MOVING OR PIVOTING A DART

Darts can be moved onto on any seamline along the bodice. Hard to believe isn't it. We are so used to seeing them from the waist, from the side seam,
from the armhole. That is what the pattern companies give us. In actuallity, a dart can originate from ANY seam. So you can have a dart come off the neckline
if you want, or the centerfront if you want, or the shoulder if you want. Also remember, that darts don't always have to be darts -- they can be converted to
tucks (ok from shoulder and waist, but look weird from side, neck, or armhole). Darts can be converted to gathers, too.

But lets not jump the gun, lets move a dart.

Go back to the directions on how to enlarge a dart, and follow it through and including step 10. You have enlarged the pattern, have moved and created the
side and waist dart, but have not drawn them in yet. Your pattern should be taped down and flat. Trace a new copy of the pattern, without seam allowances,
only seam lines, and also drawing the darts in as sloper darts (remember sloper darts are darts that end at the bust point.). You should have a bodice
which has two darts, one from the side seam (points "S" to the bust point, and from point "H" to the bust point) Lets take these two darts and move them into
one dart at the shoulder.

Place the bodice on a larger piece of paper, and tape down the center front as we will not be moving this around, and it makes life a whole lot easier than
having things floating around!!

M1. Find a point which is 1/2 way along the shoulder. Mark this point "X"

M2. Draw a line from Point "X" to the bust point. Cut along the line to, BUT NOT THROUGH the bust point. You will be leaving a small (1/16") "hinge" for
the dart to pivot on. The fullness of both the other darts will be transfered into this newly drawn dart.

M3. Cut along the dart legs from the side seam ("S") to BUT NOT THROUGH the bust point. You will be leaving a small (1/16") "hinge" for the dart to pivot
on. Repeat this for the waistline dart which is the dart "H"

M4. Take out your tape, and move the legs of the waistline "H" dart together, so the legs, (remember legs are the stitching lines) meet each other. Tape
them together. Notice how when you close up this dart, the other darts naturally open up more, thereby controlling and "taking up" more fabric.

M5. Now, pivot out the "S" dart in the same manner, bringing its legs together, and noticing how the shoulder "X" dart has enlarged and now has the
fullness of both waist and side darts.