Threads Contributing Editor Kenneth D. King demonstrates on paper how to pivot a dart. This method can be used to alter patterns that include darts. The technique maintains the dart point location while moving the rest of the dart.
Kenneth starts by determining where to move the dart. He draws a slash line from the outer edge of his paper circle, which could represent a pattern piece, to the dart point. Then, he cuts along the line. When he closes the existing dart, the newly slashed line opens up to create the new dart location.
Try these steps on a bodice pattern when you’re pivoting darts.
cutting backwards so that students can see what he's doing.! True teacher.
Yea but ... when using a s5ore bought pattern ....where does one draw the “legs” for the new dart? Along the expanded cut edge or use the pattern lines ? So if transferring a side dart to an existing waist dart - cut middle of side dart & waist dart to apex, close side dart to pattern dart sewing lines meet then waist dart expands - added space good - redraw the waist dart using the original dart legs back to the original dart point? I think that makes sense.
On a real pattern piece, dart point is not necessarily the pivot point. For example on the front torso/bodice piece the apex is where the pivot point is but the dart point is a little away from the apex so that there is no sharp point past the fullest part of the breast.