May 5, 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
Beginner's Corner
Clips from Chats
Correction on Issue #6. I mistakenly said that the Russian Settlers, Igologychoi (sp) was the 17th century - not so. The time period was the California Gold Rush era 1850's. I was thinking about the 70's and it translated in my poor menopausal mushbrain at 17th century. I am sorry.
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Here is a snip from a chat we had on AOL about Beginning Smocking:
Dabbler49 : Ok what are the best Videos and Books? GarFairies : best books are by Ellen McCarn, Sandy Hunter & Grace Knott for beginning smocking GarFairies : picture smocking is by Ellen McCarn and Laura Jenkins Thompson, Creative Keepsakes GarFairies : The best book for smocking bishops is by Jane McPherson and of course the Australian Smocking & Embroidery Mags. GarFairies : I understand that AS&E is coming out with a book this year on Smocking Stitches - which should be wonderful. GarFairies : As for smocking Video's I don't know - GarFairies : does anyone else know of any smocking videos? GarFairies : you really can learn from books all right - it's very easy to do Sew tunes : I've seen a video on using your pleater but I am not sure about smocking Sew tunes : I thought that Martha's new smocking book had great illustrations. PLACIDO O : I've got Martha's that come with the SB subscription-the Kathy Brower part on picture is pretty good - don't know about the other Dabbler49 : Do you remember who the video for the smocking machines are. Sew tunes : brb--I'll go see GarFairies : I haven't seen Martha's latest book yet GarFairies : Smocking Horse collection has a video for smocking with silk ribbon - very good I hear KAYGEOBAR : I found Dawn Brachey's video helpful. Dabbler49 : Martha has a new mag. coming out Aug 1st called Fancywork GarFairies : which video is that GarFairies : I can hardly wait for that magazine GarFairies : That must be from SAGA MURPHEZZY : I have Dianne Durand's "Smocking Stitches"...good handbook GarFairies : SAGA made videos before their magazine went kerplunk GarFairies : That book is good but out of print
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Dear Beth-Katherine,
I look so forward to your Smocking News. I am putting all the issues in a notebook for future reference. Thank you so much for brightening the week of this RN who is taking care of her dying father. He is the greatest Irishman that has ever lived!!!
I thought you might like to hear this hint on removing blood from fabric without ever hurting the fabric...hydrogen peroxide blotted on the blood as soon as possible, bubbles up the spot. Just keep blotting until spot disappears. Works like a charm.
I am for ever pricking my finger on a garment that I am finishing and doing the last bit of hand work. I keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the sewing room, in the bathrooms and in the laundry room. It is cheap and very effective.
Hope this hint will help those who have thought they had ruined a project. It will dry as good as new.
Best wishes and thank you again for your wonderful newsletter sent to this mother of 6 daughters and grandmother of eight.......Kasie6 (Karin-Ohio)"
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In regards to a Mickey Mouse Smocking Plate. My youngest son's nickname is "Mickey Mouse". I have 90% of the smocking completed on my attempt at Mickey Mouse. I used Debbie Glen's graph paper and traced the design from the Wilton Cake Book (95). It is of the face only and turning out really cute. I have had to make corrections in the design as I smock so it no longer matches my original chart. I recommend that Phillipa gives it a go. It is much easier than I thought it would be. Disney doesn't know what they are missing! Our things are a lot cuter and of better quality than a lot of what is in their store! -- Meg
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Beginning Smocking Information
A couple of ladies who are beginning smockers asked me how they go about starting, so I thought I would take a few paragraphs explaining (as if I could begin to explain the addiction . . .) how to go about getting started. To begin with smocking is basically embroidery on pleats, or rather an embroidered method of holding tiny pleats in material in place in a decorative manner.
In the various issues of this newsletter I have begun to explore the origins of smocking (if you are missing any please let me know and I'll get them off to you ASAP). I have discussed the evolution of smocking from a way to hold pleats in place decoratively to the functional way of adding material to the basic shaped rectangular garments that most people wore (we are referring to the historical time periods from the 16th to mid 19th centuries). How smocking evolved is an intriguing journey thru mostly undocumented history (except through paintings and thoughtful, logical thinking) but not really essential to understand if you want to smock.
The process:
Smocking can be done in two different ways. 1) Embroidering on existing pleats; 2) creating pleats while embroidering. The first way is called English Smocking and is the style that most of us do, in fact 95% of the patterns and books and plates are designed for this technique. The second way evolved from the first, primarily by Butterick & Co. in the later part of the 19th century and early 20th century through his pattern company. Mr. Butterick was looking for a way to make smocking more appealing to the common American woman so he invented smocking transfer dots and translated the technique of the different stitches on top of pleats into a way of creating the pleats while embroidering. Most commonly this technique has been done on gingham or on striped material known as counterchange smocking.
To create the pleats:
We are going to focus on English Smocking right now. The standard ratio of how many pleats per inch is 3:1, or 3" of material = 1" of pleated material. This ratio of course changes much like knitting gauge depending on the fabrics you use, thinner fabric means more pleats to the inch and thicker fabrics less pleats per inch.
There are two ways to create the pleats IRON ON SMOCKING DOTS or having the fabric pleated by a nifty little invention called a SMOCKING PLEATER. The first was is to get a hold of smocking transfer dots (Knott's dots two styles available regular spacing or pleater compatible [designed for all of the patterns available]), do a test sample on your fabric of about 3" and pick up the dots to make the pleats to find your gauge. Once you have established your gauge (this is also true for having your fabric pleated by a pleater though mostly the pattern designers have thought this step out for you), then you can go ahead and prepare your fabric for smocking but ironing on the dots and picking them up and making the pleats. (Phew!!!! Makes me tired just thinking about it.)
The alternative is to have your fabric pleated by your local smocking shop (usually the charge is anywhere from $3.50 to $5.00), a friend who owns a pleater, or purchasing a pleater of your own (see below).
The next step is to find a project. If you have a little girl or doll to smock for I would recommend a yoke dress as your first project. If you have no child to smock for and just want to learn then a sampler pillow or a baby bonnet is a good choice. Basically your first project should be what we refer a flat piece, as opposed to a bishop style which is smocked in the round. The difference between the two is that with a bishop you have to worry about your tension as well as placement of your stitches. (A bishop dress evolved from the basic chemise or peasant blouse of times gone past.) There are plenty of patterns designed specifically for these, I have chosen a few below to help but give me a call if you like and I will work with you individually.
The next question I have heard often is "Can I adapt a commercial pattern that I already have for smocking?" The answer is yes, hesitantly, but it is tricky at first (see section of smocking gauge) and I wouldn't recommend it for your beginning project. Later on after you've become adapt at smocking then it's not hard at all to figure out. I have great confidence in the feminine brain in understanding and working through a problem and coming up with a solution. After all we invented smocking!
Any other questions please write in and I will try to answer them or one of our readers will.
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