How to Mark Darts

Straight pins allow you to pin together the dart fold.

Marking a dart is a method used in sewing. The darts decrease the fabric at bustlines, waists or other areas where a garment is fitted. Precision and patience are important to creating an item of apparel that looks well-made, yet homemade. Marking a dart requires inexpensive tools that are available at discount, craft and hobby or fabric stores --- and it helps your sewn apparel look more professional.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Sharp scissors
• Straight pins
• Tracing paper
• Tracing wheel
• Chopstick, darning needle or pencil

Instructions

1. Read the care instructions on the fabric bolt before purchasing the fabric. Wash and dry the fabric according to the instructions.

2. Lay the fabric on a work surface as written on the instructions. Fold the right sides together. The width of the fabric determines how the pattern is placed on the material.

3. Cut out the pattern pieces carefully using a pair of sharp scissors. Lay the pieces on the fabric according to the instructions.

4. Pin the pieces carefully to the fabric; this prevents them from sliding around while you are working with the fabric.

5. Cut out each pattern piece and attached fabric.

6. Remove the pins from the fabric and pattern piece where darts are required.

7. Position the tracing paper over the fabric so that the side that transfers is facing the fabric. You can rub the paper gently between your index finger and thumb. The side that transfers a bit of color onto your finger is the side that must be touching the fabric.

8. Pin the pattern piece correctly back onto the fabric; this allows you to see how to trace the dart.

9. Trace the dart markings on the pattern piece by rolling the tracing wheel over the pattern paper.

10. Remove the pins and pattern piece from the fabric. Inspect the fabric to ensure that the marking is clear. If not, repeat the method.

11. Slide a chopstick, darning needle or pencil underneath the edge of the fabric at the widest portion of the dart markings. This lifts the center section of the dart so that you can find the middle quickly.

12. Grasp the fabric between your index finger and thumb where the chopstick or pencil raises it. Match the dart markings up with each other by pinching the fabric together.

13. Insert straight pins through the pinched fabric at the bottom and top section of the dart marking. Push it through the fabric and up through the fabric again to secure it. Use other pins along the dart to secure the fabric fold if necessary. The markings and final straight pin alert you to the end of the dart.

Tips & Warnings

• Tracing paper comes in white and black colors. The color you should use depends on the color of the fabric: Use white on darker fabrics and dark tracing paper on light-colored fabrics. This allows you to see the markings well when sewing the garment.

References

• Threads Magazine; Mark a Dart and Learn a No-Tie Finish; Victoria North; October 2009