Dressmaking questions

[PrettyCandles]

Please advise me, oh talented MNers:

Will pattern paper blunt my dressmaking scissors? Can I be lazy and cut the pattern pieces roughly, but then follow the printed line precisely when I cut the fabric, by cutting through paper and fabric together?

Is there a clever way of marking darts? This one isn't a straightforward triangle pointing in from a seam, but sort of flattened, pointy-ended oval.

I want to lengthen the pattern. Is there any special paper that I should use?

its paper - so YES it will blunt!!! - you'd probably be wasting a lot of cloth doing it that way too.

if you dart is shaped ?? - then you might find it easier to cut out the shape - allowing a 1cm seam allowance, with a 2cm stitch over run passed the mark/drillhole

Any similar weight paper will do - but you can save yourself the hassel & mark the added length onto the cloth with tailors chalk or wax

Thanks, rockinhippy.

It's this sort of dart. That link BTW is not the pattern I'm using. The instructions are to sew the dart without cutting, and then to press it flat towards the centre of the garment.

If I do what you suggest re lengthening, how would I ensure that I made the facings and interfacings match?

Which brings up another question: do I have to do iron-on interfacing in one piece? I have sheets approx 90cm square, but if I lengthen the garment then they won't be long enough for the interfacing. Can I make a 'patchwork' of it, or do I have to buy a long piece of interfacing?

the patchwork might show to behonest if there are any gaps, depends on the fabric you are using I guess. The more flimsey the more likely it might be to show.

You could always overlap a tiny bit or test it on a spare bit of fabric?

don't cut those kind of darts!
just sew them.

Get a piece of chalk and make a quick hole at the top, bottom and widest parts of the darts. then make a mark through that hole onto the wrong side of the fabric.
then just sew along the shape.

You'll need to clip the curves when you've done, but it's a lot safer than cutting the fabric before you start!