I originally wrote these tips while working on instructions for a pair of pants that had a lot of darts. The design changed, the pants now have a much more reasonable number of darts, and the instructions no longer need a separate dart tips section. So instead of deleting it… let’s put it to use. Because dart tips are always handy.

Here is the quick visual overview, with the full tips written out below. 

1. Transfer Markings

Transfer the dart markings to the wrong side of the fabric. I like to draw in the dart legs for extra clean, accurate darts because, personally, I do not trust myself to eyeball them while sewing.

2. Pin the Legs

Fold the dart in half, bringing the dart legs together. I like to pin at the wide end first, making sure the dart legs match on both sides, then pin at the dart point. If the dart is long enough, add a pin or two in between.  I place my pins with the points facing toward the wide end of the dart so they are easy to remove as I sew. Nobody likes to be poked by a pin! 

3. Sew the Dart

Always sew from the dart opening toward the dart point. Start at the wide end and backstitch to secure.

Use your regular stitch length — around 2.2 mm works well for most fabrics. If you want to be extra precise, you can shorten your stitch length slightly as you get close to the dart point. Is this necessary? No. Is it a nice little detail if you’re feeling fancy? Absolutely.

4. Add a Slight Curve

For a smoother shape, sew with a very slight curve as you approach the dart point rather than stitching a perfectly straight line all the way to the end. After all, your body is curved — not angled. 

5. Secure the Dart Point

At the dart point, you can leave long thread tails, tie them in a double knot, and trim. This is probably the “proper” beginner-friendly method.

Personally, I find tying thread tails deeply annoying, which is funny because I apparently don’t trust myself to eyeball dart legs… but I do trust myself to eyeball tiny backstitches in the trickiest spot. So here’s what I do instead: stitch right to the tip, stop with the needle down, then pivot slightly so the next stitches run parallel to the dart fold instead of overlapping the dart stitching. Backstitch 2–3 stitches, then stitch off the fabric.

6. Press!

Press your darts. If you don’t press the rest of your garment while sewing, at least press your darts. I am begging. Press the dart in the direction indicated by your pattern — usually toward the centre for vertical darts and downward for horizontal darts. If the fabric allows, gently pull the fabric on either side of the dart so the fold relaxes and the dart lies clean and smooth. 

For the cleanest finish, press darts over a tailor’s ham. Darts are shaping fabric around a body, so pressing them over a curved surface really does make a difference.

And there you go! A surprisingly long list of thoughts about sewing tiny triangles into fabric. But honestly, darts do a lot of work, and a few small details can make them so much cleaner.