How do you determine dart width for skirts?

Basic skirt patterns are relatively easy to draft. But still determining dart width is not always fun. 

How do you decide your front dart width and back dart width?

Of course, you will have a chance to revise them in the fitting stage, but you want to draft patterns as fit as possible from the beginning, right?

I will show you a simple formula.

Look at these illustrations first. 

From the hip circumference, you will take out some at each side seam, some at the back, and some at the front. My body shape is not the same as the one in this illustration. Maybe yours as well. But you can get some ideas. You want to make the back darts bigger than the front darts. For the side seam, you might want to take out the same amount as the back darts or maybe less. 

Use this percentage to find out the dart width.

Depending on your body shape, adjust percentages a little bit.

Okay, then write down your hip circumference and waist circumference. These are not your body measurements. These are garment measurements, which means it includes ease.

Here’s an example.

Waist: 29” (73.5cm)

Hip: 37” (94cm)

Let’s calculate the difference. 

37” (94cm) - 29” (73.5cm) = 8” (20.5cm)

You’re going to remove 8” (20.5cm) at the skirt waist.

For the side curve: 8” X 0.13 = 1” (20.5cm X 0.13 = 2.67cm)

For the front dart: 8” X 0.08 = 5/8” (20.5cm X 0.08 = 1.64cm)

For the back dart: 8” X 0.16 = 1 1/4” (20.5cm X 0.16 = 3.28cm)

You can make two of back darts if you want.

Hope this helps you and email me if you have any questions.