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Member since 7/27/05
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Posted on: 7/11/06 11:12 PM ET
What's the reasoning behing leaving the dart fabric folded? Is there another treatment besides stitching the dart closed and pressing to the side?
  
Member since 8/31/03
Posts: 888
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Posted on: 7/11/06 11:24 PM ET
With very thick fabrics, you can cut up the centerline to within 1/2" or so of the tip and press open, but then of course, you have the ravelling things with many fabrics.

There are also Balanced Darts where you put a similar piece of fabric on the other side of the dart stitching, so that you don't have a thick area (with possible show-through when pressing) on the side where the dart extension is, and not on the other, both on the wrong side of the garment, of course.

If you have darts with a large take-up (wide folded area) it can be more comfortable to wear, especially in a blouse or dress, if the dart extension is NOT caught in the sideseam stitching. It gives the dart more mobility. You will have to start and stop your stitching when you get to the dart, and flip the extension to the other side so you don't catch it, and then overcast the end of the dart separately if you need to. This is fiddly, but very nice if you are large-busted, but I wouldn't bother otherwise.

Some darts are cut with only a seam allowance on each side until you get fairly close to the point. That saves a lot of weight of fabric in your garment if that's a consideration, and it can be.

HTH!
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Liana
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Member since 7/11/05
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Posted on: 7/12/06 1:36 AM ET
In reply to milwaukee_kelly
Sometimes when I've bought vintage dresses from thrift stores --usually because I wanted to use the funky fabric they are made of for something else- the darts are cut open and the edges pinked. Usually I see this on things - particularly cotton "housedresses" - that were obviously homemade back in the 50s or 60s, when everything required a hot iron, a sprinkler bottle and plenty of spray starch. These darts are not attractive when they come out of the laundry.
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I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine... Most of the pleasure is in getting that last little piece perfect...Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just keep showing up and doing the work.

Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer

Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage

St. Augustine
  
Member since 1/26/03
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Posted on: 7/12/06 11:16 AM ET
Unless the fabric is really thin or really ravelly I cut mine open and trim them to a narrow allowance and press open. You have to press carefully, with something between the dart leg fabric and the main piece, so you don't leave a visible mark.

For a less bulky fabric I just leave it intact and press down, then press from the outside over a ham to shape the area, especially at the apex.

Since darts are usually on a bias they are less likely to ravel. I sometimes do a line of straight stitch or very narrow zig zag to the cut edges to prevent fraying.
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Buy the best and you only cry once.

  
Member since 8/20/02
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Posted on: 7/12/06 1:33 PM ET
I don't know why they are left uncut. My guess is to reduce the ridge. If you would to cut it off and finish the edge, it'll create more bulk than leaving it uncut. I don't leave any exposed SA unfinished on wovens. I found that bias seams ravel after few washes, less than on-grain seams but still ravel.

I also read that you can press the dart "open", i.e center of the dart will go over the dart seam, so the dart itself is pressed to the both sides of the dart seam (same principle as with pressing SA open.) That way the dart appears flatter.

With bulky fabrics or wide darts I trim the dart allowances off and overcast.
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Member since 7/2/04
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Posted on: 7/12/06 1:39 PM ET
A gazillion years ago, we were taught to slash the dart and press it open. If you so slash it, finish the edges.
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Mary Lynn (Who's finally sitting up and taking nourishment)

Design Degree??? I prefer my artistic license

"A woman who works with her hands is a laborer; a woman who works with her hands and her mind is a craftsman; but a woman who works with her hands and her brain and her heart is an artist." (St. Thomas Aquinas, modified)

  
Member since 7/27/05
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Posted on: 7/12/06 3:24 PM ET
Great comments. I was just wondering why it wouldn't be treated like a seam allowance. Pressing it down instead of over to the side (if you haven't done the balanced dart) makes more sense.
  
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