April 27, 1997
e-Mail: smockingstore@att.net
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
Smocking History
Dear Beth, As I was told by a pattern designer: If people keep stealing my designs and using my patterns to mass market items at flea markets and etc., then I am going to stop designing making patterns. Especially when I spent $38,000 in 1996 having patterns printed. So be careful when you think that you are not hurting anyone when you use their ideas in a manner that is not proper or right. I am enjoying your newsletter. Thanks so much. Friends, Linda
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Comments on Adult Nightgown Patterns
"Dear Beth-Katherine
Thanks for the last newsletter.
On the topic of adult nightgowns, I haven't yet found a better pattern than the Creative Keepsakes Smocked Gown/Robe Pattern (Diane Bruce 1984). I got this pattern here (S. Australia) in about 1992 so am not sure if it is still available. I made two nightgowns - one for my mother and one for my mother-in-law using this pattern. I used the Ellen McCarn Elizabeth design and smocked one in blue and one in pale green on white fabric. In effect 2 pieces of material are smocked, the armhole curves are cut out and then joined to a wide (8") broderie anglais or similar lace which has been gathered and form the sleeve like a bishop except there is no smocking over the sleeves. The neck is bound and the hem finished off. I made them in Imperial Batiste and my mother says it is the most comfortable nightgown she has ever had. She has worn it nearly every night for the last 3-4 years because she likes it so much. My mother-in-law took the opposite approach and kept it in a drawer because I think she thought it was too good to wear. After she died last year I received it back and it has now been given to my mother as well.
A friend at the Smocking Guild was also wondering if you had any picture smocking plates with Mickey Mouse as she has some beautiful Christmas material with Mickey Mouse on it. He is wearing a Santa hat. She won first and second place at the Newcastle show here this year and I think she would like to enter a dress using this material in the Show next year. Regards, Phillipa"
On the question of the Mickey Mouse Plate - no there isn't one available that's identical to Mr. Mouse. This falls into the issue of copyrights again and Disney stingently follows up on any infringement. There are several designers who wanted to make up this plate but from what I understand the licensing fee is so exorbitant that we will never see that image in a smocking plate design in our lifetimes. However if you friend is adept in drafting a design onto smocking graph paper for her own personal use I'm sure that Disney wouldn't come after her. If she needs help in doing this let me know and I'll pass on the information on how to do it easily. - Beth-Katherine
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Comment on Adult Smocked Nightgown
"Hi, Beth - I just read the latest newsletter and it caught my eye..I LOVE the Creative Keepsakes pattern, I've made MANY, in all sizes. My 99-year-old grandmother wears it, as do my mom, mother-in-law, nieces, myself and my daughter. It is SO comfortable, and EASY to work on...you can use either a bishop design OR picture smocking because there really isn't much curve to that area once it's finished. It goes together real fast too, the only "tricky" part for me was the first few times I made it I wasn't sure how long I really wanted the gowns to be...they assume you're more than my 5'4" and tell you to buy more fabric than I personally need. My favorite fabric to use is a Wamsutta poly/cotton plisse, readily available at House of Fabrics most of the year. For most of California it's warm enough for the whole year. Since I'm "over 40" it's been warm enough in Portland this year too! I made a matching robe of the plisse for my daughter several years ago and now, at 11, she's begging for another one...I guess that's my next project to do while she's at swim practice, huh? Thanks for reminding me, I need to get going on that. Thanks also for the newsletters and chat logs, I enjoy them...one of these days I'm going to find TIME to participate in a chat...Gay"
Well, in my haste to publish it seems I have forgotten that lovely nightgown pattern. It's very similar in style of the Contessa's Short Sleeved Nightgown/dress, but has wing sleeves instead of short sleeves. And yes the pattern is still available and contains a robe design in the pattern. Such a deal for $5.00.
"HOW TO MAKE A SMOCK"
Since there wasn't room in issue 5 for this I thought that many of you might be interested in how to make a smock the old way so I have included the section from Alice Armes - English Smocks on:
"The most suitable material for a smock is undoubtedly a well-woven lined, preferably of natural colors it will not have been weakened by bleaching or dyeing: it should be worked with stout twisted lined thread, such as D.M.C. linen lace thread, or if a cheaper make is required, Knox's unbleached unglazed carpet thread, though this is not so evenly spun. If a cotton material is used it should be worked with dull finish embroidery cotton; mercerized cottons are not suitable, and an invariable rule is that linen should be worked with linen, and cotton should be used on cotton.
For a man's smock 4yds (3.65m) of material not less than 36in (914mm) wide will be required if a fairly heavy quality is used. If a light weight or thin material is used a wider width is better as it naturally gathers up into smaller compass.
First the two rectangle pieces which form the body of the smock should be cut; these generally measure about 36in (914mm) wide and 40in (1m 16mm) long. The sleeves also are rectangle about 21in (533mm) long x 18in (457mm) wide, set into narrow cuff bands of double material. The back and front of the smock are connected by two shoulder straps or yokes of double material, measuring 8in (203 mm) to 9in (229mm) from neck to shoulder and about 6in (152mm) wide, according to the requirements of the wearer. A small opening is made in the center of the back and front of the neck of the smock to allow for the wearer pulling it over his head.
The collar is also open back and front, and is of double material, each piece measures 9in (229mm) long and 5in (127mm) deep when folded.
Four square gussets are required; two measuring 7in (178mm) square folded diagonally are let into the under-arm seam of the sleeve to give ample play to the wearer. The side seam of the skirt is left open for 2in (51mm) or 3in (76mm) at the base, and a small gusset 2in (51mm) square is inserted in the same way as in the sleeve.
The smock being cut out, it is as well first to embroider the 'box' before 'tubing' or gathering the front and back. The base of the 'box' should be level with the under-arm seam of the sleeve, and this horizontal line should also terminate the stichery on the tubing. The width of the 'box' should be half or slightly more than half that of the tubing when complete. A tacking thread of colored cotton should mark the boundary of the tubing on either side, and should be run in carefully following the thread of the warp of the material. The smock is then ready to be 'tubed' back and front and the importance of exercising the greatest care the accuracy over this cannot be too strongly emphasized for on it depends the elasticity which is essential to a good smock. The gathering threads should be run in by the thread of the material, and no dots, transfers or marks should be used; the beginner is therefore advised to use a material in which the threads can easily be seen. The use of transfers is to be condemned, for they are seldom evenly printed, and it is exceedingly difficult to iron them on to material on the line with the thread and if the gathering threads do not follow the thread of the material, the smock will hang crooked.
None of the old skilful smockers used dots for they soon acquired the knack of gathering straight 'by eye', and once the habit is acquired it is a much quicker and infinitely superior method. Very strong cotton or thread must be used for the gathering and the ends must be securely fastened off, this being the only occasion on which a good knot may be in smocking.
After knotting the thread it should be marked with a pencil at the point at which it is to be finished off, generally about 4in (102mm) to 41/2in (114mm) for the front or back, and this will ensure every row being drawn up to exactly the same length. The gathers or reeds should be drawn up closely so that when they are finally stitched they form a firm compact series or regular tubes. Allowance must be made for the space which the embroidery thread will take up between the reeds. The rows of gathering should not be more than 1/2 in (13mm) apart, and the stitches should be of equal length on both sides of the material, also the line of stitches must be kept vertically as well as horizontally.
The rows of gathering should begin 1/2in (13mm) from the upper edge of the material and extend to at least 1in (25mm) below the base of the stitchery, and each row should be started from the right side, The embroidery must be started from the left side. It is important that in making up a smock the reeds should be kept true into the collar, shoulder-straps and wrist-bands. The stitches used on the tubing which really are all varieties of one kind of stitch, are three in number, viz., Rope, Basket and Chevron. These stitches are the only kinds of stitch used on the 'tubing' of old smocks and such stitches as feather-stitch, honeycomb, etc.., are modern innovations not to be recommended. The only knot permissible in the stitchery on the tubing is at the beginning of each row, so the worker must put enough thread in her needle to complete the stitchery right across. Knots in any other part of the tubing denote bad workmanship and cause unevenness in the reeds.
The stitchery being completed, the tacking threads are removed, and the tubing will then be found to be beautifully elastic, and so give to the movement of the wearer. It is this elasticity which makes smocks such suitable Garments for growing children.
The fullness at the top and wrist of the sleeve is tubed and worked in exactly the same way as the body of the smock. The embroidery on the collar should be worked through one thickness of the material only, before the collar is folded and made up.
In the same way the embroidery on the shoulder strap should be worked before it is attached to the garment, and the under thickness hemmed neatly on to it afterwards.
In making up a smock, it is advisable;
1. To join the back and front together by the shoulder-strap.
2. To set on the collar.
3. Sew in the sleeve as far as the gusset; for this a fun and fell seam should be used.
4. Join the side seam leaving space for the under-arm gusset and pocket if the latter is to be inset. If the edges are selvedges they should be seamed on the wrong side, and if one or both are cut edges the run and fell seam is used.
5. Set in under-arm gusset with run and fell seam, also the small gusset into the skirt in the same way as those in a man's shirt.
On the old smocks we find various kinds of buttons from bone to the brass trouser button, but the most suitable and satisfactory seem to be the old dorset ' cart-wheel' variety.
Little mention has been made of the actual designs to be used on the boxes and collars of smocks as it is felt that from the pictures and designs from old smocks which are here given, the worker of today will be able to select or evolve those suitable for her own purpose and it is suggested that our embroiderers, spinners, weavers, potters and other craftspeople, by producing and wearing smocks, might revive one of the most beautiful of old English crafts." quoted from Alice Armes "English Smocks"
Good Luck!