Lesson 2

Subject: Art/Fashion Design

Topic: Dart Manipulation
Grade: 12
Allocated Time: 120 minutes

Student Population: The twelfth grade heterogeneous class is comprised of 25 students

having various ethnic backgrounds, learning styles and multiple intelligences. The group
is taking an introductory Fashion Design elective and has basic knowledge of design
concepts and principles having previously taken art and/or design classes.

Description: This is the second lesson in a fashion design class. Students will learn the
first principle of dart manipulation and use it to manipulate ten different patterns. After
students have made miniature models they will fit them to a miniature dress form to
ensure that they have correctly completed each model and successfully made a new
pattern.

State Standards:
9.1.12.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements
and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.

9.3.12.B:
Determine and apply criteria to a person’s work and works of others in the arts.

Goal: Students will apply their introductory knowledge of dart manipulation principle
one to manipulate a one dart pattern to ten different locations on the dress form.

Measurable Objectives:
● Students will be able to define dart manipulation principle one.

● Students will be able to label a diagram of ten different dart locations on a bodice pattern.

● Students will begin creating a pattern book consisting of miniature visual models that
represent an example of each of the nine basic dart locations they have learned in class.

● Students will have basic knowledge of the single-dart: slash spread dart manipulation
method through the creation of their models.
 Student Behaviors Sources of Evidence Criteria for Evaluation

Review of previous lesson: Blank dart diagram Rubrics: Authentic

charting dart locations on worksheet of different dart
the dress form locations (Attachment A)
Sharing of diagram
worksheet answers in small
groups
Verbal review of concepts
on worksheet
Assessment – Making and
Fitting Pattern Models
(Attachment E)
Students performance will
be evaluated as: not
satisfactory, needs some
work, completed, and
exceeds expectations in the
following categories:

Effort

Students participate in Q and A with class Responsibility

principle one of dart
manipulation activity Student Input Productive Member of
Class
Dart Manipulation:
Principle One worksheet
(Attachment B)

Miniature models moving Instructions for one dart Skill

darts to ten different manipulation slash-spread
locations on the body are technique (Attachment C)
created by students Fitting of Models on
Miniature dress form Miniature Dress Form
(Attachment D)

Classroom demonstration

Students will discuss Group discussion of Required Elements

activity and arrange success/problems students
worksheets, directions for encountered with fitting Knowledge Gained
dart manipulation and ten models to miniature dress
miniature models in their forms
patternmaking copybooks
Ten completed one dart
models in patternmaking
copybook
 Background Information

Dart Manipulation:

Principle One: Introduction to Design Patterns

● A dart can be transferred to any location around the pattern’s outline from a
designated pivotal point without affecting the size or fit of the garment.

Corollary:
● The dart excess (space between the dart legs) can be used as gathers, pleats, tuck-
darts, stylelines (those that cross over the bust point or within 1 inch of the bust),
cowls, flare (unstitched dart legs), or ease in the armhole for casual garments.
The creative use of the dart excess is called a dart equivalent.
● The dart or its equivalent will always be somewhere within the pattern and
garment. Dart(s) or dart equivalents are directed toward the pivotal point. A dart
ends before reaching the pivotal point and should not go beyond it, especially the
pivotal point of the bust.

Single Dart Slash Spread Technique

● Flat patternmaking depends on previously developed patterns as a base for
creating design patterns.
● A working pattern is always traced to create other designs and is never altered.
● Patterns are saved for later use.

The Process
● Design analysis: identifying the location of the dart.
● Plotting: drawing line(s) on the traced pattern to indicate where the design
elements are located.
● A line is drawn from the bust point to the new dart location

Manipulation
● To change the shape of the original pattern into a design pattern, the pattern is cut
from the paper and slashed on the plotted line to, but not through, the bust point (pivotal
point). This is to create a hinge, which allows the pattern part to move freely without the
piece falling from the pattern through manipulation. If working with seamed patterns,
include slashing from dart point to, but not through, bust point.

Center Front Waist Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the center front waist.
Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from center front waist to bust point.
2. Slash pattern from center front waist to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Center Front Neck Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the center front neck.
Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from center front neck dart to bust point.
2. Cut slash line to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Mid-Shoulder Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the center front neck.
Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from mid-shoulder to bust point.
2. Cut slash line to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

French Dart: The waist dart is relocated to make a French dart.

Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from French dart to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Mid-Neck Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the mid-neck.

Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from mid-neck to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Side Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the side.

Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from side to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Mid-Armhole Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the mid-armhole.

Pattern Plot and Manipulation:
1. Draw slash line from mid-armhole to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Shoulder-Tip Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the shoulder tip.

Pattern Plot and Manipulation
1. Draw slash line from shoulder-tip to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.

Center Front Bust Dart: The waist dart is relocated to the shoulder tip.
Pattern Plot and Manipulation
1. Draw slash line from center bust dart to bust point.
2. Cut slash to, not through, bust point.
3. Close dart legs A and B. Tape.
 Time Activity
25 Minutes WARM-UP: (As students enter class)
Students will label a diagram of the ten
different darts on a bodice (A). This
activity is based on concepts learned
from previous lesson.
● Split students into pairs to have
self-initiated discussions of the
inspiration behind their mood
boards.
● While students are in pairs
have them compare answers
from dart location diagram
they labeled during warm-up to
ensure completion and
accuracy.
● Monitor groups and be
available as a resource for
questions about mood board
and dart diagram activity.
● Review any unclear concepts
before moving students back to
their individual design area.
25 Minutes INTRODUCTION:
Ask students:
1. What are darts?
2. What is their purpose?
3. What darts are located on the
clothing that you are wearing?
Elicit student input
Introduce the concept of dart
manipulation.
● Hand out principle one
worksheet (B) and students will
copy the following definition onto
their worksheet:
Principle One: Introduction to
Design Patterns A dart can be
transferred to any location around
Differentiation
Linguistic learners can talk
about the different dart
locations on the bodice in
groups and assess each
other’s charts verbally. A
verbal classroom review of
dart chart also aides
linguistic students in
comprehension.
Kinesthetic learners can
complete dart chart by going
to the 3 dimensional dress
form and physically tracing
the locations of the different
darts to aide them in labeling
their chart.
Visual learners can label
diagram and have visual
application of different dart
locations on the bodice.
Linguistic learners can
respond to introductory dart
questions.
Kinesthetic learners can use
model materials that they
have prepared to physically
hold and manipulate cut outs
while dart introduction is
taking place.
Visual learners have written
notes on principle one of dart
manipulation and can both
read along and fill in the
blank notes on their sheet.
 the pattern’s outline from a
designated pivotal point without
affecting the size or fit of the
garment.

● Ask students to get out

materials that they prepared for
today’s lesson: template cut-outs
for beginning of dart manipulation.
● Explain to students that they
are going to make mini-models of
different types of darts

60 Minutes DEVELOPMENT: Students will Linguistic learners have

move darts to different locations on
the bodice. The different locations
were learned and labeled in previous
lesson.
● Hand out instructions for
manipulating one dart around a
bodice using the slash-spread
technique (C).
● Hand out miniature dress form
(D).
● Demonstrate the first dart
manipulation for the center-
front waist dart.
● Students will follow along with
demonstration to create their
first model doing the following
steps:
1. Students will read the
directions for Center Front Waist Dart.
verbal demonstration of how
to manipulate darts by
following along with teacher
in first example. Students can
also benefit from listening to
classroom volunteer doing
second dart example
Kinesthetic learners can
physically make models of
different dart locations
Visual learners can follow
along with written directions
to create visual
representation of each dart
through completed model.

2. Students will draw a slash

line from the center front waist to bust
point.
3. Students will slash pattern
from center front waist to, not through,
bust point.
4. Students will close dart
legs A and B and tape the two
 together.

● Ask for a volunteer to do the

second dart manipulation as an
example at the front of the class.
The class will follow the
instructions along with the
volunteer and teacher. This will
complete the second model.

● Students will be broken up into

groups of four.

● As a small group students will

follow their directions to complete
the remaining dart manipulations.

ASSESSMENT: An authentic
assessment rubric (E) will be used to
assess a student’s ability to create
different patterns. Using their
miniature dress forms, students will fit
their patterns to miniature form. This
will demonstrate real-world
meaningful application of skills being
taught. Degree of effort and
participation are also factored into
assessment.
10 Minutes Linguistic learners can
CLOSURE: The class will take the discuss their models in small
patterns they have created and arrange groups.
them in their pattern books so that
there are ten sets of instructions with Kinesthetic learners can
ten miniature models. physically assemble their
pattern pages in their pattern
As students are adding to their books.
patternmaking books they can discuss
in their groups their success/problem Visual learners can see
with fitting their miniature models to instructions for each dart
their miniature dress form. manipulation above the
model they made to be able
to recall the process of
making each different
concept.
 CONNECTIONS: Students can
connect the formula of principle one of
dart manipulation and the process of
manipulating darts to formulas and
following of a process in science.
Students can also apply the activity of
having accurate measurements and fit
to math measurements and using a
formula to get a result.

Follow-up:

● Students can look at clothing in their closets to find different examples of dart
locations that they created to apply their two dimensional models to three
dimensional design.

● Students can write about how darts help patterns fit around the body.

● Students can design their own miniature dress form to use when fitting their dart
models. This can replace the form template students received with the goal of
further personalizing the patternmaking experience.

Materials:

● Blank diagram of different dart locations on the body (A)

● Dart Manipulation: Principle One worksheet (B)
● Instructions for one dart manipulation slash-spread technique (C)
● Miniature dress form template (D)
● Tape, paper, scissors, envelopes
● Patternmaking for fashion design book
● Rubrics for authentic assessment (E)

Resources:

● Patternmaking for Fashion Design – Fourth Edition: Helen Joseph Armstrong

○ This book serves as the most current and primary basis for pattern drafting
in the Fashion Industry.

● Patternmaking for Fashion Design – Second Edition: Helen Joseph Armstrong

○ This book is a previous edition of the book listed above. It provides some
of the examples in a more simplistic form.
Technology

● Students can use the Internet to look up pictures of designs that incorporate the
different dart locations they made models of. Students can use these images to
get a better idea of what their two dimensional models would look like if they
were created out of fabric.