Watch this quick video tutorial to learn how to quickly and easily close a dart to create the proper pattern shaping for clean and easy sewing.
What is a dart?
A dart is a “wedge” shape that is used to manipulate the fabric into a shape that will fit the three-dimensional form. They create shape in woven apparel by removing unwanted fullness at the edge of a pattern. Darts are most commonly used around the bust, waist, hip, shoulder, abdomen, and sometimes the elbow.
Darts are not only used for tailoring, they can also used for design purposes by creating visual interest!
What does it mean to close a dart?
When you are learning to draft and alter your own sewing patterns, learning to close darts is an essential tool to have in your arsenal. These simple little wedges will change the shape of a seam and therefore need to be closed to create the proper pattern shaping. When the dart is sewn closed, you do not want strange shapes poking out of the seam. You want everything to lay flat and inline with the pattern shape.
In the most basic sense, we are simply going to fold the dart closed (as if we were sewing it) so we can predict what will happen to the shape of the dart excess.
When closing a dart, it is important to make sure that you are folding it closed in the proper direction. In other words, fold it the same way you would sew it. Usually, I tend to go towards the side seams, or with gravity. But, that is completely up to you and your preference.
Watch this short tutorial and I’ll show you exactly how it’s done!
Now that you’ve seen it done, give it a try! Download the free half scale practice pattern set and see just how easy it is! You can try it with all of the pattern pieces included in the set!
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Oh my gosh, thanks so much for this. I’ve been struggling with a sba & having trouble redrawing the bust & waist darts to include that little point at the base. Now I know how!
Janelle, YESSSSSS! So glad that this helped put the pieces together for you!