Illustration showing French dart vs standard vertical dart for sweater shaping

French Darts in Sweaters: Tips for Machine Knitters

French darts offer elegant shaping in sewing, but do they work in knitting? Explore why short rows make traditional bust darts the better choice for knitters.

In sewing, French darts create elegant shaping from waist to bust. For machine knitting, they can be more challenging — not always the most practical choice, but still a technique worth exploring. Learn more about shaping options in our Blog: Bust Darts for Better Fit and the Classroom: Darts for Better Fit .

What is a French Dart?

A French dart is a long, diagonal dart that typically starts low in the side seam—often near the waist or hip—and angles upward toward the bust point. It helps shape both the bust and waist, creating a more tailored and flattering silhouette.

A knitter recently asked about using French darts instead of traditional horizontal bust darts for a better fit. I immediately agreed—when sewing, French darts are beautiful and often more flattering.

But I had never seriously considered them for knitting.

After a bit of noodling, I realized why we rarely see French darts in knitwear—especially machine knitting.

When machine knitters create bust darts, we use short rows, and these are worked over every other row. It’s a smooth, effective way to add shaping across the bust. For example, to shape a dart, a knitter might hold 3 stitches every other row 6 times. That creates a gentle curve right where it’s needed.

What if you wanted transform the dart to a French Dart?

The shaping would need to be more gradual and spread over a diagonal line—something like holding 2 stitches every three rows. Unfortunately, that doesn’t align with how short rows work on the machine.

The result would be awkward shaping and likely a messy finish.

French darts may be a dream in sewing, but when it comes to machine knitting, they just don’t translate cleanly.

That doesn’t mean you can’t achieve beautiful bust shaping—it just means horizontal bust darts using short rows remain the most practical and elegant solution for knitters. Focus on placement and smooth shaping, and your sweaters will fit beautifully—no French darts required.

For more on shaping options, see our Blog: Bust Darts for Better Fit or dive into the Classroom: Darts for Better Fit

FAQ's

What are French darts in knitting?

French darts are diagonal shaping lines, common in sewing, that start low near the waist and angle toward the bust. In knitting, they can be recreated with increases and decreases, but they aren’t often used because of the complexity involved. For more on dart fundamentals, see our Bust Darts for Better Fit blog and the Darts for Better Fit classroom.

Why use darts in a sweater?

They can add subtle shaping and a tailored fit, echoing the look of sewn garments. Explore techniques in our Classroom: Darts for Better Fit and see examples in the Bust Darts for Better Fit blog.

Are French darts difficult to knit?

Yes, they can be tricky. Translating a sewing detail into knitting requires careful planning, precise shaping, and often extra swatching. They are possible, but not beginner-friendly.

Do French darts work with all yarns?

They show best with heavily textured, bulky yarns or textured stitch patterns to hide the dart lines. With smooth yarns shaping will be more visible.

Can French darts be added to any sweater pattern?

In theory, yes. You can adapt patterns by charting where the dart begins and ends. In practice, it may not be worth the effort unless you enjoy experimenting with advanced shaping.

For more help with shaping, visit our Blog: Bust Darts for Better Fit and explore the Classroom: Darts for Better Fit.

Your Turn

Have you ever wondered about using this sewing technique in your knitting? Share your thoughts or questions — it might spark ideas for other knitters too!

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