I am so excited to be kicking off the Flint pants sewalong today! I’m going to walk you through how to sew release tucks and darts on your pants (or shorts).
These are small and relatively simple tasks, but I think it’s really worth taking your time and making sure they are done neatly, because otherwise when your garment is finished it’s going to be super obvious if you have wonky darts.
The first step is to carefully mark your tucks and darts from the pattern pieces. If you’re unsure how to do this, then check out yesterday’s tutorial which includes 5 ways to transfer pattern markings to fabric.
Release Tucks
Fold the Front [1] pieces with right sides together so that the tuck notches line up. Pin in place and sew down the tuck, pivoting at the bottom and sewing horizontally towards the folded edge.
You could skip the horizontal sewing towards the folded edge, but it adds a lot more stability and also has the added benefit of helping the tuck keep its shape a little better.
Press the tuck towards the side seams. Repeat for the other side.
Darts
Make the darts on the Back [2] by folding down the centre of each dart and ensuring that the dart legs match up. Pin the darts on the wrong side of the fabric and sew.
I like to push a pin right through the dart point. Then I make sure my last stitch butts right up against the pin. This allows me to tie the threads into a knot tightly around the pin, and reduce the risk of causing puckering due to pulling too tight. When the knot is just right, I pull the pin out and give it a tug, then trim the remaining threads.
You can also backstitch rather than tie off your threads. In my experience, it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference and is a little quicker.
Press the darts towards the centre back.
LOOKING FOR MORE TUTORIALS?
Here’s the full list of Flint tutorials:
- 5 ways to transfer pattern markings to fabric
- How to lengthen or shorten the pattern
- How to remove release tucks and convert to a flat front
- Inspiration, fabric ideas and optional ideas for customising your pattern
- Release tucks and darts (this post!)
- Pockets
- Sewing seams
- Sewing the tie waistband View B & View D
- Sewing the button up waistband View A & View C
- Hemming
We absolutely love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to tag your creations with #MNflint and @megannielsenpatterns if sharing on social media.
Don’t have the pattern yet?!
