Garment sewing expert Judith Neukam explains what a dart is and demonstrates how to mark a dart on fabric. In this video from the Teach Yourself to Sew series, she takes you through three methods: tracing, sewing tailor’s tacks, and clipping and pinning. With these methods, you’ll be able to transfer darts accurately from the pattern to any type of fabric.
Teach Yourself to Sew
Judith got her first taste of sewing when she took the free lessons that came with her mother’s sewing machine purchase. Judith was 9 at the time. Soon after, she was sewing her own clothes and feeding her passion for the craft. In her Teach Yourself to Sew series, Judith shares her enduring love of sewing and her invaluable years of sewing experience.
Getting started
She starts with discussing the equipment and the essential sewing notions for anyone who sews. You’ll learn about shopping for fabrics, choosing patterns (including selecting the correct size), and planning the perfect pattern layout. From machine-sewing simple seams to inserting zippers and stitching buttonholes, Judith demonstrates the key steps to making a custom garment.
Discover methods for clean-finishing seam allowances and applying facings so all edges are neat. To add shape to garments, Judith explains how and why to sew darts, and how to gather fabric for volume. Other garment elements, such as sleeves, pockets, and elasticized waistbands, are shown in easy-to-follow video tutorials.
Advancing your skills
When you’re ready to challenge yourself further, tune in to Judith’s overview of couture garments and sewing techniques. Even if you never intend to become the next Coco Chanel, you’ll learn methods that add quality to your everyday wardrobe. Find out how to perfectly match stripes, plaids, and prints; baste seams; and insert underlinings and linings.
Finally, Judith shares the basics of pattern fitting and adjustment. Her method begins at the shoulders, ensuring the garment hangs properly. Follow along as Judith shows how to create a shoulder template that you can use again and again to adjust patterns before cutting the fabric. As a bonus, you’ll even learn how to create a custom dress form so you can fit garments on a body that truly represents your true body shape.
These video clips are a great aid. The tips and camera angles for the sewing are very good. They are clear and concise. I wish that they had been around when I first started sewing. They would have saved me a lot of frustration and time. Now I can learn better techniques for doing what I thought I knew how to do. Thank you for making such great videos and making them available to new sewers and retreads like me.
I LOVE THIS WOMAN! I am a self taught sewer and things along the way would have been so much easier if I had had such a fine teacher. I will continue to stayed tuned. Thank you again and again.