How to Change the Height of a Bust Dart

Is your bust dart pointing too high or too low? Learn how to raise or lower a bust dart so it points directly at your bust apex for a smooth, flattering fit.

For a garment to fit beautifully, your bust dart needs to point directly at your bust apex—the fullest point of your bust. If the dart is aiming too high or too low, you’ll can end up with puckering, bunching, and a shape that doesn’t follow your curves properly. The fix is simple: just move that dart up or down!

Needing to lower your darts is especially common if you’re full busted, simply because larger busts take up more of the torso—and gravity plays a role too. Don’t stress about it; just rejoice in the fact that being a sewist means you can position your darts exactly where they need to be!

A quick note before you start: if you’re planning to do a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA), do that first. An FBA automatically lowers your dart, so you might find the work is already done for you. Also, make sure you’re wearing the same bra with your muslin that you’ll wear with the finished garment—different bras can shift your apex by several inches if you’re full busted.

How to Tell If You Need to Change Your Bust Dart Height

• The dart is pointing above or below the fullest part of your bust
• On your muslin, mark your actual bust apex—if it’s higher or lower than where the dart is pointing, you need to move the dart

Measuring How Much to Adjust By

On your muslin, mark your actual bust apex. Measure the distance between this mark and where the pattern’s dart is currently pointing—that’s how much you need to move your dart.

Note: If you press your darts upward (as is often recommended), there’s a limit to how much higher a dart can go before the dart uptake extends past the armscye. If you run into this issue, simply press your darts downward instead.

Changing Your Bust Dart Height

Step 1: Draw a rectangular box around your bust dart, then draw a long vertical line at the edge of the box, parallel to the centre front.

Step 2: Cut the box out completely.

Step 3: Slide the box up or down by the amount you need to move the dart, keeping the right-hand side of the box aligned with the vertical line you drew. Tape the box in place.

Step 4: Trace your new pattern piece. You’ll notice the side seam is now a bit jagged where you moved the dart. As you trace, smooth out the side seam—you may need to add a tiny bit of length below the dart (if you lowered it) or trim off a small amount (if you raised it) to create a smooth line. Just make sure you’re not altering the dart legs themselves.

You Did It!

Your bust dart will now point exactly where it should, giving you a smooth fit that follows the shape of your body. Such a small change, such a big difference!

Want to dive deeper into fitting? This adjustment and many more are covered in detail in “Ahead of the Curve,” our best-selling book on fitting for curves. And if you’d like in-depth video tutorials that go much deeper, check out Cashmerette Club‘s library of fitting masterclasses.