I have been sewing for many years but I have a problem with a pattern I really like. The pattern top calls for darts and I hate darts. Is there some way to eliminate these? I guess my brain is not working well because I can't seem to figure this one out.
Why do you hate them? The darts are probably part of the reason you "really like" the pattern. Darts are there in order to get flat fabric to fit around your curves. You do have curves, don't you? ;-)
Sure, you can eliminate them, using gathers instead; or slashing from the shoulder seam to the fullest point of the bust, closing the dart and then gathering or putting tucks in the front shoulder seam instead.
But a nicely sewn-and-pressed dart is really pretty unobtrusive, and makes the pattern fit as the designer intended.
So again, why do you hate darts?
Beverly
Dear Mary,
The darts are there to eliminate excess fabric needed to go around the bust. The dart has to go somewhere. If it's a side dart, you can gather the dart, forming slight gathers in the side seam; you can move the dart to the shoulder by slashing the shoulder down to the bust point, then along one of the legs of the dart, then closing up the original dart. This will open a place in the shoulder so you can gather or ease. You can slash one leg of the dart all the way across the pattern, close up the dart, and you will get an opening in the center front that can be gathered. You can also slash straight across the pattern along one leg of the dart, close up the dart, and put the lower part of the pattern (below the dart) along the fold, and gather the neck edge.
To completely eliminate darts requires a dartless block. You can find instructions for this in any patternmaking book.
Teri
My daughter is very flat chested so I deal with the dart elimination problem a lot. *If* that is the problem, then you need to either get a book on pattern alterations or you can look on the web for instructions accompanied by graphics. The Threads website has some info on this IIRC.
If there is only one dart and it isn't too big, one method I use occasionally is to pin the dart out on the pattern piece and then just smoosh out the excess to flatten the pattern piece and cut it that way. But I *strongly* recommend cutting a muslin of it first to be sure it works.
What exactly is the problem with the darts? It's difficult to respond without more information.
Unless you are shaped like a paper doll, darts are a flattering choice in most tops.
Think about wrapping a sheet of paper around a baseball; the folds that form are actually like darts--they help make the paper conform more closely to the shape of the ball. Your body is curved, too, and darted garments tend to be more flattering to the body, no matter what shape it is, than non-darted garments.
Karen Maslowski > I have been sewing for many years but I have a problem with a pattern I
Yes, you can eliminate darts by turning them into seamlines. An example would be changing the darts to a princess seamline. I took a course many years ago on "Flat Pattern Methods" and changing darts to seamlines was one of the exercises. The textbook is probably out of print by it was written by Norma R. Hollen and published by Burgess Publishing Co. This is an excellent book which I have not read for years. But I am about to do what you want to do, i.e. change darts to seamlines, so I will be reading up on it. Cheryl
Dear Mary,
If your daughter is truly flatchested, there is another way to eliminate the side darts. Slash the pattern from the lower leg of the dart to the center front neck. Bring the two legs of the dart together, and tape closed. Dart's gone; but make up in muslin first, to be sure that the fit is OK.
Teri
Hi Cheryl, Actually, I just saw that there is a copy on sale on eBay
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