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Pointy end first or wide end first? (Moderated by Deepika)
Posted on: 10/28/10 2:44 PM ET
A tip by Nan Kay about sewing darts starting at the tip reminded me to ask this question that's been on my mind.
I'm familiar with the common instruction to sew a dart from the widest part to the tip, sewing right on the edge at the end to help prevent pointy dart tips.
I was at a sewing expo early this month and asked one of the lecturers WHY we start at the wide part. She couldn't answer WHY.
I'm pretty sure I saw "start at the point because that's the most visible part" in one of Peggy Sagers' DVDs. It seems smart to me but I'd still like the know the WHY of the other method. Any ideas?
I've tried both and find sewing from tip to wide end less stressful but I think my results are just the same. I have some great non-pointy darts; some not-so-great sort-of-pointy darts. I haven't figured out why I'm inconsistent.
JEF
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I'm familiar with the common instruction to sew a dart from the widest part to the tip, sewing right on the edge at the end to help prevent pointy dart tips.
I was at a sewing expo early this month and asked one of the lecturers WHY we start at the wide part. She couldn't answer WHY.
I'm pretty sure I saw "start at the point because that's the most visible part" in one of Peggy Sagers' DVDs. It seems smart to me but I'd still like the know the WHY of the other method. Any ideas?
I've tried both and find sewing from tip to wide end less stressful but I think my results are just the same. I have some great non-pointy darts; some not-so-great sort-of-pointy darts. I haven't figured out why I'm inconsistent.
JEF
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"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine." --Abraham Lincoln
Posted on: 10/28/10 4:53 PM ET
12.220 on darts...see the right hand colume
That should do ya....:) BTW - you start at the wide part. And sew off the point...then carefully tie the threads at the point rather than doing a back stitch....this makes just a nice little ending for the dart. I don't know the reasons offhand, but have probably read them in one of my books a million times....hahhahaa...as long as you get nice darts - I hardly think it matters in the usual clothing we sew, but perhaps there is a tailoring reason.
-- Edited on 10/28/10 4:55 PM --
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That should do ya....:) BTW - you start at the wide part. And sew off the point...then carefully tie the threads at the point rather than doing a back stitch....this makes just a nice little ending for the dart. I don't know the reasons offhand, but have probably read them in one of my books a million times....hahhahaa...as long as you get nice darts - I hardly think it matters in the usual clothing we sew, but perhaps there is a tailoring reason.
-- Edited on 10/28/10 4:55 PM --
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"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama
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Posted on: 10/28/10 5:01 PM ET
In reply to JEF
I start at the wide part because I would find it much harder to start at the tapered-off-to-nothing end.
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Posted on: 10/28/10 5:10 PM ET
In reply to JEF
It is just easier to start at wide part (or top) and sew to nothing. If you sew to nothing at bottom of dart you will have a smoother finish without that gap look at end of darts. I think that would be the reason. I hated sewing darts in industry because they had to be sewed to nothing at bottom, but after a while it got easier. We had to sew and leave about 1 inch of thread so it wouldn't ravel out.
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sewing grammy
Posted on: 10/28/10 5:12 PM ET
I start at the widest part and stitch to the point. When it is a double pointed dart, I stitch it in two passes, wide to narrow.
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"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin
"Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal." unknown
“Be curious, not judgmental.” Ted Lasso
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin
"Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal." unknown
“Be curious, not judgmental.” Ted Lasso
Posted on: 10/28/10 5:25 PM ET
In reply to JEF
There was a Threads article on sewing darts a while back and one of the methods was to start from the tip. If you are having trouble getting a good tip, this may work for you. It works, but I like to sew from the wide end making sure that the sewing line is perpendicular to me, not the edge of the fabric and it is much easier to sew off the edge where you need to. I leave a little slack and take a few stitches about a half inch back from the tip. This keeps it neat prevents unraveling.
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
Posted on: 10/28/10 9:23 PM ET
There is a new tip in the tips section. She does hers from the point to the edge Nan Kay's tip .
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Barb
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison
"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." Woodrow Wilson
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison
"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." Woodrow Wilson
Posted on: 10/29/10 3:39 PM ET
As long as you are getting good results, I don't think it matters where stitching starts or ends. Do whatever works.
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Kathryn
Posted on: 10/29/10 11:21 PM ET
Starting at the point gives me a nicer finish. I don't think I have as much control getting those last couple of stitches to hang on the edge of the fabric starting at the wide end. But no technique works for everybody! This is just a method that works for me. I learned to do darts this way in a class years ago. The part that seems to make the biggest difference is to not back stitch and always tie the ends off, no matter which way you stitch.
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Nancy
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