To dart or not to dart UQ, your opinions please?

**flying_bobo** · 01-14-2012, 15:17

I was almost at the point of injecting some thread last night when it dawned on me (after reading some more on the forums) that by adding darts, I am subtracting width right?

So what I would like to know is the opinions of others who constructed UQs before me.

I am thinking about adding some darts on the feet end and leaving the head end alone because I’m wide and I wouldn’t want cold shoulders.

I was also thinking about maybe small darts on the head end, to shorten it up for my head and long in the foot end so that I could get it up close and make the chances of catching air a little bit smaller.

Your thoughts!

**turnerminator** · 01-14-2012, 15:41

Are you making a full length or shorty UQ?

That will determine to some degree what length darts will suit you quilt.

You are right on longer darts for the feet than head on a full length UQ.

**flying_bobo** · 01-14-2012, 16:43

@turnerminator its a full UQ. Any suggestions on a good way to figure the length and width of a dart?

**USMCStang** · 01-14-2012, 18:57

Originally Posted by flying_bobo

@turnerminator its a full UQ. Any suggestions on a good way to figure the length and width of a dart?

Read through my thread about my under-construction UQ...I take some pictures and discuss darts:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=44783

You are correct. Adding a dart subtracts width, but only in the general vicinity of the seam allowance. This gets your edges to align, but allows the rest of the bottom shell of the quilt fully expand and loft.

The easiest way (at least for me) to figure out dart width was first figuring out the difference in fabric widths between the bottom shell and the top shell (14 inches in my UQ), then dividing that by the number of noseeum baffles or desired darts (7 in my case). This gave me a width of 2 inches per baffle if I put one at each noseeum line.

For the length of the darts, I simply made them 4 inches, which took the "point" of the dart right to the end of the noseeum. I didn't follow any guideline or how-to thread on the length of them.

**flying_bobo** · 01-14-2012, 19:10

@USMCStang Oh your a life saver, Thanks!

Think I got it!

Nice UQ too!

**philthy** · 01-15-2012, 00:55

I think that USMCStang is referring to a different aspect of UQ construction - he is talking about what to do with the excess fabric caused by the differential cut.

The way I understand your initial question, and the generally understood use of 'darts' in the UQ context is to create darts that will create a bowl-shaped UQ, which will hug the hammock form better to prevent drafts. While darts aren't strictly necessary, they will form a better seal with your hammock - you would probably only need to use them where you are making a full length UQ.

If you search for "darts" in the DIY section of the forums, you should find a number of threads that discuss this in detail.

Having said all that, my first DIY UQ had no darts, and I found other ways to make sure that the quilt snugged right up - namely clips to hold the shock cord together to achieve a similar result as "triangle thingies"