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Permalink Reply by Larri on February 19, 2010 at 6:10am

Hey Lisa! I had to go look up your question...because I wanted to know the answer too! :o) I'm going to quote from Adele Margolis' book, The Complete Book of Tailoring, p.21-22

"Whereever on the body there is a difference between two adjoining measurements (chest and waist),...some form of shaping is necessary. This form of shaping is called dart control. Dart control is the basic structure of all flat patterns. It applies equally to women's, men's, girls', boys, and children's clothing. Here's how it works: ....

Dart control always represents a relationship. It is the difference between a larger measurement and a smaller adjoing one.

The greater the difference, the greater the need for control...It is not whether a figure is short or tall, heavy or slim, that determines the amount of shaping it needs. It is the relationship between two adjoining measurements.

Columnar figures, however heavy, slim, short, or tall, need less shaping because there is less difference between adjoining measurements.

Hourglass figures, however heavy, slim, short, or tall, need more shaping because there is more difference bewtween adjoining measurements.

So, in answer to your question (and from understanding what I read), there is no formula to follow. The dart length is determined by where you want the shaping to begin. If the sweatshirt fits well to the waist, mark the point where it doesn't fit, and begin your dart there. I hope this makes sense and helps. Any of the more seasoned sewers care to weigh in? We love learning at SWN!

Let us know how it goes with the darts, Lisa. Happy Sewing!

Permalink Reply by Lisa Bordenave on February 19, 2010 at 12:00pm

Thanks Larri,
That's where my thoughts went after posting this question. I will let u know how it comes out.

The instructions for this pattern are awful, apart from the problem with the zipper, instructions are unclear and in some parts are missing. So I've had to figure out a lot by myself, which I guess is good because I'm learning. I just want to finish it and go on with another project, but I've gotta make the second one. That's life, isn't it? LOL

Permalink Reply by Lisa Bordenave on March 28, 2010 at 4:06pm

So I've added photos of how it came out after finally figuring out how to upload pics from my cellphone. I don't think it looks that bad.

Permalink Reply by Claudette Grant on February 19, 2010 at 10:25am

Hi Lisa, Larri is right on point, but have you thought of taking out the dart amount on the side seam instead of making a dart, especially since it's a sweatshirt. Just a thought. Good luck.
Claudette.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Bordenave on February 19, 2010 at 11:54am

That was my first thought Claudette, except the back wraps around the sides under the arms to meet the front along the chest edge (if that makes any sense. sometimes I wish I could draw on here), so if I did that it would make the armscye smaller and change the shape. I already have the armscye faced and it's fleece, so I don't want to mess with it, but maybe on the second one I will try. But that would mean altering the pattern, right??? which I've never done, but I am an Architectural Drafter, so if I can draw building plans, this should be cake, right???