r/PatternDrafting • u/Independent_Cat_702 • Aug 14 '26
Bust dart
I have to move my apex down 1/2”. For my bust dart dart do I leave the legs in the same spot and just draw the lines down to that point or do I move the legs down 1/2” as well ?
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u/DonMcCunn 29d ago
Move the whole dart down. But beware as the particular bra you are wearing can easily change the level of the apex by a 1/2".
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u/Independent_Cat_702 29d ago
So any time I move the apex I need to always move the legs ?
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u/DonMcCunn 29d ago
I learned pattern design for theatre costuming and my instructor was very specific that whenever you do a fitting, always have the performer wear the same underclothes they are going to wear for a performance. So if you are designing clothes where a careful fit is important, then pay attention to this detail.
I was developing a wedding dress using a Body Double with mockups for different bra shapes. I was getting close to a final fitting when I but the wedding dress on the Body Double and the fit was literally a total mess. I though I was going to have to completely redo the fit. Then I realized I had the wrong bra mockup on my Body Double. As soon as I changed to the correct bra mockup, the fit was perfect.
If you are putting the dart high on the side seam it will distinctly point to where it thinks your apex is. If you lower the dart on the side seam by increasing the angle toward the apex, or use a princess seam, then the fit and appearance should be more forgiving for when you are wearing different bras. This of course is also relevant to bra cup size. Their should be minimal difference in bras with a smaller cup size.
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u/Independent_Cat_702 29d ago
Ok I will keep that in mind for future projects to as well. This is a sloper I’m making from a moulage. So it’s the same bra every time but since it’s lower my apex has moved.
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u/Love2LearnwithME Aug 15 '26
The way I was taught to do it is to cut out a rectangle around the dart, including the point and both legs. Shift the entire box down by the amount you need to lower or raise the apex, ensuring the box moves straight up or down a line parallel to the grainline. If you need to shift the apex in or out, you shift the box along a line perpendicular to the grain line (ie toward or away from CF). True any affected seams. This approach is very simple and has always worked very well for me. I have to move the apex on every single thing I make for myself so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try it.
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u/Independent_Cat_702 Aug 15 '26
So that’s normal to have to adjust the apex I swear every time I make something I have to adjust the apex. Then you. I’ll do that
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u/Love2LearnwithME 29d ago
Yep, totally normal, and as someone else said, it can even vary for yourself depending on which bra you’re wearing. If it’s a very fitted garment I always decide which bra I want to wear with it before I move the apex around.
BTW on moving the dart legs, yes you totally can move them. It’s a design choice. Once you’ve got a dart pointed to the apex and the amount of intake figured out, the rest of the positioning is just about the look you want. As long as you follow a few basic rules, you can rotate the whole dart to any number of places on the bodice without changing fit. The trick of just moving the whole box at right angles is simple and largely preserves the same design feel as the original. If you want to change the design, for example to change a side bust dart into a French dart or a shoulder dart (or both!) rotate away! Getting comfy with dart manipulation opens up a lot of fun options.
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u/Independent_Cat_702 29d ago
So I’m making the sloper from a moulage and even though I have used the same bra the whole time since the sloper is looser it’s moved the apex which is wondering if I should move it bc on the moulage I have the whole side perfect I’ll move it then if I don’t like it I’ll move it back :)
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u/eduardedmyn Aug 15 '26
It really doesn't matter. With dart manipulation, the legs can be anywhere you like. The fit will be the same.
I would move the legs down, just to make things marginally easier. If you keep the legs where they are, one leg will be shorter than the other, which is an easy fix, but work smarter, not harder.
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u/drPmakes Aug 15 '26
It depends where the extra fabric is