This tutorial will be covering darts in patterns! It will be explaining what darts are, how they work, and how to use them in your own patterns. I'm making this because I don't think a lot of kandi makers recognize this or understand what they are and how to use them, and I think that darts in patterns could have a lot of potential to make something really cool.
Step 1
What is a dart and What Do They Do? A dart in a pattern is, in simplest terms, an area that (when stitched up correctly) creates a 3d curve in the finished piece. I'm using a common kandi project as an example, masks. I frequently see finished masks that have the darts unsewn, and while this is really up to personal preference, I think that some people are unaware of how using that part can make the mask more comfortable to wear! The parts that I have circled are where the darts are located in most masks. You might be wondering why those are darts, but those two outer dips on the top edge aren't. The thing with darts is that, unless the pattern maker includes where they are with the pattern (or you feel confident in knowing where they are based off of context), you may not notice them. So, why are those two parts darts? Because those areas are where the pattern is intended to curve. When you think about where the mask will sit on your face, the darts are where your nose and chin will be. So, by using darts here, the mask will conform to your face much better than if you didn't use them! You don't have to only use darts on masks! You can create your own patterns that utilize them to add more dimension to whatever you're making.
Step 2
So How Do I Sew them? The image shown is a diagram of how you would stitch up a dart. The red represents the right side of the string, and the blue represents the left. You would be doing this at the very end, after you have fully completed the pattern and tied off your string. To start, take a new piece of string. Going back to our example, for a mask, 5-10 inches should be sufficient. Thread your string through the middle bead of the dart, and pull it through until you have an even amount on both ends. The next part is simple once you understand it. It's essentially the way you would put shoelaces into a shoe. Take one end, and go through each bead until you reach either of the top two "peaks" (the points). You should be alternating between the left and right sides of the pattern, so if you go through a bead on the left, then go straight across to the right. Do the same with the other end of your string. Now that you have threaded through the dart, it's time to finish it. Pull both ends of the string tightly, until the beads meet in the middle. If it's starting to curve, good! That means it's working. Once you have fully tightened the ends of the string, tie off in whatever way you'd like (just be sure it's secure!). You should tie off tightly as well; by the time you are done, you shouldn't be able to see the string that was threaded through the dart, if you did it correctly. Do this to any other darts present on your pattern.
So now that you've learned: -What a dart is -How to spot them -And How to tie them ...what can you use them for? well, the answer is basically anything! For example, i've working on creating a fursuit out of kandi, and used darts to make a muzzle prototype in the shape I want! You could use them for a hat, gloves, cosplay like i'm doing, or whatever else you want! I think using darts in patterns can allow you to make really cool projects that might not be as aesthetically pleasing/comfortable to wear if you made it without them! Thanks for reading the tutorial! Hope this helped you learn a new kandi making techinique.