There are two types of smocking dots available called Pleater Compatible or Traditional Spacing which have evolved during the past 100 years of smocking's history with the Traditional spacing dots being closer together than the ones that are Pleater Compatible.  Why the difference?

The main reason is that the majority of the patterns we sell have been designed with the smocking pleater which has been manufacturered with a wider spacing than those of the traditional smocking dots so the dot designers came up with a way for people who like picking up dots to use the smocking patterns - hence Pleater Compatible Smocking Dots.  These dots are spaced slightly wider than the Traditional Spacing.

If you are interested in buying a pleater here are the pleaters that I sell and recommend:

Amanda Jane Super Pleater, a 24 row pleater with a total of 47 half space rows This is the new pleater is the one everyone is talking about.  It has 47 half space rows (24 regular and 23 half space rows).  No more hunting for the half spaces on full bodice smocking. (Shipping is included in the USA only, other countries please ask cost of shipping) Price: $215.00ppd Select Quantity

Other Pleaters and sizes we carry

Amanda Jane 24-row    $ 192.50 ppd The same size as the Super Pleater but without all those extra half spaces.  As you can see from the photograph there are half spaces on the first half of the pleater going from left to right.  Fabric is fed from behind. Price: $192.50ppd    Select Quantity	Amanda Jane 16-row    $ 181.50 ppd Excellent size for when you are working just with doll and infant clothing or if you want a narrower spacing of your pleats for picture smocking or a different variation for shibori. Price: $181.50ppd    Select Quantity

Quick Price Comparison

• Read 32 row pleater - $221.50 ppd

• Super Amanda Jane $210.00 ppd

• Amanda Jane 24-row $186.50 ppd

• Little Amanda Jane 16row $176.50 ppd

PLEATER THREAD CADDY

This nifty little box, hand made of pine,  has a space for your pleater to sit up on top. Underneath the lid are dowels to hold your spools of threads or wound bobbins.  In front is a lucite bar with holes drilled into it to keep your threads neat and tidy and where you want them at all times. If you order with your pleater the shipping is $10.50 as these caddys are a bit heavy.

Books to aid in the learning process

I would really recommend one of the following books to help you learn to smock on your own:

On English Smocking by Ellen McCarn $12.00

English Smocking by Grace Knott $14.00

A To Z Smocking - AS&E publishers $29.00

(click on name to view book)

either of these books will give you the information you need to teach yourself how to smock.   Shipping for one book is $2.00 or $4.50 for all three. (These days I'm leaning towards the book by Grace Knott because it has some very pretty geometric designs included, but the latest book from AS&E is wonderful. It contains almost everything you need in one book, great illustrations as well as detailed photographs which help a lot when you are just beginning.)

I would recommend that you get one of those books and a pre-pleated 16 row insert ($5.50 see below) to practice your stitches on. Then when you feel like you are ready and want to do more the next thing to consider is whether or not smocking is going to become an addiction and you will need a pleater. If you can see it's not going to be or if you just want to have things pleated one by one I do offer a pleating service for a minimal charge or I do carry packages of smocking dots that iron on (yellow for dark fabrics and blue for light fabrics) and you can pick up the dots to form pleats. The dots run $3.50 per package.

We have available white inserts (Imperial Broadcloth)

9 rows ready for smocking (smock 7) Price $4.75 Quantity requested

12 rows ready for smocking (smock 10) Price $5.50 Quantity requested

16 rows ready for smocking (smock 14) Price $6.75 Quantity requested

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As for your first project if you have a little girl to smock for I would recommend a Basic Yoke Dress pattern as it is an easy style for the beginner smocker (see beginning image of Ellen McCarn Basic Yoke Dress).  The other style called the Bishop is a bit tricky for beginner smockers, not difficult but tricky as you have to adjust the tension of your smocking stitches as you spread out in the circular neckline.  I have several issues of Australian Smocking and Embroidery which have a pattern in it for babies growing into toddlers.  Issue 31 comes to mind immediately. If you have a little boy to smock for then I would suggest working an insert to be inset into a shirt or sweatshirt. If you are smocking for yourself there are lots of patterns for adult clothing that are very elegant.  Let me know which you are interested in for your first project and I will steer you in the right direction.

We do have a ready to smock service if you are interested.  Please write to us with your wants and needs: mainfairy@smockingbooks.com

Latest Issue of Australian Smocking & Embroidery

Australian Smocking & Embroidery #81 Four adorable baby garments to you to create along with: Pretty Poppet - Gorgeous smocked and embroidered dress with matching embroidered jacket - 12 & 18 mos - 2-3 yrs Toffee Apple - Sweet outfit with smocked insert, shoulder ties and capri pants with matching cuffs - 3-6 yrs Gracie - Navy dress with puffed sleeves and colorful picture smocked flowers - 2-6 yrs Little Ted - Baby boys' winter twill top and matching pants with cute embroidery - 3-12 mos Victorian Treasures - Two exquisite baby day gowns complete with embroidery ruffles and tatting - Newborn -6mos Cherub's Kiss - Enchanting bishop style gown with smocked yoke, finished with embroidered flowers and gorgeous lace - NB-6mo Mona Lisa - Musk pink cotton chambray sundress with elegant embroidery and matching bracelet - 4-8yrs Heidi's Christmas - Elegant pinafore, blouse and pantaloons with eye-catching embroidery and matching doll's outfit - 3-5 yrs Price $13.50 Quantity requested

Here is a link to more Australian Smocking & Embroidery Magazines

For your information each issue of Australian Smocking and Embroidery contains a wealth of smocking designs, ideas and inspiration. I wholeheartedly recommend these magazines as sources of inspirations. They are $13.50 each with Priority Mail shipping throughout the USA at $5.25. If you wanted one of the beginning books, an insert and a copy of AS&E the shipping is still the same as I can fit all of these into one priority mail envelope.  If you are outside of the USA then shipping will be charged according to where you live, let me know and I'll calculate the postage for you.

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I hope I have answered all of your questions, if you have more or want some special attention please email me at mainfairy@smockingbooks.com and I will send a reply ASAP.

I would also like to point out that there are two styles of English Smocking, Geometric and Picture Smocking.  Geometric is the easiest type of smocking to do while picture smocking appeals more to children as images are so important to them.  On my front door there are links to all the smocking plate designers that we carry.  Oh and a smocking plate is a design plate (as in color plate in a book) not an actual dinner plate with images printed on it.

(To see more on the different types of smocking please go to this page What is Smocking? )

Sincerely hoping I've been able to assist you,

Beth-Katherine Kaiman, Main Fairy in attendance

eMail: mainfairy@smockingbooks.com

Some Beginning Smocking Books

In Stock NOW!!!! A to Z of Smocking by the publishers of AS&E

New from the publishers of Australian Smocking & Embroidery, the long awaited 'A to Z Smocking Stitches" $29.00 + postage Taken from the pages of AS&E this book fulfills the promise of the other books in the A to Z series with every smocking stitch imaginable in full color and diagrams. Each stitch is carefully explained and detailed so there is no confusion as to how to work it. Also included are sections on beginning smocking, smocking terms, starting and stopping, pleaters and preparation of fabric for smocking, backsmocking instructions, blocking and shaping bishops and basic yoke dresses, gosh everything imaginable on the subject of smocking is covered in this great book. This is THE book to get to learn how to do bullions on pleats.  Also includes over 1,000 fabulous color step-by-step color photographs on every subject on smocking imaginable. Price $29.00 Quantity requested

Contents

Fabrics Needles Threads Starting & Finishing a Thread Smocking Terms Accent Stitches Back Stitch Background Smocking Backsmocking Bargello Smocking Beads in Smocking Bishop Garments Blocking and Shaping Bullion Knot Buttonholes in Pleats Cable Stitch Centering Designs Chain Stitch Colonial Knot Colour

Combinations Counterchange Smocking Crossover Smocking Design Graphs Detached Chain Diagonal Smocking Dolls, Smocking for Embroidery on Smocking English Smocking Fabric Manipulation Feather Stitch Flowerette Fly Stitch Freeform Smocking French Knot Herringbone Stitch Honeycomb Stitch Horizontal Smocking Inserts

Jigsaw Smocking Knits, Smocking on Laundering Smocking Left Handers Mirror Image Rows Outline Stitch Picture Smocking Pistil Stitch Plaid Smocking Pleaters Preparation and pleating Prints, smocking on Raised Lattice Stitch Ribbon Smocking with ribbon weaving Round Yoke Garments Satin Stitch Seed Stitch Sheaf Stitch Square Yoke Garments Star Stitch

Stem Stitch Straight Stitch Stripes, Smocking on Tartans, Smocking on Template Smocking Traditional Smocking Trailing Vine Trellis Stitch Unpicking (Reverse Smocking) Van Dyke Stitch Vertical Ladder Stitch Vertical Smocking Wave Stitch Wheat Stitch Zigzag Stitch

English Smocking by Children's Corner This book is unique amongst all of our beginning smocking books in that it contains actual sewing patterns for a Basic Square Yoke Dress (sizes 1-6) and Armhole guides for a Sundress (sizes 1-8), a smocked baby's bonnet, and smocked collar.  Also included are seven original smocking designs with variations each for either a square yoke dress or bishop.  The smocking stitches are clearly presented in illustrations as well as written instructions.  Excellent value for your money. Price $12.00 Quantity requested

Geometric Smocking by Juliet Macdonald Another beauty from South Africa (see Let's Smock It!), home of the Read Pleaters, containing 48 original geometric smocking designs.  Each design has a full color plate and a graph with instructions.  Also included are 8 dresses which cover different smocking situations including a bishop dress smocked in one contrast color, a floral dress smocked with thicker thread, smocked inserts, and gingham and tartan smocking.  Great instructions for how to smock along with adapting a commercial pattern for smocking and creating your own designs with enlarging and reducing designs. Price $26.00 Quantity requested

"How to Smock" - Grace Knott $16.00   A republication and revision of a 1957 classic with 10 updated color geometric smocking designs created in Grace's tradition by her daughter-in-law. It shows you how to pleat by dots and how to use a pleater, along with smocking instructions and collar suggestions. A wonderful book and the geometric and picture designs included are delightful.  The smocking design on the cover is one of the smocking designs included. (Grace Knott designed some of the first smocking plates in the 50's. Bold geometrics which sparked the smocking craze and eventually led to what you see today) Please click on the link to see the lovely geometric designs of Grace Knott Smocking Designs. Price $16.00 Quantity requested

"Ellen McCarn On English Smocking" $12.00 This book is wonderful and in my opinion this is the book to get. One of the most definitive manuals on smocking with clear and concise directions and drawings. Includes seven design plates and 150 step-by-step illustrations and photographs. Covers beginning thru advanced geometric smocking.  An excellent guide for teaching yourself smocking as it is like Ellen is right there looking over your shoulder.   Ellen has been smocking and designing plates for more than 20 years.  This book contains the sum of her experiences.  Excellent publication. To see Ellen's smocking designs please go to this page Ellen McCarn Smocking Design Plates. Price $12.00 Quantity requested

"Picture Smocking with Ellen McCarn" $12.00 A perfect companion book to the previous edition. This book tells you all you ever need to know about picture smocking. Comes with a stash of picture smocked motifs and geometric patterns for creating your own designs.  For more than 20 years Ellen McCarn has been delighting smockers all around the world with her picture smocking.  She shares her tips as well as some creative processes in this volume. To see Ellen's smocking designs please go to this page Ellen McCarn Smocking Design Plates. Price $12.00 Quantity requested

For understanding your pleater I would recommend Sarah Douglas' The Pleater Manual and A to Z Smocking.

"The Pleater Manual" Sarah Douglas $18.00  (Sub-title: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of the Smocking Pleater).

This is THE definitive guide to operating a smocking pleater and working with pleated fabric. Written by an expert in smocking, Saran Douglas gives you more information than you ever would want to know about pleating and working with pleated fabric. Covers the basic subjects and then goes into a comparison of the popular brands of pleaters and advanced subjects like pleating on the bias and curves. 0Included is a glossary of terms, pleating directions for all types of fabrics and pleater maintenance instructions. The layout of the book is set up as lesson plans on every type of pleating, exotic or regular.  She certainly did her research well and it definitely shows. I recommend this book as a must have in every smockers library.

Price $18.00 Quantity requested

Lattice Smocking by Laura Jenkins Thompson  $12.00 If you have ever wondered how to make those pillows from the 50's and 60's this is the book for you.  Two different lattice smocking patterns are included adapted for the following projects  Laura's Lattice Dress, Royal Weskit Smocked Sleeve Jacket, Princess Insert Dress, Channel Jacket - Canadian Style, Lattice Envelope Evening Bag, Lattice Cummerbund Belt.  I'm dying to try some of this on velvet as well as doing it in miniature. Price $12.00 Quantity requested

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    Beth-Katherine Kaiman, Copyright © 1997-2007    •   There's No Place Like Home