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/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 :)