Sewing Tip -- Lowering Bust darts

 

Did you know that bust darts often need to be moved?

I did not. I thought I was sewing my darts poorly until I learned the issue was not how
I finished the darts but where I put them that was causing my garments to have fitting drags.

Typically, I now know that I need to lower my busts darts by about 1 inch, and I need to shorten the top of the fishy eye darts by about 1 inch in most darted dresses or tops.

Lowering bust darts are actually common adjustments needed for older women as the commercial pattern companies assume a perky B cup when drafting. Many women find the apex sags lower as we age.

Bust darts should point to the apex of the bust. If yours do not, like in these examples, you may need to move the bust darts.

To calculate how to move the bust dart, I compare my measurements to those on the pattern piece.

In my case, my apex is now about 10 inches from the shoulder seam and about 6 inches to the natural waistline with 6 inches from apex to apex. That means my apex is often about an inch lower than where the pattern drafters placed the apex. Since the dart should point to the apex, I very often need to lower the side bust dart and shorten the fisheye dart a corresponding inch.

Historically, pattern makers always put a circle with an X in the middle to show the location of bust apex, waist and hip. Many now skip that step. IMHO that is lazy drafting. If I know where the pattern maker intended these markers it is MUCH easier to compare with my own measurements.

Better Fitted Princess Seams & Darts

In the absence of markers, you can make the same adjustments. You just need to draw in your measurements on the pattern and check to see if it looks like bust apex, waist and hip correspond with your measurements. The process is the same, albeit a more difficult to do and less precise.