tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post2289741074418312154..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: French Darts: A Cautionary TaleGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-27832294404448512062012-05-17T21:09:31.025-04:002012-05-17T21:09:31.025-04:00Gertie Dearest,
I am inspired.
I am making a d...Gertie Dearest,<br /><br />I am inspired. <br /><br />I am making a dress for my DG (that's Dear Girl) and alas the muslin's bust was too decidedly nipple-y. I was depressed, dejected, and defeated.<br /><br />I was lamented the much-beloved curves, but I am no longer!<br /><br />Your words have spurred me on, to adjust, adjust, adjust, and make just one more muslin.<br /><br />Thank you, Gertie, Thank you. <br /><br />-WolfgangMIke Therrienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15865354889178558784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-44068336394921628882010-07-09T09:54:57.787-04:002010-07-09T09:54:57.787-04:00Thank you for this story. It is adorable and as i...Thank you for this story. It is adorable and as informative as it is entertaining.Stacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09709229404463672399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-63666438238992874112010-06-30T22:52:12.995-04:002010-06-30T22:52:12.995-04:00This made me laugh...thanks for sharing your sewin...This made me laugh...thanks for sharing your sewing wisdom and lessons.Patchwork Architecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09357351295714335638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-41576505890183568952010-06-30T14:01:30.338-04:002010-06-30T14:01:30.338-04:00LOL LOL I have so been there. I totally get where...LOL LOL I have so been there. I totally get where you're coming from with this and of course your reaction is priceless. Thanks for posting the simple and quick fix!Caroline ~ TrilliumDesignhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13942921653593872788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-51145657809609125722010-06-30T07:59:40.758-04:002010-06-30T07:59:40.758-04:00I hate those type of darts!! At least, ever since ...I hate those type of darts!! At least, ever since last fall.... my brother got married, and while I wasn't in the wedding party, I was asked to do the music (I'm a musician by trade). So I made what was supposed to be a simple sheath dress that turned out to be anything but, and those darts were a HUGE part of the problem. It had both those and a longer vertical dart, and two muslins and a switch of fabric weren't enough to get it looking good in the bust area! I ended up going out to the thrift store and getting something to cover up the top of the dress with last-minute. I'm still strongly considering chopping the top off and turning it into a skirt, because that is the only way I am ever going to be able to wear that dress again.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09913795373618902575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13129523488103680622010-06-30T04:49:07.229-04:002010-06-30T04:49:07.229-04:00This post certainly made me laugh, but it also mad...This post certainly made me laugh, but it also made me think - why am I not ok with my nipples being slightly visible through clothing? As a small-busted lady, I often eschew a bra in the winter months, as layers protect me from potential 'exposure'. But in the summer, when the heat means I feel least like having underwiring digging into me, I myself resorting to a bra to avoid revealing myself through flimsy cotton and see-through silk. It makes me wonder how bra-less women dealt with this problem in the 60s and 70s - were their clothes just less transparent?! I rather resent having my bust manipulated by lingerie to resemble Barbie's - smooth, rounded, nipple-less - and yet I feel uncomfortable letting the world see its natural outline. Anyway, thanks for sharing pictures of your beautiful dress, and for all your thought-provoking posts!Drop Stitches Not Bombshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14995132303908748751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-13235275345462546412010-06-29T23:10:51.940-04:002010-06-29T23:10:51.940-04:00I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for publishing i...I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for publishing it. Try curving your french darts as well as making them shorter. Try to sew a very very gradual point and then off the edge at the point. Then slash throught center and press open over your ham. This should solve the problem and it won't make a lot of difference whether you are darting an a cup or a dd cup. Happy Sewing!Teasippanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-81869616397209228892010-06-29T17:04:49.897-04:002010-06-29T17:04:49.897-04:00Hilarious and informative. What else can I blog r...Hilarious and informative. What else can I blog reader want? I am still laughing over, "...I shrieked, sweetly." Love it!bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05560968353314411125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-1840689789670271242010-06-29T16:43:35.130-04:002010-06-29T16:43:35.130-04:00Although you drafted this yourself, vintage patter...Although you drafted this yourself, vintage patterns tend to have the dart point closer to the bust point than modern patterns. I suppose this makes sense when you look at the shape of vintage bras!<br />I often shape the dart - rather than sew a straight line direct to the dart point, I make a very slight curve towards the end that mirrors the bust. I did this on my recent 60's grey tweed dress because it was a bit nipply too!Sheryllhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17460472835794108787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-25638796245811366302010-06-29T16:23:54.970-04:002010-06-29T16:23:54.970-04:00I have a dress I bought -years- ago with this prob...I have a dress I bought -years- ago with this problem and wasn't sure how to get round it. <br /><br />Thanks for bringing the topic up... and flattening it down!Spooky Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00439046325799100737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-48298368296527420072010-06-29T15:37:50.608-04:002010-06-29T15:37:50.608-04:00Sometimes you just need to stop and have a good cr...Sometimes you just need to stop and have a good cry in order to clear your head. I'm glad you stopped to refocus and fix rather than chucking your beautiful dress in a hormone induced flurry. It looks much improved!Jill of all Tradeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11457731170900293409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-38365623913649725452010-06-29T15:12:44.268-04:002010-06-29T15:12:44.268-04:00That did make me laugh, and at least you managed t...That did make me laugh, and at least you managed to fix it and end up with a lovely dress. I'm just about to start making my first ever dress, I'm going to go very slowly and I have to say your blog is very inspiring.Louise Mchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14858832660475944060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-73921024384034538122010-06-29T14:01:26.951-04:002010-06-29T14:01:26.951-04:00Hi Gertie, I have a question that has been bugging...Hi Gertie, I have a question that has been bugging me. When you trim darts, do you need to finish the edges? It seems to me that you might not, because they are usually on an angle, but since I have never done it I don't really know.Adelaide Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04416139155541674614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-74810567428102118642010-06-29T14:00:57.532-04:002010-06-29T14:00:57.532-04:00THANK YOU! I have the pointy problem every time I ...THANK YOU! I have the pointy problem every time I put a dart in something, be it French or not. I'll definitely have to try the snipping & pressingMiss Tami Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09737048920324015594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-36973349246208823542010-06-29T13:46:16.253-04:002010-06-29T13:46:16.253-04:00This has totally happened to me before! Thanks so ...This has totally happened to me before! Thanks so much for sharing your tips and fixes. It's always nice to read stories I can relate to about sewing frustrations that happen along the way instead of just looking at pretty finished garments.centrallyisolatedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08823356747586145225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-34748734856670015902010-06-29T13:32:38.771-04:002010-06-29T13:32:38.771-04:00hallelujah... u fix the darts beautifully. the dre...hallelujah... u fix the darts beautifully. the dress is lovely. thank goodness your man told you the problem, my husband would have just went along with it thinking he's seeing nipples...lol. good jobgeminimistresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813421557471786142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-72002567199432018422010-06-29T13:21:34.097-04:002010-06-29T13:21:34.097-04:00That was very funny (and not because I'm laugh...That was very funny (and not because I'm laughing at your expense, but because you write a very amusing account of it)!. And full marks to Jeff for trying to be so tactful. My beloved would have had just blurted it out gleefully...<br /><br />And nice to see how you dealt with it.<br /><br />P.S. And since Tina put up that 40s?/ 50s? advert on What-I-Found, I now know to call them "female functional monthly disturbances"...Nathaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11570545194570856281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-67703219205456756152010-06-29T12:59:06.000-04:002010-06-29T12:59:06.000-04:00I am so glad you posted this, lady. I saw photos o...I am so glad you posted this, lady. I saw photos of myself in a darted dress the other day and nearly fell over! Not sure I can press mine as you did, but at least I know a solution exists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-74690930183509353902010-06-29T12:50:34.353-04:002010-06-29T12:50:34.353-04:00My solution has always been just to make floaty, &...My solution has always been just to make floaty, "unconstructed" garments without darts. Yours is a much more responsible approach, Gertie. I admire your willingness to redo until you got it right.Charlotte Holmeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09584389308420834826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-80509385949574493542010-06-29T12:08:30.692-04:002010-06-29T12:08:30.692-04:00Hey Gertie,
I'm so glad you were able to solv...Hey Gertie, <br />I'm so glad you were able to solve the problem with a good steaming. It's so discouraging to have a finished project and realize there's something wrong with it.<br />I just happened to read Sherry's tutorial on French Seam Darts on her blog a couple days ago : http://buzzybeesworld.blogspot.com/2010/04/tricks-of-trade-french-seam-dart.html<br />I don't know if she does anything different than what you did but in any case, if people are looking for a tutorial this one seems quite helpful...Petite Josettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04214232297194090552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-43586577264400674372010-06-29T11:54:06.676-04:002010-06-29T11:54:06.676-04:00Bursting into tears over sewing problems is normal...Bursting into tears over sewing problems is normal behavior ANY time of month in my book! Your fix worked beautifully!Pattern Junkiehttp://patternjunkie.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-88047794391543659702010-06-29T11:35:14.143-04:002010-06-29T11:35:14.143-04:00LOL! Darts are so tricky sometimes. I'm glad ...LOL! Darts are so tricky sometimes. I'm glad you were able to solve the problem without resorting to scrapping the project. The dress turned out lovely. :)Janahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00085496180801555852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-81687286455401550642010-06-29T11:21:07.370-04:002010-06-29T11:21:07.370-04:00Nice save! I was reading in the current issue of T...Nice save! I was reading in the current issue of Threads Magazine (which I was overjoyed to find stocked in the London branch of Selfridges on the weekend yay!) an article by <b><a href="http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/14140/meet-threads-contributing-editor-louise-cutting" rel="nofollow">Louise Cutting</a></b> on <b>"Better Basics"</b> (not that that I'm saying that you need to brush up on your basics, just that's the title of the article), in it Louise has some top tips on darts, one of which involves not cutting them open - but using a strip of bias cut fabric seem along the dart to balance out the pressed-fold of the dart :). I cannot remember all the details of the technique (I'm at work now it's 4.16pm in the UK LOL! & my magazine is at home) but it's worth a look IMO if you can take a peak at the magazine in a store - the article starts on <b><a href="http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/th_currentissue.asp" rel="nofollow">page 44</a></b>. (It's the June/July 2010 issue no. 149.)<br /><br />P.S. I'm so glad that you "nipped" the little problem in the bud ;) LOL!<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Seemane :)Claire (aka Seemane)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05175575205044308437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-23890230445265766092010-06-29T10:48:01.118-04:002010-06-29T10:48:01.118-04:00Excellent solution!! I'll def. have to use you...Excellent solution!! I'll def. have to use your tale of victory for future french dart follies!Darcihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02936847220360997738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-75975846914508225502010-06-29T10:19:57.360-04:002010-06-29T10:19:57.360-04:00Oh golly... I've had the "too nipple-y&qu...Oh golly... I've had the "too nipple-y" dart problem before too! Usually with darts that are a bit more complicated/tricky than the usual waist-to-bust dart. Thanks for the reminder and tips (and good chuckle! ;)!<br /><br />♥ Casey<br />blog | elegantmusings.comCaseyhttp://elegantmusings.comnoreply@blogger.com