We Do The Math For You: Free Bust Dart Worksheet

Dear AnnR of the Comments:
		Regarding Bust Dart Math: You can do this. It doesn't take a genius. It's not really hard, I promise. Maybe the way I explained it made it seem hard, so today, I came up with a worksheet (and an Excel file!) that ought to make it super-easy for anyone. (I wanted to do an online calculator, but our programmers are a bit busy right now. Maybe later?)

AH, but wait. I have to give a special shout-out to Faye, the maths teacher, whose logical tweak to the formulas made things even easier than before. All the following are done using Faye's Fab Fix. Thank you, Faye!

So, here's that little worksheet for you:

There are only FIVE SIMPLE NUMBERS YOU NEED to bring to this math party; you and your calculator then sit down and figure out FIVE SIMPLE CALCULATIONS, and you're done.

Yes, it really is as easy as that.

And because I'm just that good, I have included an Excel worksheet that does all the calculations for you. It's not as spiffy as Jason's online waist shaping calculator, but we shall get there.

THE FIVE NUMBERS YOU NEED:

• Full Bust Measurement (inches) ---- A

• Under Bust Measurment (inches) ---- B

• Gauge, stitches per ONE inche (sts) ---- C

• Total number of desired darts ---- D
  (Example: If you want two darts per side, the total is four; if you want one dart per side, the total is two.)

• Distance from "side seam" to nipple (inches) ---- E

THE FIVE SIMPLE CALCULATIONS:

• A minus B =  F           [Total Decrease Amount]

• F times C =   G             [Faye's tweak of Total Stitches To Decrease]

• G divided by D =  H      [Total Decrease Rounds]

• E minus .25" =  J          [Location of Center Dart; see below]

• J divided by 3 =  K         [Location of Side Dart; see below]

NOTES:

J is the measurement in inches from side seam to Center Dart.

K is the measurement in inches from the Center Dart to the Side Dart.

H is the total number of repeats for the dartly decrease rounds.

There you go! Dartage Alert! Don't forget to download the handy Excel worksheet that does the above for you--you can even choose inches or centimeters!

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

 What's on Sandi's needles? I'm zooming up the shoulders of the Drawstring Raglan. However, I took a break this week to knit a leetle gift for a friend who is getting married on Saturday. (You better not be reading this, Barb...).

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