1. Measure directly up from the dart point the amount you wish to lengthen the dart. Mark the new dart point. 2. Draw new dart legs starting at the ends of the original darts and ending at the raised dart point The broken lines in diagram shown represent the original darts; the solid lines, the new darts. HOW MUCH? Here is a guide for shortening designer’s darts to convert them into dressmaker’s darts. Keep in mind that “standards” may be meaningless when applied to individual requirements. Shorten the darts the amount that looks best and feels most comfortable. Bodice: The front-waistline dart is shortened 1/2 inch from bustpoint height, * the back-waistline dart is shortened 1 inch from the shoulder-blade height. The underarm dart is shortened 2 inches or more from the bust point. (This dart is generally at bust-point height. Should it be on a slight angle it must end at bust-point height no matter where it originates on the side seam.) Heavy-bosomed figures may bring the underarm dart closer to the bust point for additional shaping. A front-shoulder dart is shortened 2 inches or more from the bust point. It too, may be brought closer to the bust point in heavy bosomed figures. The back-shoulder dart is usually stitched to a finished length of 3 inches. The French underarm dart is an exception. It may be stitched to the bust point except in larger figures when it is shortened 1/2 inch or more. Sleeve: The elbow dart is usually stitched to a finished length of 2 inches. * The terms “height” and “point” refer to the high point of the curve. Only in very small or youthful figures and only in very form revealing garments are darts stitched to the dart point. That would be asking too much of most figures. Generally, in dressmaking and tailoring, the darts are shortened somewhat to give a sculptured, soft effect and a little more ease. These shortened darts are called dressmaker’s darts.Designer’s darts are used in making a pattern. Dressmaker’s darts are used in making a garment. All darts in commercial patterns are shortened darts. Should you wish to relocate such a dart you would first have to extend it to the designer’s dart point. All darts in the patterns you are creating are unshortened darts.For your final pattern, these will have to be shortened to dressmaker’s darts.HOW TO SHORTEN A DART 1. Measure down from the dart point the amount you wish to shorten the dart. Mark the new dart point in the center of the space. 2. Draw new dart legs starting at the ends of the original darts and ending at the lowered dart point. It is not the amount of control you wish to change, merely the length of the dart Skirt: The skirt-front dart is shortened 2 inches from the high point of the front hipbone. The skirt-back dart is shortened 1 inch from the high point of the buttocks. Frequently skirt darts fit better when un shortened (or shortened very little) so that the dart releases the greatest amount of material where the figure is fullest. Shapely DartStraight dart legs must always be equal in length, AB equals BC (Fig. a). If they are not, make them so. Wherever possible, balance the dart on grain to avoid puckering when stitched., When the dart legs are curved, one (AB) may be a little longer than the other (BC) (Fig. b). Ease AB into BC. Because of the angle, it is comparatively easy to “ease” a curve. Straight dart legs ending just short of the high point (ADC-dressmaker’s dart)” provide ease in the bulge area (Fig. c). Dart legs stitched to the dart point remove the ease (ABC) (Fig. c). When the dart legs are “bowed” for closer fit (as in an evening or cocktail dress), the ease is removed (Fig.d).