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January 7, 2003
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Smocking Newsletter - Beth-Katherine Kaiman, copyright 1997-2004, 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.
From our Readers: Questions from a Beginner
Smocking FAQ's: Basic Yoke Dresses"
<< Thank you for your offer to help a beginner. I have never smocked before, but I have done lots of quilting and embroidery, so I think I can catch on with a little direction. My mother did a lot of it in the 60's and I'm hoping it will all come back to her when I start so that she can help out. I want to make a dress for my daughter's first communion. I would like for the entire bodice to be smocked. It would be white on white, maybe embellished with a few pearls or ribbon. I've seen no patterns for such a dress, but I've seen some plates on the web that I'm thinking I could combine to get the effect that I am looking for. Do you have any that you would recommend? I've found basic instructions on the web for many stitches, but realize that a book or two would probably be helpful. Probably something that has lots of pictures so that I can visualize how all of this works. What would you recommend?>>
The best book I would recommend is A to Z of Smocking Stitches as it includes instructions and photographs of the special considerations of smocking and sewing a full bodice. All around this book is the best while a little lacking in written detail such as found in either Grace Knott or Ellen McCarn's smocking books.
<<Can I use a regular sewing pattern, simply cutting the bodice out of fabric that I have pleated up? I figured that I would transfer the dots onto the fabric and pleat it up myself. Do you recommend that I have this professionally done instead? If I did have it professionally done, how do I mark the rows to follow across the pleats?>>>>
Any of the basic yoke dress patterns contain instructions for a full smocked bodice particularly Ellen McCarn and Chery Williams. While you can use a commercial pattern you won't have the expertise of the smocking designers in the instructions. In other words the patterns we sell are designed with smocking in mind and have special instructions as to how to handle the unique situations of handling pleats.
As for ironing on the dots and picking up the pleats that way you may be biting off more than you can chew (so to speak). Picking up dots for a 45" width fabric for 24 rows will take a long time, trust me I know as I have done it. While there is a kind of Zen happening to a person when she takes on such a task it might be in your best interest of keeping on the project and not give up out of frustration to have the fabric pleated for you. We can do this for you quite reasonably so as not to break the bank. 24rows for a dress front is $6.50 (rolling up fabric longer than 36" length wise costs a couple of dollars more as it takes more time to roll it up and pleat).
<<I'd like to use raw silk - is this appropriate?>>
Yes, but you won't get white on white as raw silk is a creamy color.
<<What kind of thread to you recommend for such a dress?>>
The type of floss used depends upon your fabric. For example, the raw silk you might use 4 strands of floss or a perle cotton #8 or a heavy silk sewing thread for buttonholes as your floss.
<<I notice that most patterns do not have the entire bodice pleated, but have a panel of smocking set into the bodice. Is this because the pleats cause unmanageable bulk at the collar and waist seems?>>
This is one style of smocking, inserting the pleats in between a yoke and a dress front with piping but you can stabilize the pleats in other ways as well. When applying a collar after sewing the seam I would do a double seam line approximately 1/8" away and then to reduce the bulk I would trim the layers by shaving the pleats down. To do this use either pinking shears and cut on an angle or regular scissors. Also some fabric are more appropriate for full bodice smocking than others. Your raw silk may prove to be too bulky and stiff whereas a satin or batiste would bend more easily into a seam shape. Hope this helps, Beth
Beginner's Guide to Basic Yoke Dresses
After receiving a letter from a prospective smocker I realized that perhaps there is confusion out there as to what one can do with a basic yoke pattern. To begin with one could use a commercial pattern for any smocked yoke dress but you won't have the expertise of the smocking designers in the instructions. In other words the patterns which are designed with smocking in mind have special instructions as to how to handle the unique situations of handling pleats that you would miss if adapting a commercial pattern. If you're familiar with smocking and construction of garments with smocking then by all means use whatever patterns you have handy. There are two basic styles for the basic yoke dress. The first is to have the smocking come from the yoke, whatever size you have chosen, and the second is a full bodice smocked from shoulder to waist (depending of course upon the size of the girl you are smocking for and the width of your pleater). Both of these styles have their special sewing considerations but both are easy after you understand the "formula" for sewing them. And both of these styles can be varied with different choices of sleeve treatments (long, short, wing or both), hem variations (lace, scallops, shadow work), fabric variations, smocking design themed fabric, collar variations (round, peter pan, square, triangular, none, lace etc.) and embellishment variations ranging from hand or machine embroidery, pearls or beads in smocking, or contrasting fabrics for hem and collar and sleeve end. On sewing smocked pleats to a yoke one really should use piping to stabilize the pleats but depending upon the weight of the fabric you can use entredeux or beading with entredeux to attach fabric to the yoke. Usually heirloom sewing materials are used as broadcloth has a bit too much bulk to successfully attach to entredeux. Piping is quick and easy to apply if you sew it to the yoke, fold back and place upon your pleats and stitch in the ditch of the piping seam. Use your cording foot or zipper foot to make it even easier. On sewing a full bodice. The best instructions I've seen in any pattern or book is in A to Z Smocking Stitches (the encyclopedia of smocking) with full color step by step photographs for construction. Basically though the technique is to smock a panel FIRST and then mark the pattern piece upon it, stay stitch around the outline, cut and sew to the back piece at the shoulder seam. Seams are serged closed for extra strength rather than French seams which would be too bulky. I would also stabilize the front smocked panel with a lining as well as protecting the tender chest of the little girl you are smocking for.
There are two basic styles for the basic yoke dress. The first is to have the smocking come from the yoke, whatever size you have chosen, and the second is a full bodice smocked from shoulder to waist (depending of course upon the size of the girl you are smocking for and the width of your pleater). Both of these styles have their special sewing considerations but both are easy after you understand the "formula" for sewing them. And both of these styles can be varied with different choices of sleeve treatments (long, short, wing or both), hem variations (lace, scallops, shadow work), fabric variations, smocking design themed fabric, collar variations (round, peter pan, square, triangular, none, lace etc.) and embellishment variations ranging from hand or machine embroidery, pearls or beads in smocking, or contrasting fabrics for hem and collar and sleeve end.
On sewing smocked pleats to a yoke one really should use piping to stabilize the pleats but depending upon the weight of the fabric you can use entredeux or beading with entredeux to attach fabric to the yoke. Usually heirloom sewing materials are used as broadcloth has a bit too much bulk to successfully attach to entredeux. Piping is quick and easy to apply if you sew it to the yoke, fold back and place upon your pleats and stitch in the ditch of the piping seam. Use your cording foot or zipper foot to make it even easier.
On sewing a full bodice. The best instructions I've seen in any pattern or book is in A to Z Smocking Stitches (the encyclopedia of smocking) with full color step by step photographs for construction. Basically though the technique is to smock a panel FIRST and then mark the pattern piece upon it, stay stitch around the outline, cut and sew to the back piece at the shoulder seam. Seams are serged closed for extra strength rather than French seams which would be too bulky. I would also stabilize the front smocked panel with a lining as well as protecting the tender chest of the little girl you are smocking for.
To view all the Basic Square Yoke Patterns we carry please go to this page Basic Square Yoke Patterns We Carry Beginning Smocking Texts:
Go to Smocking Books for beginning Smocking books
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