Sewing Darts....Quick and Easy!

Before I had children, I worked outside of the home and I actually used to make a lot of my skirts, dresses, tops, etc. And if you sew any ladies clothing you know you will be sewing some darts. I find darts to be relatively rare in children's clothing though, so I have not made many lately. However, these halloween costumes have eight darts per dress. So....fortunately I had my past dart-experience to fall back on when I realized I'd have to make sixteen darts total!! Ack!!!



You may have figured me out by now...I do not like fiddly things. And transferring markings from the pattern to my fabric....fiddly in my book! I will cut little snips into the fabric with my scissors for every mark that I can get away with. The rest I usually just guess at. But here is my approach for darts. I have been doing this for many years...and it always works for basic darts.









I put the pattern piece on top of the fabric piece and cut little snips into the fabric at the "legs" of the dart (that would be two snips...one for each "leg"). Then I stick a straight pin through the end of the dart and straight through the fabric. While the pin is still through the fabric I mark the spot that it enters the fabric with a water-soluble marker, chalk, etc. Above I used a water-soluble marker. Now you are ready to head to the machine.






I fold the fabric aligning the little snips (dart legs) together and make sure the marking for the tip of the dart falls right on the fold.

Pull out a little extra thread from your machine before you begin. Then place your presser foot right at the beginning of the snips and take a few little stitches.

Then raise your presser foot WITH THE NEEDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION so your fabric stays put. Then pull the loose thread tails towards the front of the machine and position them so they touch the mark that indicates the tip of the dart.

Put your presser foot back down and stitch along the line that is created by the thread tails...while holding the tails still on the dart tip.

Within seconds your dart will be finished and probably perfectly positioned without spending your time transferring all those markings. It is quick and simple and that makes me happy!!!

***Sorry about the white fabric and the bad photos....but this is the actual fabric piece I am using to make the costume.***