fabric, and a double dart will look like a diamond in the middle of the fabric.
If your pattern does not already have it, then draw a line going directly through the middle of the dart.
Fold the dart in half, right sides together and pin in place.
For a single dart, start from the edge of the fabric, backstitch and sew down the side of the triangle. When you come to the end, do not backstitch but leave enough thread at the end to knot it. This ensures that the fabric will not point or gather at the end of your dart.
For a double dart, do not backstitch at the beginning, but leave enough thread to knot, and start sewing along the lines. Make sure you pivot at the point in the diamond and carry on sewing. Once again do not backstitch but knot the end.
For both forms of dart, press flat with an iron and you are done.
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