Waist and Dart Alternations
By manipulating the darts in a pattern you are molding your figure on paper, much as a sculptor does in clay. Is there a great difference between your waist and hips? Then it follow that you will need deeper darts, or more of them.
A curve on you requires a dart in the pattern. We cannot change your curves but we can change the darts to fit them. Study your figure in a mirror to assess what the measurement chart has told you, and roll up your sleeves.
To adjust waist: Take your waist measurement and add 1-inch for ease. This is a very important one inch, for when it is properly eased onto your waistband it will eliminate all the unsightly wrinkles sometimes found below that area. When sewing, direct the ease to the places where the curves are more prominent, such as over the abdomen or above especially full hips. Otherwise, distribute the ease evenly, except between the seat darts where none at all is required.
To make the waist smaller: Study your figure. Do you have additional curves at the sides below the waist, often called a "shelf" or "pillow"? If you do, place an extra dart in the waistline of your pants. It can be located either in front or back, depending on the area of greatest need. This dart, usually about 1/2-inch deep and 2-inches long, is called a baby dart because of it's small size It is placed halfway between seat dart and side seam or front dart and side seam. See Figure 15. A slightly deeper and longer dart is used to fit a protruding hip bone at front running down to meet the most prominent point of the hip.
Depth and length of darts: The length and depth of darts can be changed to fit your individual figure. Always remember this about the length of darts: they must never run over the curve. Darts are used to provide fullness for a curve below. If they do not stop short of the fullest point, their purpose is defeated.
The story for the front dart is quite different. The lesser curve of the abdomen requires that the dart be bother shorter and shallower. But quite frequently the front dart and the back darts are pictured as being of equal length and depth! You will recognize this familiar problem. The long line of that front dart looks very striking in a sketch, but has the opposite effect on the body. If the dart is stitched down straight over the tummy (which rides rather high on most of us), the result is a distressing pull and a fullness at the end of the dart. You may have had the same experience with a skirt, which, fitting too tightly across the tummy, puffed out below. The front dart is too long and this is what to do about it.
In either a pattern or a finished garment, reduce both the length and the depth of the offending dart as shown by the broken line in Figure 17. You may make one dart if you need extra width to enlarge waist or split it up into two smaller darts, as suits your fancy. The chart below will guide you in assessing the proper dimensions.
*where there is an abundance of curves, two darts may be placed in the front or in the back.
Remember that your tape measure does not tell all. Use a mirror and a judicious eye to judge your type of figure and the darts required. You are working on a standard pattern or garment, so determine whether your figure is standard or on the plus or minus side in some places.
Stitching darts: Figure 18. With darts, the proof is in the stitching. There is no hard and fast rule that says a dart must be straight. The majority of figures will fair quite well with straight darts, but if yours is an abundantly curved shape use curved darts. Remember this when setting needle to cloth.
Another point, mark the end of your darts with a horizontal line so that you know when to stop stitching and end up with darts of a uniform length. It doesn't matter whether you stitch from the waist down or from the horizontal line up. Once you have placed your darts with the right depth and length, you may have a free hand in the rest of the operation and sew in either direction you choose.
Remember, in adjusting a waist, first adjust the darts for your abdomen and seat. Do not make the common mistake of operating on the side seam only.
Figure 20. If further reduction is needed, take 1/4-inch off the center front seam, tapering down about 3-inches. The method is illustrated by a broken line. Do the same to the side seams both front and back. No more than 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch should be removed in this manner.
To make the waist larger: First adjust the darts. Make them shallower or eliminate one dart all together. For a particularly flat seat, decrease the seat dart to 3/4-inch or 1-inch -- then add the side seams, front and back equally.
Perform the same operation for an unusually flat abdomen. In this case, you will need only one dart about 1/2-inch deep. If a still greater addition to the waist is needed, add it at the side seams, front and back equally. Always work through the darts first, then resort to the side if more alteration is needed.
Diagonal darts, Figure 21. Diagonal darts may appeal to you as a style feature, or as a solution for prominent hip bones. In either case, change your darts to a slant-wise position. Either a flat abdomen or protruding hips -- the two conditions often go together -- can be fitted by swinging the darts to meet the nearest prominent projection. Darts are placed in your pattern to help you fit the complexities of your figure. You are not bound to use them as is; you are free to move them wherever they will do you the most good.
Question: Have you ever heard of making alterations at the center front either adding or subtractions? I have always thought that this was a big no-no in the sewing world. I did note that there was no suggestion of adding/subtracting from the center back seam. Thoughts?
Happy Sewing!
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