How to remove a bust dart from a bodice block

Removing and manipulating darts can seem a little daunting at first but when you know how you'll be able to improve your pattern cutting and create some amazing pieces! This blog post will walk you through step by step how to remove a bust dart from a bodice block.

Darts create shaping in your garment for certain areas on the body like the bust, waist and elbow etc. You may remove a bust dart because you want to create something that is more oversized and less fitted around the bust area.

How to remove a bust dart:

1. Draw around your bodice block - trace from the start of the dart and draw around half of your block up ending up at the waistline (it doesn't matter which half you draw first) and put a little mark where you finish on your paper and on your block too

2. With your block in the same position, close the dart by pivoting your block. Do this by bringing the sides of the original dart together

3. Draw around the rest of the block on the other side now from the original dart down to the little mark you created on your block in step 1

4. Draw in the new dart coming out at the waist and joining up to the original dart start location. You will notice that at this stage you have simply moved the dart to a different position.. don't worry we have to do that before removing it

5. Now join the bottom of the armhole to either side of the new dart opening with two straight lines. This will look like another new dart

6. Cut up one side of this leaving the bottom of the armhole just attached as shown in the video above

7. Take the side you cut into and move it to place it on the other line opposite closing up the strange dart created from the bottom of the armhole. Like you're closing a dart. Tape this in place.

8. You have now removed the dart space at the bottom but are left with a funny looking hem. Extend the hemline across and the side seam line down to join together

9. Don't forget to add your hem and seam allowances to your pattern to finish it off ready for use.
   

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Sarah xxx

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