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                                                                 How	many	types	of	dart	manipulation	are	there
  To	add	to	my	Pattern	Drafting	for	Beginners	series,	in	this	tutorial,	I	will	focus	on	dart	manipulation	and	how	you	can	use	the	slash	&	spread	or	pivot	method	to	transfer	darts	to	the	bust,	neck,	armhole	or	anywhere	you	want!	This	is	a	two	part	tutorial	with	the	first	part	being	specifically	for	beginners.	The	second	part	will	be	slightly	more	advanced
  but	straightforward	enough	to	follow.	Dart	manipulation	is	one	of	the	most	important	techniques	when	it	comes	to	pattern	drafting.	The	shape	and	fit	of	garments	depend	on	darts	and	while	they	are	needed	to	help	garments	stay	in	shape,	they	can	also	be	used	as	a	design	element	so	knowing	how	to	move	darts	will	be	beneficial.	I’ve	used	dart
  manipulation	when	making	a	lot	of	my	dresses.	For	example,	the	gathers	on	the	neckline	of	the	night	version	of	my	mix	and	match	dress	came	about	through	using	dart	manipulation	techniques.	I	hope	you	find	this	tutorial	useful.	Part	2	is	now	available	where	I	show	you	how	to	create	multiple	darts	from	a	single	dart!	Pattern	Drafting	for	Beginners	–
  Dart	Manipulation	–	Slash	&	Spread	and	Pivot	Method	Subscribe	to	my	YouTube	Channel	Check	These	Out	This	article	is	about	the	sewing	term.	For	other	uses,	see	Dart	(disambiguation).	The	reverse	side	of	fabric	showing	where	a	dart	has	been	taken	in	and	stitched	to	tailor	the	shape	of	a	garment	to	the	wearer.	Darts	are	folds	(tucks	coming	to	a
  point)	and	sewn	into	fabric	to	take	in	ease	and	provide	shape	to	a	garment,	especially	for	a	woman's	bust.	They	are	used	frequently	in	all	sorts	of	clothing	to	tailor	the	garment	to	the	wearer's	shape,	or	to	make	an	innovative	shape	in	the	garment.	Fabric	may	be	thought	of	as	flat,	and	a	dart	has	the	effect	of	removing	a	wedge	shaped	piece	and	pulling
  the	edges	of	that	wedge	together	to	create	a	shallow	cone.	This	effect	can	be	seen	quite	easily	with	a	paper	pattern	by	pulling	together	the	edges	of	a	dart	intake	as	it	would	be	sewn.	Since	fabric	is	generally	more	flexible	than	paper	the	fabric	will	shift	around	the	apex	of	the	cone	and	form	a	softer,	but	still	curved,	shape.	In	a	garment	a	dart	ends	in	a
  point	at	a	full	area	of	the	body.	A	dart	in	a	flat	pattern	has	two	important	properties:	its	point,	the	point	in	the	pattern	at	which	the	dart	aims	or	converges,	and	the	intake,	or	the	amount	of	fabric	taken	in	or	removed.	Since	the	dart	can	extend	toward	any	edge	of	the	pattern	without	affecting	fit,	the	length	of	the	dart	intake	at	the	edge	of	the	fabric	is
  not	a	good	measure	of	dart	intake.	Rather,	the	angle	subtracted	from	the	pattern	by	the	dart	is	what	determines	the	dart's	intake.	Manipulating	darts	in	flat	patterns	As	long	as	the	focal	point	of	a	dart	and	its	intake	remain	the	same,	a	dart	can	be	rotated	around	its	focal	point,	or	stylized	in	one	of	several	ways	without	affecting	the	fit	of	the	garment.
  Slash-and-spread	dart	rotation	An	easy	way	to	rotate	a	dart	on	a	flat	pattern	is	to	slice	a	straight	line	from	the	dart	point	to	another	edge	of	the	pattern	(the	slash).	The	two	pieces	thus	created	can	then	be	pivoted	(spread)	at	the	dart	point	to	shift	the	dart	to	the	position	of	the	slash.	Pin	and	pivot	dart	rotation	The	pin	and	pivot	dart	rotation	technique
  requires	tracing	a	new	pattern	from	the	original.	First,	the	pattern	with	the	dart	to	be	rotated	is	set	on	top	of	another	piece	of	paper	on	which	the	new	pattern	will	be	traced.	A	pin	is	pressed	into	the	dart	point	to	hold	that	point	in	place.	Then	one	leg	of	the	original	dart	and	an	arbitrary	part	of	the	original	pattern	is	traced	onto	the	paper.	This	tracing
  starts	from	the	one	dart	leg	and	continues	from	there	to	the	new	point	where	the	dart	will	reach	the	outside	of	the	pattern	piece.	The	pattern	is	then	rotated	around	the	pinned	dart	point	until	the	other	dart	leg	lines	up	with	the	traced	dart	leg.	Tracing	can	then	continue	from	the	same	spot	on	the	original	pattern.	The	pattern	is	then	removed	and	the
  new	dart	legs	drawn	between	the	dart	point	(marked	by	the	pin	hole)	and	the	gap	in	the	pattern	created	during	rotation.	Dart	equivalents	Pleats	or	gathers	in	the	fabric	can	be	used	for	the	same	purpose	as	a	normal	stitched	dart.	These	are	called	dart	equivalents.[1]	Darts	can	also	be	worked	into	style	lines.	Named	dart	styles	Two	kinds	of	darts	are
  common	in	blouses	for	women:	Vertical	darts—These	are	sewn	from	the	bottom	of	the	blouse	to	a	point	generally	around	the	bustline.	This	type	of	dart	may	be	found	in	the	front,	rarely	in	the	back	of	a	garment	and	are	used	by	the	garment	maker	to	pull	in	the	bottom	of	the	blouse	towards	the	wearer's	waist.	Fisheye	darts[2]	Bust	darts—These	are
  short	triangle	folds	that	provide	space	for	breasts	such	that	the	fabric	under	the	breasts	isn't	hanging,	rather	is	fitting	closer	to	the	wearer.	There	are	several	subtypes	of	bust	line	dart:[3]	Center	Waistline	French	Side	seam	Armhole	Neckline	Shoulder	T-dart	Inverted	T-dart	In	the	early	1950s,	the	New	York	City	firm	of	Evan-Picone	pioneered	the	use
  of	darts	in	the	pockets	of	women's	clothing.	The	darts	help	keep	the	pocket	open	and	thus	more	easily	accessed,	reducing	the	chance	of	rips	or	tears.[4]	See	also	clothingat	Wikipedia's	sister	projectsDefinitions	from	WiktionaryMedia	from	Wikimedia	CommonsNews	from	WikinewsQuotations	from	WikiquoteTexts	from	WikisourceTextbooks	from
  WikibooksResources	from	Wikiversity	Princess	seams	References	^	Joseph-Armstrong,	Helen	(2010).	Patternmaking	for	Fashion	Design	Fifth	Edition.	Pearson.	ISBN	978-0-13-606934-8.	^	Langdon,	Nancy.	Singer:	The	Complete	Photo	Guide	to	Sewing,	3rd	Edition.	p.	130.	^	Calderin,	Jay	(2009).	Form,	Fit	and	Fashion.	Rockport	Publishers	Inc.	p.	131.
  ISBN	9781592535415.	^	Hays,	Constance.	"Joseph	Picone,	83,	a	Founder	of	Line	of	Women's	Clothing."	New	York	Times.	June	26,	2001.	Retrieved	from	"	Want	to	know	how	to	move	darts	to	a	new	location	in	a	pattern?	Learn	basic	pattern	cutting	techniques	and	improve	your	understanding?	Then	check	out	our	latest	tutorial	on	dart	manipulation.
  Learn	how	to	manipulate	darts	around	a	pattern,	be	it	a	block/sloper	or	a	pattern	that	you	love.	Start	designing	your	own	patterns	today!	PatternLab	gives	you	a	large	variety	of	dart	manipulations	to	choose	from	when	it	comes	to	designing	your	basic	blocks	&	slopers,	but	sometimes	that’s	not	enough.	Perhaps	you	want	your	French	dart	to	be	slightly
  lower	than	the	standard	that	we	provide,	or	maybe	you	want	a	curved	dart?	There	are	so	many	options	available.	This	tutorial	will	teach	you	the	necessary	tools	you	need	to	add	your	own	custom	dart	placements	and	dart	manipulations	to	your	PatternLab	basic	block	or	sloper.	It’s	a	simple	yet	powerful	technique	that	is	well	worth	learning.	You	can
  apply	this	tutorial’s	techinque	to	any	basic	block	that	features	darts,	however,	for	this	tutorial	we	recomend	starting	with	something	simpe	such	as	a	basic	bodice	block	with	“Classic”	front	darts.	To	save	time,	click	the	button	below.	We’ll	create	a	basic	block	(in	the	Lab)	that	already	has	this	dart	preselected	for	you.	All	you’ll	need	to	do	is	select	a
  profile	or	one	of	our	standard	sizes.	Don’t	forget	to	purchase	your	block	as	an	ePattern	and	not	a	PDF!	PDF	patterns	can’t	be	edited,	they	can	only	be	printed	on	paper.	ePatterns	ar	fully	editable	digital	basic	blocks.	Learn	how	to	use	Adobe	Illustrator	as	a	digital	pattern	making	platform	Learn	the	step-by-step	basics	of	digital	pattern	making	in	Adobe
  Illustrator	in	our	short	crash	course.	It’s	your	first	step	to	producing	digital	sewing	patterns	like	a	pro.	Follow	this	simple	and	handy	tutorial	to	learn	how	to	add	seam	allowance	to	your	finished	pattern	in	Adobe	Illustrator.	Transform	your	finished	pattern	into	multi-page	PDF	patterns	in	a	range	of	paper	sizes.	Then	save,	print,	share	and	sell	your
  patterns	online.		Home		›	Tips	and	Techniques		›	Manipulating	Darts	for	Style	I	know,	I	know,	darts	are	clunky	and	unattractive.		But	did	you	know	you	can	use	them	to	create	styling	details	-	while	maintaining	the	great	fit	you	worked	so	hard	to	achieve?Darts	can	be	converted	to	shaping	seams,	which	look	so	much	better	than	those	pointy	little
  wedges	of	fabric.		A	princess	seam,	for	example,	is	sleek	and	smooth.	It's	flattering	to	almost	everyone	-	and	who	knew	those	pesky	bust	and	waist	darts	are	hidden	in	there???In	this	video,	I	give	you	step-by-step	instructions	for	transforming	your	clunky	darts	into	a	smooth,	sleek	princess	seam.		There	are	many	more	ways	you	can	manipulate	darts	to
  create	styling	details.		They	can	be	converted	into	pleats,	at	the	shoulder	or	a	center	front	seam.		They	can	be	incorporated	into	a	yoke	seam.	They	can	be	divided	into	multiple	darts	and	moved	to	the	neckline	(either	at	evenly	spaced	darts	or	pleats),	they	can	be	converted	into	gathers	-	the	list	is	almost	endless!I	show	many	other	options	in	A
  Beginner's	Guide	to	Designing	with	Darts.Get	out	your	quarter	scales,	and	start	practicing	dart	manipulation!	More	Tips	and	Techniques	Videos	Return	to	Clothing	Patterns	101	Home	Page	ClothingPatterns101.com	does	not	sell	the	personal	information	of	its	users	to	anyone,	ever.		This	year	I	asked	you	what	you	wanted	to	see	more	of.	The
  resounding	answer?	Patternmaking!	So,	to	kick	off	this	year	I	wanted	to	dive	deeper	into	Pattern	Darts	to	help	you	understand	one	of	the	most	valuable	tools	in	your	Patternmaking	Arsenal.Personally	I	don’t	think	that	Darts	get	the	attention	they	deserve.	This	concept	is	truly	one	of	the	most	important	to	understand	if	you	want	to	find	success	as	a
  Fashion	Designer.Need	a	refresher	on	the	basics?	Check	out	Patternmaking	Basics	for	Fashion	Design.Looking	for	a	great	Patternmaking	book?	This	is	the	one	I	use	&	recommend!	This	article	contains	affiliate	links	-	learn	what	that	means	for	you	and	for	me.	Darts	are	a	powerful	tool	of	the	Patternmaker	to	make	flat	fabric	into	3D	shapes	for	the
  garment.	Therefore,	understanding	how	darts	work	is	a	vital	part	of	manipulating	them	to	fit	your	design.What	is	a	Dart?A	pattern	dart	is	where	excess	fabric	is	taken	in	on	the	garment.	Typically,	a	dart	is	recognized	by	its	triangular	shape	on	the	pattern	piece.	However,	the	darting	of	the	fabric	can	take	on	other	shapes.What	does	a	Dart	do?The
  purpose	of	a	dart	is	to	create	the	shape	to	accommodate	the	curves,	contour,	and	volume	of	the	body	or	the	design.PATTERNMAKING	PRINCIPLES“Darting”	excess	fabric	to	create	shape	follows	three	main	principles:Dart	Manipulation	-	How	the	location	of	a	dart	is	changed	within	the	pattern.	A	dart	can	be	transferred	to	any	other	point	around	the
  pattern	(in	relation	to	the	pivotal	point	-	bust	point)	without	changing	the	fit	of	the	garment.Adding	Fullness	-	Applies	when	the	excess	fullness	needed	is	greater	than	that	of	the	dart.	The	slash	and	spread	technique	is	used	to	add	fullness	where	desired.Contouring	-	Absorbing	the	dart	excess	into	style	lines	to	create	a	contoured	silhouette.	When
  developing	or	editing	a	pattern,	you	will	need	to	adjust	the	darts	to	fit	your	desired	silhouette.	This	means	that	we	need	to	transfer	the	shaping	(darts)	to	our	new	desired	style	lines.	In	order	to	do	so,	you	will	need	to	follow	two	manipulation	techniques:Slash	and	Spread	-	The	new	design	line	is	cut	and	spread	open	to	create	a	new	dart,	while	the
  original	dart	is	closed.	The	working	pattern	is	altered.Pivot	-	The	pivotal	point	(bust	point	or	dart	point)	stays	stationary.	The	pattern	is	traced	and	pivoted	to	close	the	old	dart	and	create	the	new	dart.	The	working	pattern	is	not	altered.Follow	me	on	YouTube	for	more	educational	videos!One	area	that	I	see	often	confused	is	how	to	identify	the	Pivotal
  Point.	While	it	may	seem	like	the	Pivotal	Point	should	be	at	the	dart	tip,	in	reality	it	is	at	the	Bust	Point	(for	this	example	pattern).	Therefore,	when	manipulating	the	dart	of	the	front	bodice	we	must	first	find	the	Bust	Point	or	Pivotal	Point.After	we	have	adjusted	the	dart,	then	we	will	have	to	re-establish	the	dart	point	away	from	the	apex	of	the	bust.	It
  is	recommended	to	offset	the	dart	point	5/8”	from	the	apex	of	the	bust.PRO	TIP:	Always	remember	to	remove	seam	allowance	before	making	changes	to	the	pattern!	The	dart	can	be	moved	virtually	anywhere	around	the	Pivotal	Point	without	changing	the	fit	of	the	garment.	Here	are	some	common	placements	for	the	new	dart	location:	To	use	the
  “Slash	and	Spread”	Technique	to	adjust	your	dart	position:First	choose	where	you	would	like	your	new	dart	to	be	located.Draw	a	straight	line	from	the	new	dart	location	to	the	Pivotal	Point.Cut	this	new	line	TO	but	not	THROUGH	the	Pivotal	Point	(leave	a	small	connection	in	the	paper).Drag	the	separated	piece	to	close	the	original	dart.	Tape.Mark
  5/8”	from	the	Pivotal	Point	in	the	center	of	your	new	dart.	This	is	your	new	Dart	Point.Connect	the	new	Dart	Point	to	the	Dart	Legs.	To	use	the	“Pivot”	Technique	to	adjust	your	dart	position:Place	a	pin	through	the	paper	at	the	Pivotal	Point.Decide	on	and	mark	where	you	want	your	new	dart.Trace	from	new	dart	position	to	original	Dart	Leg.Pivot	the
  pattern	to	close	the	original	dart.Trace	from	the	closed	Dart	Leg	(original)	to	where	you	marked	the	new	dart	on	the	pattern	piece.Remove	the	pattern	on	top.Mark	5/8”	from	the	Pivotal	Point	in	the	center	of	your	new	dart.	This	is	your	new	Dart	Point.	Connect	the	new	Dart	Point	to	the	Dart	Legs.	Thanks	for	reading!	Be	sure	to	subscribe	for	more	and
  share	it:	SHARE	TO	PINTEREST		This	is	the	first	in	a	series	of	articles	and	tutorials	regarding	dart	manipulation.	In	this	post	you	will	learn	what	dart	manipulation	is,	the	two	ways	darts	can	be	manipulated	and	the	locations	of	those	new	darts.	Dart	manipulation	is	one	of	the	most	creative	ways	to	develop	sewing	patterns,	or	even	get	creative	with
  patterns	that	you	know	and	love.	The	female	body	is	made	up	of	nooks	and	crannies,	and	to	create	clothes	that	fit	those	nooks	and	crannies,	we	need	to	manipulate	the	fabric	to	be	more	form	fitting.	We	use	darts	in	sewing	to	suppress	the	fabric	when	we	want	to	achieve	this	more	fitted	look.	However,	as	well	as	creating	a	more	fitted	appearance,
  darts	also	work	to	add	fullness	too,	which	helps	to	create	interesting	clothing	styles.	What	Is	Dart	Manipulation?	Aha,	now	this	is	where	we	start	getting	into	the	nitty	gritty	of	dart	manipulation.	Dart	manipulation	is	the	art	of	taking	the	existing	darts	in	a	sewing	pattern,	and	manipulating	them	around	the	pattern	to	achieve	something	else.	The	actual
  dart	manipulation	definition	reads	(on	Wikipedia):	“Darts	are	folds	and	are	sewn	into	fabric	to	take	in	ease	and	provide	shape	to	a	garment.”	Now,	that	isn’t	a	very	understandable	definition	of	dart	manipulation,	so	lets	break	it	down	a	little	more.	If	you	image	standing	in	front	of	a	mirror,	inside	a	tube	of	fabric.	The	fabric	fits	perfectly	at	the	fuller
  areas	–	the	hips	and	bust	–	but	is	baggy	in	other	areas,	such	as	the	waist,	around	the	chest,	and	below	the	hipline.	We	need	to	compress	that	fabric	so	that	it	fits	closer	to	the	body,	and	we	do	that	by	using	darts.	The	manipulation	of	darts	is	most	fun	and	creative	around	the	women’s	bust	area.	We	often	go	for	a	tailored	look,	with	well	fitted	garments,
  or	sometimes	rather	fun	and	playful	styles	with	cool	style-lines	or	added	fullness	created	by	dart	manipulation.	What	Is	Added	Fullness?	Added	fullness	is	the	result	of	manipulating	darts	to	allow	more	fabric	in	an	area	of	the	sewing	pattern,	which	results	in	more	fullness.	A	simple	way	to	visualise	it	would	be	to	think	of	a	trapeze	dress,	which	flares	out
  with	additional	fullness.	This	is	done	using	dart	manipulation.	Are	There	Types	Of	Dart	Manipulation?	Yes!	When	it	comes	to	manipulating	darts	there	are	two	methods	that	are	used:	Slash	and	spread	methodPivotal	method	What	Is	The	Slash	and	Spread	Method	In	Pattern	Making?	The	slash	and	spread	method	in	pattern	making	is	exactly	as	it
  sounds.	Your	pattern	is	cut	(slashed)	to	the	dart	point,	and	then	spread	open	the	required	amount	to	add	fullness,	or	moved	closer	together	to	remove	the	fullness.	You	can	learn	more	about	the	slash	and	spread	method	here!	What	Is	Pivot	Method?	The	pivot	method	of	dart	manipulation	is	when	we	move	the	pattern	at	the	dart	point,	and	trace	around
  the	pattern	to	remove	or	add	fullness,	instead	of	cutting	into	the	pattern	itself.	Slash	And	Spread	Vs	Pivot	Method	Typically,	any	one	new	to	pattern	drafting	and	experimenting	with	dart	manipulation	would	start	by	using	the	slash	and	spread	method	in	pattern	making.	It	is	an	easier	–	though	longer	–	process	that	works	well	and	allows	less	room	for
  error,	as	you	are	working	directly	with	the	existing	pattern	pieces.	Pivoting	a	pattern	is	a	more	advanced	pattern	drafting	technique	as	there	is	more	room	for	error.	The	number	of	times	my	awl	has	moved	without	my	noticing,	and	I’ve	ended	up	with	something	unexpected!	Which	Dart	Manipulation	Technique	Should	I	use?	If	you’re	new	to	dart
  manipulation,	try	the	slash	and	spread	first.	It’s	fun,	and	I	always	find	that	when	I	have	taught	that	technique	to	students	in	person,	they	grasp	the	concept	of	dart	manipulation	much	faster.	I’m	going	to	cover	both	in	step	by	step	tutorials	further	below,	so	don’t	worry,	you’ll	have	a	chance	to	try	both!	Types	Of	Darts	In	Sewing	There	are	only	two	types
  of	darts	in	sewing:	Single	dartsDouble	ended	darts	–	also	know	as	fisheye	darts	Single	Darts	Single	darts	are	the	ones	which	have	one	point,	and	two	dart	legs,	forming	a	triangle	of	sorts.	These	are	found	all	over	the	bodice	blocks,	on	the	sleeve,	trousers	and	skirts	too.	There	isn’t	anywhere	that	you	cannot	put	a	dart,	depending	on	what	the	final	effect
  is	that	you	are	aiming	for.	Double	Darts	aka	Fish	Eye	Darts	Double	darts	are	also	known	as	fisheye	darts.	They	have	two	end	points,	two	wider	points,	and	then	legs	that	connect	all	points	together.	When	seen	un-sewn,	they	look	like	a	fisheye.	The	fish-eye	dart	is	the	dart	you	find	on	the	front	and	back	sections	of	a	fitted	dress	pattern,	running	from	the
  bust,	down	towards	the	hip,	to	suppress	the	fabric	for	a	closer	fitting	dress.	What	Are	The	Different	Dart	Styles?	Are	there	different	dart	styles?	Yes!	There	are	10	styles	of	dart	on	the	basic	front	bodice.	These	are	fixed	locations	that	we	would	transfer	a	dart	from	and	to:	Standard	waist	dartFrench	dartArmhole	dartMid	shoulder	dartCentre	front	bust
  dartCentre	front	neck	dartStraight	side	seam	dartShoulder	tip	dartMid	neck	dartCentre	front	waist	dart	Let’s	take	a	look	at	each	these	dart	locations!	Standard	Waist	Dart	Position	The	standard	waist	dart	is	a	vertical	dart	from	the	waistline	up	to	the	bust	point.	It	is	one	of	the	key	darts	used	for	manipulating	fabric	around	the	bodice.	The	standard
  waist	dart	can	be	divided	into	two	or	three	darts	and	sewn	as	darts,	external	pleats	or	tucks,	for	some	style	variations	–	we’ll	cover	that	in	a	later	tutorial!	French	Dart	Position	The	French	dart	is	a	diagonal	dart	from	the	side	seam	up	to	the	bust	point.	It	is	created	by	transferring	the	excess	in	the	waist	dart	into	a	dart	at	the	lower	side	seam	–	usually
  2-3	inches	up	from	the	waistline.	The	French	dart	is	often	found	on	silk	tops	for	a	more	‘finished’	look.	Armhole	Dart	Position	The	armhole	dart	is	a	diagonal	dart	from	the	mid	armhole	down	towards	the	bust	point.	This	is	quite	a	popular	dart,	used	to	shape	tops	and	blouses	around	the	bust	that	then	fall	straight	down	or	into	a	flared	hem.	Mid-
  Shoulder	Dart	Position	The	mid-shoulder	runs	from	the	middle	of	your	shoulder,	down	to	the	bust	point.	You’ll	often	find	this	dart	is	drafted	in	when	drafting	a	female	bodice	block.	Outside	of	drafting	blocks,	this	dart	is	often	incorporating	into	a	princess	style	dress!	Centre	Front	Bust	Dart	Position	The	centre	front	bust	dart	is	a	horizontal	dart	from
  the	centre	front	towards	the	bust	point.	If	the	pattern	is	cut	on	the	fold,	this	dart	becomes	a	fish-eye	dart,	running	horizontally.	This	dart	is	often	manipulated	to	create	a	little	gathering	on	the	centre	front	rather	than	an	actual	dart.	It	can	also	be	used	to	create	a	bib	or	yoke	effect	on	tops	and	dresses.	Centre	Front	Neck	Dart	Position	The	centre	front
  neck	dart	is	a	diagonal	dart	from	the	centre	front	down	to	the	bust	point.	It	is	often	used	as	part	of	a	style-line	to	suppress	the	fabric	in	an	interesting	way.	Straight	Side	Seam	Dart	Position	A	straight	side	seam	is	a	horizontal	dart	from	the	side	seam	towards	the	bust	point	–	the	least	used	dart	by	me	when	I’m	working	on	dart	manipulation!	I	also	see	it
  very	rarely	in	current	fashion,	so	might	be	one	to	steer	clear	of!	Shoulder	Tip	Dart	Position	The	shoulder	tip	dart	is	a	more	dramatic	diagonal	dart	from	the	shoulder	tip,	running	in	and	down,	to	the	bust	point.	Using	a	dart	int	his	position	is	tricky,	because	you	do	end	up	with	a	very	thin	section	of	the	bodice	pattern	next	to	the	shoulder.	that	said,	if	you
  were	planning	a	bodice	with	the	sleeve	factored	in	–	a	kimono	top	or	batwing	top!	–	then	the	shoulder	tip	dart	will	work	very	well!	Mid-Neck	Dart	Position	A	mid-neck	dart	–	from	the	middle	of	the	neck	down	to	the	bust	point	–	is	often	used	to	open	up	the	neckline	and	add	fullness	in	the	form	of	gathers	around	the	neckline.	It	can	also	be	used	to	create
  front	yokes	and	bibs	on	blouses	or	shirts.	Centre	Front	Waist	Dart	Position	The	centre	front	waist	dart	is	manipulated	from	the	centre	waist	to	run	diagonally	from	the	waistline	at	centre	front,	up	to	the	bust	point.	You	can	see	from	the	various	overview	images	above	that	in	the	examples,	the	dart	is	drawn	as	a	straight	line	on	the	bodice	outline.	As	an
  actual	dart	however,	the	dart	legs	can	be	drawn	straight	or	curved,	depending	on	how	much	contouring	is	needed	–	we’ll	cover	contoured	darts	later	on	in	this	series.	Dart	Manipulation	Tutorials	Now	that	you	have	a	thorough	understanding	of	what	dart	manipulation	is	and	the	locations	we	move	darts	to,	the	next	step	is	to	actually	start	manipulating
  some	darts.	Next	week	I’m	going	to	show	you	how	to	use	the	two	techniques	for	manipulating	darts	that	we	looked	at	earlier.	Slash	And	Spread	Method	This	is	a	great	dart	manipulation	technique	for	beginners	who	want	to	try	manipulating	darts	around	the	bust	point.	Because	you’re	cutting	the	pattern,	and	physically	moving	paper	around,	it	makes
  it	easier	to	rasp	the	concept	of	dart	manipulation.	Pivoting	Darts	This	technique	is	a	little	more	advanced.	There’s	no	cutting	and	moving	of	paper	pattern	pieces,	instead	we	will	be	using	an	awl	to	manipulate	the	lower	pattern	and	a	pencil	to	trace	off.	Dart	Manipulation	Techniques	Those	dart	manipulation	tutorials	are	now	live	and	you	can	follow
  along	here:	Slash	and	spread	method	in	pattern	makingPivotal	method	In	the	meantime,	if	you	have	any	thoughts	or	questions	about	dart	manipulation,	do	drop	them	in	the	comments	below!	If	you	found	this	helpful,	why	not	buy	me	a	coffee	and	support	my	blog?	Eve	Tokens	(aka	The	Creative	Curator)	is	a	fashion	designer,	creative	pattern	cutter	and
  sewing	pattern	designer.	Eve	graduated	with	a	2:1	in	Fashion	Design	from	the	University	of	The	Creative	Arts	in	the	UK,	has	a	BTEC	diploma	in	Creative	Pattern	Cutting,	a	Foundation	Degree	in	Art	&	Design	from	Wimbledon	College	of	Art	and	gained	extensive	experience	in	the	fashion	industry	by	interning	and	freelancing	for	London	based	fashion
  brands	–	Hardy	Amies,	Roland	Mouret,	Peter	Pilotto	and	others.	As	well	as	running	her	own	small	sustainable	fashion	brand,	Eve	has	more	than	25	years	experience	sewing	and	making	clothes	for	herself	and	family	members.	Facebook33	Twitter