"Beginning Smocking Information
- Garden Fairies by Beth-katherine
Kaiman"
One question that I am always asked is how to start smocking 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) by embroidering on existing pleats that have been made by either ironing
on dots and gathering up the pleats or by a pleater (not sewing machine,
too uneven).
or
2) creating pleats while embroidering.
Most of today's sewing population are familiar
with the 2nd way from over the past 60 years by the major pattern companies.
I know I remember as a young child in the 1950's going through the
pattern books wishing my mom was more like her mother in needlework so she
could smock me a dress but alas ... she was more into her books than sewing
end embroidery. Today, however, the first way called English Smocking
is the style that most of us do, in fact 95% of the available smocking patterns,
books and design plates are designed for this technique. (You can still
find old commercial smocking patterns from the 1950's and earlier on eBay
- check out the vintage clothing sellers.)
How each method of smocking came about is a fascinating journey of discovery
through history (and is partially covered in our history section of our
newsletter) but simply spoken the creation of pleats while embroidering
evolved from counted thread work while smocking such as counterchange
on gingham evolved into the iron-on dots method that worked on any fabric
by the late 19th century through the mid 20th century promoted by the ever
expanding media of those times.
The man responsible for this promotion was Mr. Butterick, a tailor, who
created one of the first major pattern companies and Delineator magazine
which showed the design look of the patterns. It was in this magazine
that smocking was made more accessable to the sewing population appealing
than counting threads 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 (using the pleater machine) 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. Always try a
sample guage piece if you are creating a pattern on your own or altering
a commercial non smocking pattern for smocking.
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. I must let you know that
if you have never made pleated fabric this way it is a bit of a challenge
to keep focused to the end as that is when the fun begins.
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.
Project
The next step is to find a project. If you have a little girl or doll to
smock for I would recommend a basic square 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. Ideally 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, please click on this
link for Patterns We Carry.
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 as 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 ladies invented smocking!
To find a place to learn smocking may we suggest you go to the
Smocking Arts Guild of America
(SAGA) to find a guild in your area.
Ready to Smock Clothing *
Patterns We Carry *
Smocking Design Plates *
Smocking Books