Sewing darts on trousers #AB02

1. This is required

Pattern pieces made from main fabric:

• back pieces (HH) – 1 pair
• front pieces (VH) – 1 pair (depending on variant)

Paper pattern pieces:

• back pieces (HH) – 1 pair
• front pieces (VH) – 1 pair (depending on variant)

Tools and aids:

• Copy paper and tracing wheel
• Alternatively, scissors and chalk or marker pen
• Pins or clips

2. Transfer the shape of the darts

First, I transfer the dart shapes to the wrong side of the pattern pieces.

In the first example, I use copy paper. I lay the pattern pieces in front of me so that the wrong side of the fabric is visible. I place the pattern piece on the matching pattern piece with the printed side facing up and the edges matching.

I place the copy paper between the paper and the fabric so that the colored side is facing the fabric.

Then I transfer the shape of the darts with a tracing wheel. I roll through the dart center and the dart legs. I mark the end with a horizontal line.

I place the pattern piece mirrored on the second pattern piece and proceed in the same way. I trace through the markings that were created earlier.

If you don’t have copy paper, you can also cut out the shape of the darts and transfer them along the outline with chalk.

3. Sew darts

Then I fold the dart in half, right sides together, and sew the shape starting at the selvage.

At the end I sew over the tip. I leave the thread ends protruding approx. 10 cm and knot them together two or three times.

I then cut them back to approx. 1 cm. This prevents an unsightly bulge from forming at the tip of the darts due to forward and backward stitches.

4. Iron the darts

The finished darts are ironed from the wrong side of the fabric.

The following rule applies: darts in the lengthwise direction (such as waist or hem darts) are pressed so that the content is placed towards the center front or center back or on the leg towards the inner leg seam.

For darts that run in the transverse direction (e.g. knee darts), I press the dart content upwards.

If you then see the darts from the right side of the fabric, you cannot see directly into the seam.

5. Topstitch the darts

If you like, you can topstitch the darts. As you may need to adjust something, it is best to do this after you have tried on the trousers.

You can topstitch the darts narrow-edged, for example, or along the dart line. Let your creativity run wild!

For the wedge-shaped topstitching, I like to place a strip of fine sandpaper under the presser foot to sew very straight.

6. Jeans with waist dart instead of yoke

If you are sewing a jeans model that has one or two waist darts instead of a yoke, you can skip the steps for sewing on and finishing the yoke in the instructions for sewing yoke and back seam on jeans.

Below you will find the link to the next step:

• Sew front jeans pocket #TV02
• Sew front jeans pocket with yoke #TV03

If you’re not quite ready yet and perhaps want to start at the beginning, you’ll find some links here:

• Preparing the sewing pattern for cutting
• The cutting of fabrics and materials