Godet

Godets give a garment movement at the hem without adding width at the waist or hips: a slim skirt can flare out below the knee, a straight sleeve can bell at the wrist. The panel is usually a slice of a circle, pointed at the top and curved at the base to match the hem.

They can be inserted:

• Into a seam, stopping the seam stitching where the godet starts.
• Into a slit cut in the middle of a panel. This is the harder version, because the point has no seam allowance to spare and must be reinforced with a small facing or a patch of interfacing.

For a clean point:

1. Mark the point precisely on both the godet and the garment.
2. Sew each side of the godet from the point down toward the hem, one side at a time, so the two stitching lines meet exactly at the point.
3. Secure the threads at the point and press the seam allowances toward the garment.

Cut godets with the grain running down their center, so both edges are on a slight bias and hang evenly. Let the garment hang before hemming, because the bias edges drop.

A godet works on the same principle as a gusset, but adds flare rather than room for movement. For flare from the waist, see circle skirt and A-line.