How to Add Back Darts to a Dress
This simple sewing tutorial teaches you how to sew back darts into your ready-to-wear clothes for a better fit. This alteration is great for making your dresses fit better and adding shaping in the back.
What is a dart?
A dart is a triangle sewn into fabric to take it in and give it shape; it’s commonly used around the bust, waist, and hips. With this quick guide from style expert Trish McNicholas, learn all of the alterations you can make to a dress.
supplies
Sew the darts together to form two diamond-shaped darts with a center line, leaving a long thread tail. If your darts are particularly deep, you may need to clip the center part of the dart, which is especially true for woven fabric.
How do you put back darts in a dress?
Start sewing from the center point of the dart out towards the bottom point, leaving a long thread tail. Flip the dart over and begin sewing from the center point out towards the top point, again leaving a long thread tail.
Where do darts go on a dress?
Darts, which are usually found at bust lines, the back of a garment, and waistbands on slacks or pants, come in a variety of sizes and shapes and take in fabric to give the garment shape. Dart placement is a fitting issue that may require alterations.
What are darts used for in sewing?
Darts are sewn-in folds (tucks that come to a point) that take in ease and provide shape to a garment, particularly for a woman’s bust. They are commonly used in all types of clothing to tailor the garment to the wearer’s shape or to create an innovative shape in the garment.
How do you draft darts patterns?
Understanding Darts: Pattern Making Fundamentals
- Take a piece of paper and fold it into a square if necessary.
- Fold the bottom left corner of the paper across to the top right corner of the paper, crease and unfold.
- Fold the bottom right corner of the paper across to the top left corner of the paper, crease and unfold.
How do you bust a dart?
MOVE DART UP OR DOWN Trace a line from the center of the dart to the apex, then trace the entire dart on tracing paper, including the seam allowance, dart center line, and apex. Move the tracing paper up or down until the bust center line reaches the new bust point, then trace your new dart.
How do you shape a shapeless dress?
Mumu Chic: How to Give Any Dress a Shape
- Knot it. Right now, the knot is my favorite way to shorten and shape a dress because it’s simple and doesn’t require any accessories.
- Belt it. This is the classic way to shorten or add shape to a dress.
- Tie it. This is the best solution for adding a fun back detail or defining the waist without a belt.
How do you change the back of a dress too small to zip?
Insert a gusset with an invisible zip into the back of a dress that is too small to zip up.
How do you gather a dress at the waist without sewing?
How to Make a Gather to Cinch Your Shirts or Dresses (Using a Coin)
- Hold the coin against the outside of your top or dress.
- Open the elastic with your fingers with your other hand.
- Reach beneath your top or dress and grab the coin with your elastic (over fabric).
How do you do a side bust dart?
Spread line #1 by 1/2u201d for a C cup and 3/4u201d for a D cup. As you spread line #1, lines #2 and #3 will open more and a bust dart will form at line #3. The amount of extra space you add will taper to nothing at the paper hinges, so the length of the armhole at the seam line will not change.
How do you make a single pointed dart?
Clip 1/4″ into the seamline at the dart leg end and mark the point with chalk on the fabric wrong side to mark a single dart. Stitched darts should have a smooth line of stitching and a pucker-free point.
Do you cut out the darts on a pattern?
Work by pinning the fabric RIGHT sides together and positioning the pattern onto the fabric, checking the grainline. Cut out the fabric. You will need to mark the darts onto the fabric so that you know where to sew them.