Learn how to add a dart to a dartless bodice, two ways! Plus, one of them can be used for a full bust adjustment!
So, you need to add a dart to a dartless bodice? Awesome, that means maybe you drafted your bodice block the easy way… Basically, you take your body measurements, plot your points, and connect the dots. Easy! Well, guess what!? Adding darts is pretty easy too! Let’s see how it’s done!
How to add a dart, two ways….
Just like anything else, there is always more than one right way to achieve something. The same goes for adding a dart to a dartless bodice. Let’s take a look at the two ways I use…
Adding a dart, the easy way
If you’ve drafted a bodice the easy way, it is equally as easy to add a dart! Don’t get to worried about everything being perfect! That will be your achilles heel…You are always going to sew a muslin for fitting, so you’ll be able to make an necessary adjustments at that time!
Step 1 – Measure down from the HPS (high point of shoulder) and mark the bust point. Make sure to stay parallel to the grain line, or CF (center front).
Step 2 – Continue line through to the bottom of the pattern (waist), again staying parallel to the grainline or CF.
Step 3 – Decide how wide you want your dart to be. Divide that number in half. Add half the measurement to one side of the line at the bottom of the pattern (waist) and mark. Then, add the other half to the other side of the line and mark.
Step 4 – Draw in the dart legs
Step 5 – Take the full width of the dart and pivot open the side seam. Blend and true all your seams.
You can do this one of two ways. First, simply measure and redraw the line using your clear plastic ruler. Or, cut along the side seam from the waist to the under arm and pivot the seam open.
Once you’ve completed adding the dart to the dartless bodice, you can always pivot this dart anywhere on the bodice by using dart manipulation! Cool, huh!?
Adding a dart via the full bust adjustment
The method used in this video can be used for a full bust adjustment. Keep in mind, the bodice patterns used in both techniques discussed in this article… usea bodice sloper. That means, it has no seam allowance and no wearing ease. They are not finished garment patterns.
Also, when performing the method discussed in the video, you will add fullness to the bust. This technique should only be used if you need more fullness in the bust.
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This is so helpful and easy to follow! I was wondering about the back piece after this adjustment is made for the front. Now that the front piece is longer, does the length of the back piece need to change as well? I’m very new to this, so thank you!
I was directed to your tutorial after I posted on a group asking how to add a dart for better bust shaping without increasing the bust volume as the FBA method is designed to do.
I’ve been struggling to work this out and missing the simple process of doing it as a waist dart and then rotating so the deduction created by the dart volume is transferred via the rotation from the waist line to the side seam and restores the original waist circumference.
The moment of enlightenment. Thank you so much!
Found this article and video really informative. Had been struggling with drat manipulation. Thanks a ton
Please show pattern making with multiple darts on same pattern..like you say we dont want this so we will pivot and close the dart..suppose we want that dart and a new dart and maybe a third dart too..how do we go about that
Indian blouses worn with sarees have armhole,side,waist and front centre darts at same time..please show how a pattern can be made for the blouse with all the darts..
Hi, I found this to be of great help thanks!
I’ll be using the first technique, and you’ve mentioned that you’ve used a sloper.
So say after I add a dart and manipulate it as per the design, how do I add ease to it?
Seam allowance I generally mark on the fabric directly and not include it in the final pattern.
Also about the dart width, are there any standard guidelines I could refer to say as per the bust size?
You can add ease just like you add seam allowance. But, just add to the places that require it. For dart width, generally the larger the bust the larger the dart. It might take a little trial and error to figure out the perfect sized dart…
Thank you. Your tutorials are very easy. Apart from this I would like to know how you can decide the width of your darts. I’m a size 12. So it’s rather difficult to find tutorials that caters to my size issues.
Thanks so much. For the width of the dart…the larger your bust, the bigger the dart width…I’d experiment with it to get the perfect cup size.
Thank you so much, its very clear.
You’re so welcome! Glad you found the article clear!
I found the video very interesting, and not only for the information but also for the way you explained it, simply, clearly, to the point, not so ‘chatty’ like many instruction videos we get on the internet. Thank you!
Very helpful. Thanks
Sure thing.