How to Sew Darts: 5 Types of Sewing Darts

A dart, or sewing dart, is a pleated portion of fabric that lends a natural, three-dimensional shape to a flat design when sewn into fitted garments. Most darts are straight and have either one or two points, like bust darts or waist darts, though there are also curved darts, double-ended darts, and French darts. When sewn, a dart forms a long triangular shape.

Darts are typically used in the bust area, waistline, and back of dresses, tops, and skirts to shape them around the body’s contours. Darts enhance garments by creating style lines, which is a seam that gives clothing a unique or distinct look. Stretch fabrics do not need darts since they already provide shape and fit.

All sewing darts consist of two parts: the dart legs, which extend as straight lines in a V-shape along the dart’s length, and the centerline, which creates the fold of fabric. The point of the dart, where the two legs meet, is called the dart tip, apex, or punch hole. When folded along the centerline, the dart legs rest atop each other. You can sow along these lines from the broadest part to the dart’s end at the apex.

Several types of darts can be used in different garments. The most common forms of darts include:

1. 1. Bust dart: The bust dart is a short triangle fold that helps a garment fit the bust area. The dart legs typically start at the side seam, while the dart’s tip usually ends a half-inch to quarter-inch from the bust point.
2. 2. Curved dart: A curved dart is employed for garments that need more shape than a standard dart can provide. This type of dart is typically found in patterns for skirts or pants and can be convex or concave, depending on the required shape.
3. 3. French dart: The French dart brings together elements of a bust dart and a waist dart. It's similar in construct to a bust dart, but longer and slimmer, and starts lower on the bodice, usually near the waistline, and ends near the bust point. You'll often find French darts in vintage wear or designs with a vintage look.
4. 4. Straight dart: The straight dart, also known as a standard or plain dart, is the most common dart used in sewing projects. They typically resemble a triangle with an open end on the pattern piece and are most frequently employed at the bust or waistline. But straight darts can be used at many other points on the body—shoulder darts and neck darts are commonly used in women's clothing.
5. 5. Vertical dart: Vertical darts are often sewn into blouses, bodices, or skirts to add or subtract width across the garment’s front or back, depending on where you need more or less room.

There are multiple steps required to sew darts into a garment:

• Start on the wrong side. Transfer the dart on your sewing pattern piece to the wrong side of your piece of fabric. This side often looks duller or has no print or pattern on it at all; the "right” side looks brighter and feels smoother. Trace the dart’s straight lines with tailor's chalk, fabric marker, or a dressmaker's carbon and tracing wheel.
• Find the middle. Mark the center of the dart by folding the fabric's right sides together at the centerline. Use straight pins to hold the folded dart in place, saving the last pin for the pointy end of the dart. Always insert the pins at the fabric’s raw edge since you'll follow the dart line from the edge to the dart’s tip.
• Start sewing. Whether you're sewing by hand or using a sewing machine, start from the outside edge of the fabric and follow the marked line to the point of the dart. Start with a medium stitch length (2.5), and remove the pins as you stitch. When you reach about one inch from the end of the dart, change your stitch length to 1.0 to 1.5 to strengthen the dart. When you reach the endpoints of the dart, you should leave a long tail of thread with the ends tied in a moderate knot instead of backstitching; a backstitch can cause the fabric to pucker, as will knots tied too tightly. Trim the ends of the thread.
• Press the dart. Refer to your sewing pattern's directions before you press darts: bust darts are generally pressed downward, while vertical darts are pressed towards the center. A rolled towel or tailor's ham will preserve the shape of the dart.
• Trim as needed. If you're working with a thick fabric, you may need to clip and trim the ark’s fold. Be sure to leave a seam allowance width to prevent stitching lines on the outside of the fabric.

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