Which feature forms shaping in garments by sewing small wedge-shaped folds?

• A. Darts
• B. Pleats
• C. Gathers
• D. Tucks

Answer: (A)

Darts shape garments by sewing in small wedge-shaped folds. A dart is a triangular wedge of fabric that is folded and stitched so the fabric tapers to a point, allowing flat fabric to contour the body's curves. This is how a waist or bust can fit smoothly without extra bulk—the fabric is taken in precisely where the body is narrower. Pleats, by contrast, create fullness and volume by folding fabric and releasing it along a seam. Gathers bunch fabric together to add drape and bulk rather than sculpt the silhouette. Tucks are narrow, stitched folds that can remove a little fullness or add a decorative detail, but they don’t sculpt the body with a tapered wedge like a dart.