Tailor's Tip: Don't Clip those Darts!

(gray fabric overlayed with brown paper pattern. Note the middle of dart line is drawn on fabric in chalk, not the entire dart. Just mark dart legs (not pictured) and you're ready to fold on line and sew from dart leg to end of line point).

I know it's common practice for many sewers to clip their dart legs and mark all parts of the dark before sewing. Well I'm here to show you a better and easier way. Oftentimes when people clip the dart legs they weaken the fabric in the area and end up having to sew below the clipping. Instead of clipping your darts try only marking the legs at the fabric edge using chalk or other suitable medium and only drawing the length of the mid-dart line (the line that runs between the dart leg). On most commercial lines you may have to draw the middle line between the dart legs.  That way you can just fold the fabric on the line and sew from the dart legs down to the end of that line. You don't have to worry about any clippings. But if you feel you'd rather clip your darts by all mean do so slightly inside the dart markings that way you can sew the dart leg without any interference of the cut!