Replies

1. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 09, 2006 11:06pm | #1

   Did you try curving the dart a little?  I'm not sure I can explain...instead of the dart portion being a perfect triangle..it would be curved inward a little and less than usual removed as you near the point.  In other words it would be more sculpted to to the contour of the body, bust.

   Does that make sense?  I wish I could draw a picture.

1. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 12:22am | #2

   Bh

   Thanks for your reply. Actually, my husband, of all people, suggested that and I tried it unsuccessfully. I am not large so the dart is quite short and I think that may be the problem. Longer darts have more of a chance to shallow out.

   But do you, or anyone else, think it would be disasterous to just cut away the amount of the dart from the front armhole, thereby doing away with that dart altogether?

   Shifra

1. 
   SewNancy | Oct 10, 2006 12:51am | #3

   What cup size are you? A short wide dart is really hard to sew perfectly. Moving part of it to the shoulder or from the waist up would help.

1. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 12:57am | #5

   Bh

   I'm somewhere between A and B. I made this pattern with software, and I don't know how it got such a deep (for me) dart, but when I pinch it, it is indeed the right size. I cannot change it's location as it is already cut out, or can I?

   Shifra

2. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 10, 2006 12:56am | #4

   I would think it would depend on the bust size.  If, as I understand, you have a smaller size bust, I would think it would work.  Wouldn't it fit more like a man't vest?

1. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 12:59am | #6

   Bh

   Well, it does have a fisheye waist dart, which sewed up alright, but maybe that is because it is long.

   S.

1. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 10, 2006 03:00am | #7

   I didn't ask before, but did you try steaming and shaping the darts you sewed over a tailor's ham?

   From the problems you mentioned I had assumed it was a synthetic fabric that wasn't shapeable, (did I invent a new word?)

2. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 12:28pm | #8

   Bh

   It is microfiber, and I didn't yet press/steam it. But from the way it looks, it doesn't sound like it will respond well to shaping. I think I will either lop it off at the armhole, or make it smaller and lop off the rest at the armhole...we'll see, as I don't see any other way around this.

   Shifra

3. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 10, 2006 08:04pm | #9

   As Tim Gunn on Project Runway would say, "Make it work!"  This is when you get creative and end up with something even better than you planned.  Good luck!

3. 
   mem | Oct 11, 2006 10:22am | #14

   you would have to remove the dart on the pattern and thenincrease in the waist dart and then recut the front. Do you know how to rotate a dart?? Its not hard..Get the front pattern piece and copy it on some tissue cut out the wedge of the but dart and also the wedge of the waist dart the close up the bust dart and use some stick tape to hold it and you will notice that the waist dart becomes larger.Hopefully you will have enough in the width to accomadate your new pattern piece .

1. 
   shif | Oct 11, 2006 11:44am | #15

   Bh

   That is not an option right now, as the front is already cut out and I dont' have enought fabric to cut it again.

   All I really want to know is if I can just ignore that dart, but since the front side seam will be longer than the back, can I just cut off the excess from the bottom of the front piece or cut it off from the armhole, resmoothing the armhole shape?

   Shifra

1. 
   Becky-book | Oct 11, 2006 03:46pm | #16

   Dear Shifra,

   Try basting the side seams together while easing the dart fabric to the back (or maybe just some of the extra and cut off the rest) Try it out first before you cut any off.  How well this will work depends on how stiff your fabric is; if it is heavy tapestry (nice for vests) it might not work. You may need to change the angle of the front side seam above the dart to avoid a gap in the front of the armhole.

   Hope this helps,

   Becky

2. 
   shif | Oct 11, 2006 06:17pm | #17

   Bh

   Ok, now we're getting to where I want to go. Can you please explain me a bit about that "angle" in the front side seam if i lop off the dart space?

   Shifra

3. 
   Becky-book | Oct 12, 2006 03:36pm | #20

   The front armscye is affected by changes in the side seam.  If you sew the side seam ignoring the dart and cut off the extra at the underarm, you have changed the angle of the grain at that point (this may not be a problem) so the arm hole may gape open.  If you take up the amount of fabric of the dart in soft gathers at the side seam you preserve the proper angle of things at the underarm.

   If you really want to ignore the dart completely, try this:

   hand baste a contrasting thread along the side seam line on the front piece & back piece; lay the front side seam over the back piece (wrong side to right side) and align the front further towards the back (say about 1/4'' to 1/2 '') tapering to matching seam lines about half way down the side. pin together along the basting thread of the back piece. You are taking a little fullness off the front piece (only) at the underarm. Try it on over a shirt like you would if wearing the vest. If it fits well, mark this new seam line on your front piece and then reposition and sew right sides together.  You may have to try several different angles till you get it right.  If you have a friend (or daughter) who could pin while you wear it, it goes much faster!

   Hope this helps,

   Becky

4. 
   Teaf5 | Oct 11, 2006 10:55pm | #18

   One more idea before you trim off anything (once cut, you have no more options!) is to try shirring the side seam between the legs of the dart. In this way, you would get gentle curving to the vest front, the shirring would not be terribly obvious in the underarm seam, and the front and back would line up accurately. It would also preseve the original grainlines and seamlines.If you don't like the results of that method and decide you really want to re-cut it, first chalk in the cutting lines and baste it all together before cutting and sewing. The seam allowances will be big and funky, but you can see what the finished fit will be like without irreversible damage.Let us know what works best for your vest!

5. 
   mem | Oct 12, 2006 03:58am | #19

   I would run a gathering stitch over the dart area on the side seam and then ease it to the required length to match the back side seam . I would cut it off the bottom as then you wont have enough fabric to accomadate your bust dome .If you wanted to try it you could just fold up the equivalent amount on the lower edge and run up your vest with a basting stitch and see what you think . I wouldnt cut though until you have tried that . Good luck.

2. 
   sherryv | Oct 10, 2006 08:25pm | #10

   Hi Shifra,

   I remember you from the PMB chat list, I think.  You have PMB3 from Wild Ginger, right?  I would definitely post this question to the Wild Ginger forum - those ladies are EXPERTS on darts and all construction, for that matter.  Don't give up, this vest can be saved.  :)

   SherryV

1. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 10:38pm | #11

   Bh

   Oh, I never thought of that, haven't been in the pmb3 forums in ages. I also don't see sewingworld around these days. I haven't chopped up the vest yet, so maybe I'll ask over at pmb. Thanks.

   Shifra

1. 
   Ralphetta | Oct 10, 2006 10:49pm | #12

   what is pmb?

1. 
   shif | Oct 10, 2006 11:02pm | #13

   Bh

   Pattern Master Boutique. It's software to make your own pattens on the computer, from your measurements, and then print them out, tape the pages together, and have custom made patterns! So far it's working out pretty good for me, but there are quirks that one learns to deal with on the way.

   Shifra

3. 
   HeartFire2 | Oct 12, 2006 07:03pm | #21

   Shif,
   If you cut the dart amount out from the lower armhole, all you are doing is making the armhole bigger.

   If you don't 'need' the dart, you could eliminate it from the BOTTOM of the piece.
   the opther option is (if the fabric isn't cut yet) is to rotate it into the waist dart, this will enlarge (widen) the waist dart and eliminate the side dart.

   Have you tried sewing the waist dart yet? do you have any trouble with the shaping of that dart? it may just be the fabric you are using.

1. 
   shif | Oct 12, 2006 07:38pm | #22

   Bh

   Thanks for telling me not to cut at the armhole. I couldn't picture what might go wrong there, but I just had this feeling that it might be too delicate an area to just lop off.

   So now (it'll have to be next week) i will try Becky-book's idea of angling the front piece to the back piece under the arm, and your's of cutting off at the bottom if all else fails.

   I cannot shirr or ease as it is microfiber and doesn not hide these sort of things well.

   Shifra