April 11, 1997
e-Mail: mainfairy@smockingbooks.com
Website: Garden Fairies Smocking & Needlearts Catalog
Smocking Newsletter - Beth-Katherine Kaiman, copyright 1997-2007, all rights
reserved. Please respect my creativity and hard work and ask permission before
you copy something from these newsletters for your non profit goup, I always
ask that you quote me correctly and give me credit with a way for people
to get back to me. Thank you. IF you wish to quote me in a venture
for profit please contact me separately concerning
royalties.
In This Issue:
From Our Readers
In Issue #1 I mentioned a painting of Mary in "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt" circa 1465 by Hans Memling, wearing a chemise (what the underdress of the time period was called) that is close fitting in the front and around the waist. The smocked gusset adds fabric to the skirt with triangle shaped gussets smocked and inserted into the side of the skirt at the waist and fanning out with the hips without adding extra fabric at the waist. The pattern looks to be that of trellis stitches or waves. ......Chemise, as you may remember from last time is the French word for smock,
"May I correct you here. The garment that Mary is wearing is a gown, an outer garment, and if you look closely at the painting, you will see a dark colored narrow sleeve, which belongs to her undergown. The chemise, which is worn under that, is not visible. If historical evidence is of any account, the technique used in the gathering of the gore is a technique called Italian shirring. (Surviving example in a Swiss collection).
The word 'chemise' is the French variant of the Latin 'camisa' which means shirt. While this was at one time an outer garment, by the fall of the Roman Empire (300-400AD) they had become the garments worn next to the skin, with two or more layers of clothing over them. Alternate terms are shift and smock (the Anglo-Saxon variant 'smoc'). The traditional 'smock' as the term is used now, refers to an outer garment worn by laborers, that gradually became more decorative, and used the technique now known as smocking.
Regardless of what Compton's says (encyclopedic researchers are not particularly thorough), sewn garments were in existence in the west considerably before this date, and were fitted garments, as opposed to the Chinese loose garments. Also, while the Shang did use sewing, their garments were largely loom-construct, and did not require tailoring. The Chinese began tailoring after the English introduced modern clothing techniques.
With any luck, you will find this informative. Research is what I do for a living, and the field of textiles is my specialty."
I stand corrected. When I was referring to the garment as a chemise as the undergarment I was thinking of an overgarment called the bliaut (spelling I am sure) which evolved into the jumper of nowadays and the dress I was looking at as the underdress - therefore the chemise. My scholarship is faulty and I do apologize I forgot which century I was looking at - I was busy rushing to publish amongst a PMS 12 yr old's tantrum. My main intention was to draw attention to the smocked gusset at the waist on the side - for speculation and as possibly inspiration for the potential clothing designers on the list.
As for the smocking on the side being an example of Italian shirring - I was under the impression that shirring was simply a running stitch gathered up, as far as I can see the panel in question is more complexly embroidered. If this is the case then Italian Shirring is much more involved in the 15th century than it is now. It is interesting to think that smocking evolved from Italy and highly likely when you consider that Italian needlepoint lace designs were 'copied' into French and English Bobbin Lace patterns. This copying was going on even though the designs were jealously guarded, but then isn't that where a lot of creativity and inspiration comes from - the copying of another's design and then translating or interpolating it into another design? Thank you for your scholarship I hope that you will consider adding more input into my speculative history of smocking and it's stitches. --Beth-Katherine
* * *
"I do have one question about a 32 row Read pleater, mine just won't pleat, the needles in the middle will not pick up the fabric. I have moved the needles around, replaced the needles, tried several other things. I have only put light weight fabrics through the pleater, any suggestions or idea? Any help would really be appreciated. The pleater is 4 years old and I have taken very good care of it." M. P. Cobb
I'm afraid that I do not know the answer to that question, I have heard many horror stories about those particular Read pleaters and the exact situation you are describing. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to solve this?
* * *
"I finally started to smock this week!!! I am now in control of my pleater, and I pleated a white broadcloth baby bonnet. It has lace on the edge and ribbon "draw" in the back. I am smocking 5 rows. It is so fascinating, I don't want to put it down. With what I learned from all of you in the Chats and e-mail directions from Yoyager 36 (Dawn), I began with confidence and am having such fun! Thank you very much for your interest in us. Sew long, Kay"
I'm so glad that you've started smocking - careful it's extremely addictive, and you are most welcome I'm enjoying myself immensely. Beth-Katherine
* * *
Pricing is a BIG problem for those of us who have considered taking the suggestions of our non-sewing friends seriously and "going into business." I can't count how many times someone has gushed over something I've made, and, thinking it was a great compliment, said something like, "Gee, you should sell what you make!" For awhile I even thought it would be great to have time to sew and get paid for it. But when I sat down and figured out how many hours are needed to complete even fairly simple garments, I realized that I'd be making much less per hour than I am at the job I have now. For example, let's say you spend 20 hours making a basic child's dress with embroidered flowers on the collar, cuffs, and scattered over the bodice, piping, and self fabric ruffles--no expensive laces, and maybe even a (gasp!) poly-cotton blend fabric. You'd have to ask $200 to make $10 per hour, and that doesn't include the $12 to $15 spent on materials. Not many people would put out that kind of money for a child's garment. I think the most important question to answer before beginning to sell heirloom quality items is, "Why do I want to do this?" If it's to help support your addiction to the craft, I say, "Go for it!" However, if it's to earn a living, "don't quit your day job." I know there's a market out there for the lovely things we all make, but it's a clientele that is not easy to find or to hold on to. Sorry I rambled on without answering your question. How about embellishing socks with embroidery? Or making simple bonnets and bibs? Or maybe simple dolls like pillowcase dolls? Good luck!
* * *
"In 1985 I was given an Ance K christening gown, bonnet and slip which retailed for $179. It was not elaborate (no smocking or handwork) but was pretty, white Nelona and ecru laces. Also I just priced household items from a custom shop. $75 in labor only for a round tablecloth. I made it myself in about 3 hours. Custom draperies, etc. are sky high and people willingly pay it. I believe people value our work according to the way we value it ourselves. Figure out what you think is fair and then double it. This kind of handwork, skill and love should not come cheap. We so often undervalue our talents without realizing how valuable they are. If other people could do what we do they would! Also compare custom work with ready made (such as Strasbourg Lace) where much of the work is done overseas by virtually slave labor. The luxury market will pay what is required of it and these heirloom garments are worth every penny! " Lou Ella who is suffering heirloom hangover after Easter.
* * *
A question was asked about the best way to sew piping to a smocked insertion to make sure it matched up with the first row. I have done some research and found that there are two schools of thought on this. One is the sew the piping to the yoke first and then attach it to the smocking. Another, of course, is to place the piping to the smocking first and then attach the yoke. Both schools are fine but when I went a'researchin I found this wonderful tip in Issue 18 Summer 1984 of the SAGA magazine I will paraphrase:
"Sewing Yokes to Insertion without Tears" by Janice Catledge
..."I finally hit upon a technique that is simple and fool-proof. Now I can smock on the first pleating line again.
This technique uses piping which is first sewn to the yoke, matching raw edges together. (If piping does not have the same seam allowance as the garment, trim so they are the same.) Stitch right next to cording of piping using a zipper foot.
Iron back the seam allowance to the back of the yoke so that only the cording of the piping is visible from the front.
Hand-baste seam of yoke to top of smocked insertion. Hand basting allows more give so you can move smocking in correct line. (Note from Beth, you can also pin in place if you feel confident enough to hand adjust while you are sewing).
Working on the top of the garment and using a zipper foot, stitch in t he ditch (made by the piping and yoke). If you're using some of the new baby piping you may not even need a zipper foot.
You are working on the top so you can see immediately if the first line of smocking is lined up with the edge of the piping. Since the stitching is in the ditch, you really don't see it."
Now I would like to add a step. After sewing in the ditch between piping and the yoke, take out your basting stitches and then iron the yoke over flat and then stitch again guaranteeing that the yoke was sewn to the skirt as well as the piping bias. Beth