Skip to main content
Move Dart Tool Icon

Move Dart Tool

What it Does​

Moves some or all of a dart's shaping to a new place on the pattern. A dart is a wedge-shaped fold that is sewn out to shape fabric around the body. Moving it changes where the fold sits, not how the pattern fits.

You choose how much to move. The tool closes that much of the original dart and opens a new dart at the spot you pick. Moving 100% closes the original dart completely.

Use this when you want a dart in a different seam, such as moving a waist dart to the side seam. The dart must already be registered with Register Dart. To learn why a dart can be moved without changing the fit, see the Academy page on Shifting Dart Location.

How to Use​

  1. Activate the tool by clicking the Move Dart icon
  2. Select a dart from the Available Darts list, then select Continue
  3. Enter either the Amount to Transfer, in the unit shown, or the Percentage to Close. Entering one resets the other to 0. The percentage starts at 100
  4. Select Continue
  5. Click the slash point first. This is the point on the pattern where the new dart will open
  6. Click all the other points that will rotate, finishing with the first leg of the existing dart, then select Continue
  7. Enter a Name for the new dart, then select Continue
  8. Select Save to keep the new dart, or Cancel to discard it

If there are no registered darts, the tool tells you to select Cancel and use Register Dart first.

info

You can type a number or a formula for the Amount to Transfer. See Entering Values.

info

An Amount to Transfer that is the same as the dart's width, or more, closes the original dart completely. A smaller amount closes that part of it. For example, half the width closes half of the dart.

warning

If a curve runs between the old and new dart locations, use the Curve to Line tool first and select Keep Curve Shape. This turns the curve into a polyline that keeps its shape, so the dart move can follow it. Do not select Straighten Curve, because that replaces the curve with one straight line.

🧠Memorization

When you memorize a draft, the dart move is remembered along with the amount or percentage you entered.