I was working on a muslin today and it has darts. So I got thinking as I was sewing. When I sew darts, I sew them from the outside, or seamline, in toward the dart point. When I sew a double-pointed dart (say, in a dress), I start at the middle and sew out to the ends.
sorry for the blurry picture - I had my kids' camera
I once sat through a
I'm not offering any judgment on which is the best or worst way to sew a dart. But which way do you prefer? I like to start at the legs and sew to the point; it seems to work well for me. How about you? Are you an Innie (from the point out) or an Outie (from the legs to the point)?
Happy sewing!
41 comments:
Innie for simple and Outie for double but I may reconsider my position on the lather ;)
I generally can't tell a difference in results, so I flip back and forth depending on my mood that day. I think it is easier to get a more precise finish on the point when starting with just a few threads caught by the needle beginning from the tip, but it often feels more convenient to start from the legs. I generally stay consistent within a given project, for what that's worth, haha!
Outie for me! And you're right... ice cream makes everything better!
I always start at the seam and go in, running off the fabric at the tip and tie a knot in the thread. I thought that's how it HAD to be done?? You mean it's a choice?
I choose ice cream too.
Outie, and tie off the point. I think that is how most of the books describe it, like mentioned above. And I have learned from books and internet, trial and error, mostly.
I learned a great technique for sewing darts in a workshop with Fred Bloebaum of La Fred patterns - start at the seam and sew toward the point. As you near the point, gradually decrease your stitch length. This eliminates the need to hand tie off the dart.
I sew them the same way you do because I always like to sew off the end of the dart with very small stitches so that I don't have to tie anything off. The only exception would be a single-thread dart, which is something I very rarely make (because I prefer to stitch off the end!).
Darts--from the outside to the point. On the fisheye, from the center to the point on each end.
I sew darts the same way as you. I'm not sure why, but this is probably how I was taught when I first started sewing. I don't overthink them and I never have a problem with getting them right.
I too learned from LaFred at a Sewing Expo class sew toward the point and decrease stitch length. Works great every time.
It actually never occurred to me to start a dart at the point! My sewing teacher when I was 11 told me to start at the end, and that's the way I have done it for ?? years - too scary to see the number!
I start at the edge and sew towards the point. I never do a backstitch or tie off though, I use the lock stitch on the Janome and it works very well.
I'm with Lauren - I do it both ways, although probably 80% of the time I start from the seam (old habits die hard).
I'm an outie, running off the stiches at the end. I think the world will end if I don't do it this way. Double ended ones too- well sometimes (if it is something which dosen't matter much like a halloween costume) I cheat and sew it all in one long thing, and feel really guilty after.
I start at the edge and work my way to the point, just because that's how my mom taught me. If the dart is in the middle of a piece, though, I just start at one end and go to the other - not center-out in each direction. That's probably just laziness on my part.
I'm an Outie, for me it's easier to "drive off the edge".
Outie, unless it's a double. Then I do both - start on end on the point, go wide, and then taper to the other point. Just too lazy to make two lines of stitching for the double.
Add me to the outie camp!
Always an "outie", in case you're running a poll! And I too decrease the stitch length at the point.
Cissie
Definitely an outie; legs to point. And as you do, I sew double darts from centre to point.
I always sew towards the point and run off the stitches at the end. Never tried decreasing my stitch length, though I have heard of it, I never seem to remember this sage advice in the heat of the moment. I do like to lightly curve the points of my darts so the angle isn't so severe (I tend to have very deep darts going on).
I'd like to hear the arguments against sewing towards the point?
I'm an innie. I guess that must have been the way I was taught to do them! I really never considered sewing them the other way. Interesting!
I swing both ways, but lately I've been more of an "innie." Sewing from the point to the outside seems to give me better control and more consistent results. I think it's more of a mental quirk than any real technical benefit. When I sew toward the point I have six inches or so to stress out about whether I'll have a dimple or be able to sew within a few threads of the edge, etc.
Outie and teeny stitches at the end, like Gigi, then I stitch off the point. "Muffinhead"?!? too funny.
I do them like you. There's no way I could get the point as "dimple free" doing it the other way.
If I were doing single thread darts, that would be a special case and a different story.
Outie over here! And, I've begun to sew off the end and tie the threads rather than back stitch.
PS: I love your method of conflict resolution - Ice Cream! Great idea!
Outie here too. Never ever really thought about it, by the way. I guess I just read about it the first time I did it and after that didn't think about it again :-)
Ditto, Ann . . . I sew from the cut edge to the point, leaving long threads and then tieing-them off. Same for the double-pointed darts . . . I start in the middle and sew toward the pointed end. This method has worked for me for 40+ years, so I don't think I'll be changing it anytime soon!
Outie here and tiny stitches towards the point.
Outie, legs to point. I try to remember to shorten the sstitch length towards the point, but then I forget to change it back for he next dart (or seam).
I will have to try your middle-to-end/middle-to-other-end method on a double-pointed dart. I never thought about it.
Like you I am an Outie, I feel allays insecure to sew Innie... and I allays agree about ice cream ;-)
I was taught to sew toward the points, so that's what I do usually, although sometimes when doing double-pointed darts, I'll just start at one end and do the whole thing at once. Then depending on the fabric, I either tie a knot at the point, or take a sharp hand needle and run the tails back and forth thru the fold of the dart to anchor.
For those that start at the point, do you have trouble with the fabric being pulled down into the machine? That's what usually gives me a bit of grief when i get to the point - the fabric starts to pull down, then I loose my straight sewing line.
Also, has anyone tried the trick of pulling the bobbin thread up to thread the machine (starting at the needle and going backwards from normal), and start seting the dart at the point? I saw this in a Threads(?) article some time back and just wondered how well it works.
I am also an outie. I start at the edge, use short stitches near the point and finish with a few stitches in the dart itself rather than tie off. I also start with short stitches rather than backstitch.
Outie here
Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I'm an innie. Either way has merits! Ice cream is definitely the great equilizer!
I've always been an outie and have never been happy with the results. Darts are my nemesis! I have often thought about starting at the point and going towards the side seam to give me a better point. Something to consider....
I'm an outie here too, yum ice cream!!
Hey, if I come over to your house and act cranky will give ME ice cream? Mom taught me the outie way, I learned to do small stitches at the end. I also like sewing off and then backing up a tiny bit and anchoring the threads in the dart fabric itself. Works well when the fabric might not enjoy those tiny stitches at the tip.
I am an outie also. I love the hint about decreasing the stitch length. Thanks!! I will start doing that.
Innie! I get much straighter lines that way. Love ice cream. . .
El
I just recently learned how to sew darts and we were taught to sew them from the legs to the point. So far, so good. :)
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