Darts

Darts add shaping to the bust or back of a piece of clothing. Making darts is a lot easier than I thought it would be. I would recommend practicing before you put it on your actual garment. Practicing on a scrap before sewing your garment for most things is a pretty good idea I've found.

With darts, remember to always go from the widest point to the narrowest point (even in back darts.) Transfer ALL marks from the pattern, especially for the dart, with chalk or sewing transfer paper. You should have something that looks like a triangle.

 

There should also be a few circles along the outer lines of the triangle.These are important. Fold your dart in half then pin your dart matching the circles on both sides. The circles and the lines should match evenly. Now you're ready to sew!

Bust Darts:
Your stitch length should be at the basic 2.5. We're starting from the widest part of the triangle. Back stitch 3-4 stitches after starting.  Sew until you are about 1/2 inches away from the point of the dart. Reduce your stitch length to 1. Sew all the way to the end of the point. Do not back stitch. Simply cut the threads long and tie a knot. Trim all threads after you're done. Do not serge the dart.

Back Darts:
With back darts, you start in the middle. It's the same concept, start at the widest point and move toward the point of the dart. It is the same steps as the bust dart after that.

Pressing the dart:
First press the sewn area so there is a crisp crease on the fold of the now sewn dart. This won't show on the outside but it will make the dart lay flat. For a dart on the bust, press the dart down. For darts on the back, press toward the center.