Support -> Sample College Curriculum -> Lesson 1 Instruction

Adding Dart to Armhole and Side - This lesson provides a step by step instruction on how to add simple darts to a basic block and how to rotate darts. In the process, several essential methods such as adding lines, moving pieces around, zoom in/out, and rotating pieces are demonstrated.

Step 1: We start with a basic block stored in the User Custom Curve/Block library. The user may store favorite blocks or curves in the library. The user may organize the blocks and curves by adding new folders. More than 1 block can be retrieved at once. Use the control key while clicking to make multiple selections. Then press the USE button.

Step 2: Let's add a dart to the back piece. In order to determine the length of the dart, we use a vertical guide line. Drag a vertical guide line from the side ruler area. Guide lines are simple reference lines that are very useful during pattern making. For a horizontal guide line, drag from the top ruler area. Drag the line and place it by releasing the mouse button.

Step 3: Now we can use the guide line to draw a line to be used as the dart leg. Select the PolyBezier Line tool (in the Graphics Toolbar in PDS). For short cut, try typing 'b' while holding down the left mouse button (LMB + b). Once you get used to the short cut, your working speed can be greatly enhanced.

Step 4: In order to place the dart at halfway point on the helm line, use 'H' quickStep. The patented quickStep method allows typing special function letters or measurement into the cursor. Simply type the letter H on the keyboard and the letter is displayed next to the cursor. H stands for halfway and clicking anywhere on the helm line placed the line at exactly halfway point on the line. Click the helm line and move the mouse to form a line.

Step 5: Notice that the new line is started automatically at midpoint on the helm line. Drag the line to the where the guide line is. In order to keep the line perfectly horizontal during dragging, press the SHIFT key. The SHIFT key keeps the dragging angle at 45 deg increments precisely. Then right click to finish the line. You will notice the cursor has built in snapping behavior that helps you make contact with point and lines.

Step 6: Let's add a dart. Select the T-section by dragging the selection box to touch both sections.

Step 7: Type V1 where V stands for V-dart and 1 (inch) is the width of the dart. Click the dart line close to the T-intersection. Notice when you move the cursor over the dart line, the T-intersection point turns blue.

Step 8: A dart is created. The lines forming the T-section may be curves. The resulting dart shape follows the curve.

Step 9: Now we work with the front piece. We add a dart to the helm line, to the side and the armhole. In order to do that, we draw 3 dart lines using the PolyBezier Line tool. We then use the V quickStep method to add two 1 inch darts and one 1/4 inch dart.

Step 10: A dart may be transferred to another dart or a dart line using the Dart Transfer tool. The quickStep method is LMB + x. Select the 2 darts to combine by dragging a selection box around the first dart. Then select the second dart with the shift key down so that the selection is accumulated.

Step 11: Drag a line from one side of the dart to the other to close the dart. The other selected dart becomes wider as a result. Make sure to drag from the line and not the dart opening corner point.

Step 12: Select how much of the dart opening to transfer. Here, we want to transfer the whole dart.

Step 13: The picture shown here is after closing the dart on the side and armhole. Let's try transferring a dart on the helm line to a dart line on the side. Select the dart and the dart line then drag a line from one side of the dart to the other side. The dart is closed and the dart line opens up to form dart.

Step 14: Move the dart to the armhole by following the same steps above.

Step 15: Type the F1 key to turn on the Snap to Point mode. Snap makes selection easier. When the cursor is moved close to a point, an X snap symbol appears. F2-F4 keys are for Snap to Line, Snap to Intersection and Snap to Grid. F5 turns snap mode off. With the control key down, move the back piece and place it on the front piece.

Step 16: We show you how to rotate a pattern centered around a point. Right mouse click on the center point to bring up the popup menu. Select the Rotate Pattern command. Then drag any part of the outline or internal lines to rotate the pattern.

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