Mail-in or Fax orders please go here.
August 6, 2004
e-Mail: smockingstore@att.net
Website: Garden Fairies Smocking & Needlearts Catalog
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.
1) From our Readers - Blocking Question
2) Bishop Dresses and Blocking
3) A to Z of Sewing for Smockers
4) From our Readers - Shirring Question and Answer
<< In one of the smocking books I have seen, it says to place a pleated bishop 'face down' on the blocking guide. This seems wrong. Shouldn't it be face up so the pleats will be steamed in? Also, some of the ladies on one of the mailing lists said they leave their piece on the blocking guide and smock that way. They couldn't do it if it was face down. Do I not understand this right? >> I never put my bishops face down, which book was this? I can understand the logic of blocking face down when you have the smocking completed so as not to crush your smocking or embellishments, but for the first blocking step I would block topside up to set in the pleats. If you want you can block on both sides but a good steam iron will push steam throughout the pleats. Leaving a bishop on a smocking guide is an old technique that comes from the French Handsewing school of making puffing strips where you HAVE to leave it attached to the paper otherwise you'll loose the shape of your strip. With the bishop once the pleats have been steamed in it is NOT necessary as the neckline holds it's shape (it's tied off after all). Steaming AFTER smocking and adjusting the pleats if necessary helps shape the neckline further until you get the neckline bias attached. This is especially important for any bumps you might have in the shoulder french seams that occured while smocking. (A side note: serged seams leave less bulk and are nice and tidy, not as pretty as French Seams but effective.) I have also found that steaming after attaching the bias when the dress is complete and again after the first few washings REALLY helps keep the neckline to lay flat. If your fabric is polyester it is very important to steam several times during the smocking process as well as after washings as Polyester thread has memory, which means it doesn't like to be disturbed but can be forced into compliance. (Ok so that last sentence is a bit of a joke but once you've wrestled with a Poly/Cotton fabric you'll understand what I mean).
I never put my bishops face down, which book was this? I can understand the logic of blocking face down when you have the smocking completed so as not to crush your smocking or embellishments, but for the first blocking step I would block topside up to set in the pleats. If you want you can block on both sides but a good steam iron will push steam throughout the pleats.
Leaving a bishop on a smocking guide is an old technique that comes from the French Handsewing school of making puffing strips where you HAVE to leave it attached to the paper otherwise you'll loose the shape of your strip. With the bishop once the pleats have been steamed in it is NOT necessary as the neckline holds it's shape (it's tied off after all). Steaming AFTER smocking and adjusting the pleats if necessary helps shape the neckline further until you get the neckline bias attached. This is especially important for any bumps you might have in the shoulder french seams that occured while smocking. (A side note: serged seams leave less bulk and are nice and tidy, not as pretty as French Seams but effective.)
I have also found that steaming after attaching the bias when the dress is complete and again after the first few washings REALLY helps keep the neckline to lay flat. If your fabric is polyester it is very important to steam several times during the smocking process as well as after washings as Polyester thread has memory, which means it doesn't like to be disturbed but can be forced into compliance. (Ok so that last sentence is a bit of a joke but once you've wrestled with a Poly/Cotton fabric you'll understand what I mean).
As I'm sure every expert has told you blocking the bishop dress is one of the most important steps in making smocking in the round. Usually the recommendation for blocking at the end of pleating and beginning of smocking in order to form the shape of the dress/blouse that you are making. For this step you need what is called a "blocking guide"*. (We carry two on our notions page) * A blocking guide has all the sizes of necklines for the bishop dress/blouse marked onto the paper or pellon. Ellen McCarn's Smock and Block guides has all sizes from dolls to Adults. Personally I like to add in a couple of blockings during the smocking of my bishops as I have found it helps retain the round shape of the bishop neckline. It helps you keep track of where you should start loosening up your tension of your embroidery stitches, usually around the 4th or 5th row down where it is imperative that you loosen your stitches slightly to keep your round shape from becoming a tube (aka "turtle neck"). The top three or four rows are worked with the same guage of tension and steaming at this point reinforces the shape onto the fabric. Re-blocking can help keep the "round shape" as it helps in the shape of the neckline and in the long run makes for a prettier dress. Avoiding the 'turtle neck' look is also controlled by limiting the number of rows you smock making sure your points of the trellis waves end at the shoulder and not travel down the arm. You don't really want to extend the smocking past the shoulder edge and down the arm as it's easy to tighten the bottom stitches and make a tube. Flat, round neckline is the goal. Measure the shoulders of the child you are smocking for to end exactly but most smocking plates designed for bishop dresses take this into consideration. The reason why the 4th and 5th rows are so crucial is that these are probably the last rows of standard smocking*3 (depending upon of course what size you are smocking for) just as you are beginning the loosening adjustment process of your stitch tension as you move down the rows as this first section of fanning out is most important. Adding in a blocking step at this point will let you know how you are doing as far as your tension goes. This is the most tricky part of smocking a bishop that every beginner must know in order to make a perfect neckline that lays flat against the upper chest of the body, ending at the shoulders. If you don't want to get up and steam again you can also flatten the neckline into a circle (horseshoe) to see how you are doing. Your neckline should go back into the shape it was blocked in to judge whether or not your stitches are flowing down loose enough so as not to create a tube. If you think there might be a problem by all means take it back to the ironing board, pin it to the guide and re-steam the pleats as much as you think it's necessary to get your neckline back into shape. If your dress is starting to look like a tube instead of laying flat you are smocking TOO TIGHT, you loosen your tension. You might even have to take a row or two out. This is why I suggest re-blocking around the 4th row to avoid having to take stitches out. Oh and I don't like to use spray starch as I have found after a lot of handling and heating up the starch gets on my fingers and needle. I also like to block my bishop dresses after the first few washings and dryings just to make sure the neckline stays flat. I learned the hard way that some necklines need to be wrestled back into shape, especially with some of the stiffer cottons and blends that are created with a thicker (and stiffer) thread to begin with and resteaming the neckline helps soften and shapen these fabrics. Some fabrics are just more ornery than others in retaining the shape of the pleats and the round shape of the neckline even after you have attached the bias neckline. The good news is that things made from cotton get softer the more you wash them and if your neckline doesn't like to lay flat they fall into shape after about 4 or 5 wash cycles and this extra steaming process. Stiff cottons sometimes do this as well as poly/cotton blends. The best source of information for sewing bishop dresses are the patterns we carry. These patterns are designed by ladies who know smocking backwards and forwards and pass along the information that has been found tried and true in their instructions. The designers Ellen McCarn, Chery Williams and Pat Garretson all have excellent instructions and recommendations. All of these designers' patterns read like a book rather than some companies that skimp on the directions. For further information with step by step photographs the new book from Country Bumpkin, "A to Z of Sewing for Smockers" shows every step of the process of making a bishop dress is covered in wonderful step-by-step photographs that AS&E are famous for.
* A blocking guide has all the sizes of necklines for the bishop dress/blouse marked onto the paper or pellon. Ellen McCarn's Smock and Block guides has all sizes from dolls to Adults.
Personally I like to add in a couple of blockings during the smocking of my bishops as I have found it helps retain the round shape of the bishop neckline. It helps you keep track of where you should start loosening up your tension of your embroidery stitches, usually around the 4th or 5th row down where it is imperative that you loosen your stitches slightly to keep your round shape from becoming a tube (aka "turtle neck"). The top three or four rows are worked with the same guage of tension and steaming at this point reinforces the shape onto the fabric. Re-blocking can help keep the "round shape" as it helps in the shape of the neckline and in the long run makes for a prettier dress. Avoiding the 'turtle neck' look is also controlled by limiting the number of rows you smock making sure your points of the trellis waves end at the shoulder and not travel down the arm. You don't really want to extend the smocking past the shoulder edge and down the arm as it's easy to tighten the bottom stitches and make a tube. Flat, round neckline is the goal. Measure the shoulders of the child you are smocking for to end exactly but most smocking plates designed for bishop dresses take this into consideration.
The reason why the 4th and 5th rows are so crucial is that these are probably the last rows of standard smocking*3 (depending upon of course what size you are smocking for) just as you are beginning the loosening adjustment process of your stitch tension as you move down the rows as this first section of fanning out is most important. Adding in a blocking step at this point will let you know how you are doing as far as your tension goes. This is the most tricky part of smocking a bishop that every beginner must know in order to make a perfect neckline that lays flat against the upper chest of the body, ending at the shoulders.
If you don't want to get up and steam again you can also flatten the neckline into a circle (horseshoe) to see how you are doing. Your neckline should go back into the shape it was blocked in to judge whether or not your stitches are flowing down loose enough so as not to create a tube. If you think there might be a problem by all means take it back to the ironing board, pin it to the guide and re-steam the pleats as much as you think it's necessary to get your neckline back into shape. If your dress is starting to look like a tube instead of laying flat you are smocking TOO TIGHT, you loosen your tension. You might even have to take a row or two out. This is why I suggest re-blocking around the 4th row to avoid having to take stitches out. Oh and I don't like to use spray starch as I have found after a lot of handling and heating up the starch gets on my fingers and needle.
I also like to block my bishop dresses after the first few washings and dryings just to make sure the neckline stays flat. I learned the hard way that some necklines need to be wrestled back into shape, especially with some of the stiffer cottons and blends that are created with a thicker (and stiffer) thread to begin with and resteaming the neckline helps soften and shapen these fabrics. Some fabrics are just more ornery than others in retaining the shape of the pleats and the round shape of the neckline even after you have attached the bias neckline. The good news is that things made from cotton get softer the more you wash them and if your neckline doesn't like to lay flat they fall into shape after about 4 or 5 wash cycles and this extra steaming process. Stiff cottons sometimes do this as well as poly/cotton blends.
The best source of information for sewing bishop dresses are the patterns we carry. These patterns are designed by ladies who know smocking backwards and forwards and pass along the information that has been found tried and true in their instructions. The designers Ellen McCarn, Chery Williams and Pat Garretson all have excellent instructions and recommendations. All of these designers' patterns read like a book rather than some companies that skimp on the directions. For further information with step by step photographs the new book from Country Bumpkin, "A to Z of Sewing for Smockers" shows every step of the process of making a bishop dress is covered in wonderful step-by-step photographs that AS&E are famous for.
The photographs are extremely helpful, especially with the makings of the placket which has for years been one of the stumbling blocks in sewing bishop dresses as most instructions were totally confusing. Best books were those written by Elizabeth Travis Johnsons and Mildred Turner for clarity of the process but sadly both of those are out of print. Today, however, we are lucky to have A to Z of Sewing for Smockers as it fills the gap left behind and a new generation of sewers for smocking will know just what to do and how to do it. My recommendation is while thumbing through the book put a set of headphones on with Mozart (or any other Classical period composer) and trigger the 'alpha' state that helps you learn better or "grok" ala Michael Valentine Smith, meaning suddenly the "light" in your mind dawns and you "get it". A to Z Sewing for Smockers - $28.00 Click on book for table of contents. Price $19.00 Quantity requested From the pages of Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine comes this 7th book in the A to Z series and wonderful it is. Every question a sewer of smocking clothing could ask is answered in this book with step by step photographs and excellent instructions. A necessary companion to A to Z Smocking. Over 580 superb step-by-step color photographs, hints and tips from the experts, fabulous finishing touches for sleeves, collars & hems. A must have for your sewing library. The photographs are extremely helpful, especially with the makings of the placket which has for years been one of the stumbling blocks in sewing bishop dresses as most instructions were totally confusing. Best books were those written by Elizabeth Travis Johnsons and Mildred Turner for clarity of the process but sadly both of those are out of print. Today, however, we are lucky to have A to Z of Sewing for Smockers as it fills the gap left behind and a new generation of sewers for smocking will know just what to do and how to do it. From the introduction: "Have you ever been frustrated by sleeves that won't sit properly or a hemline that droops? What is the difference between a sleeve cuff and a sleeve band? Does the stitching show on your piping no matter how hard you try to avoid it? How do you trim a collar so that it has a perfectly curved edge? The answers to all of these questions, plus many more, are contained within the pages of this book, the perfect companion to the A-Z of Smocking." A note on the A to Z series. In the years I have been in business (going on 18) the publisher Margie Bauer, of Country Bumpkin, has shown herself to be a brilliant mind who intutively understands what a person needs to see in a book in order to learn. The step by step photographs, that made the fame of Australian Smocking & Embroidery & Inspirations magazines, are an excellent way for a person to learn how to construct clothing. We all know the downside of sewing clothing with some pattern companies, bad directions and confusing illustrations. With photographs this is different because it sparks a different side of the mind than most of us are used to using all the time. This latest publication in the series fills a gap created by the loss of two important women in the tradtion of smocking and heirloom sewing, Mildred Turner and Elizabeth Travis Johnson. Both of these women contributed so much to the Heirloom Sewing World as we know it that is is a shame that their publications are no longer around to spark the creativity of women all around the world. A to Z of Sewing for Smockers carries the tradition of sewing for a new generation of smockers. What I found to be extremely helpful is the Fabric Requirements of both bishop and basic square yoke dresses for sizes 3mos - 5 for bishops and 3mos - 10 yrs for BSY. In centimeters and inches. You will also find a good discussion of the different types of fabrics that work well with the pleaters for smocking. Especially helpful is the section of Square Yoke garments for smocking that ends in the under arm of the sleeve (rather than stopping just before the armhole) and the full bodice method of smocking. My recommendation is while thumbing through the book put a set of headphones on with Mozart (or any other Classical period composer) and trigger the 'alpha' state that helps you learn better or "grok" ala Michael Valentine Smith, meaning suddenly the "light" in your mind dawns and you "get it". So if you missed out on the Mildred Turner Series or Elizabeth Travis Johnson's collective wisdom you will find their voices echoed in this publication. A must have for your sewing library.
Click on book for table of contents.
From the pages of Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine comes this 7th book in the A to Z series and wonderful it is. Every question a sewer of smocking clothing could ask is answered in this book with step by step photographs and excellent instructions. A necessary companion to A to Z Smocking. Over 580 superb step-by-step color photographs, hints and tips from the experts, fabulous finishing touches for sleeves, collars & hems. A must have for your sewing library. The photographs are extremely helpful, especially with the makings of the placket which has for years been one of the stumbling blocks in sewing bishop dresses as most instructions were totally confusing. Best books were those written by Elizabeth Travis Johnsons and Mildred Turner for clarity of the process but sadly both of those are out of print. Today, however, we are lucky to have A to Z of Sewing for Smockers as it fills the gap left behind and a new generation of sewers for smocking will know just what to do and how to do it.
From the introduction: "Have you ever been frustrated by sleeves that won't sit properly or a hemline that droops? What is the difference between a sleeve cuff and a sleeve band? Does the stitching show on your piping no matter how hard you try to avoid it? How do you trim a collar so that it has a perfectly curved edge? The answers to all of these questions, plus many more, are contained within the pages of this book, the perfect companion to the A-Z of Smocking."
A note on the A to Z series. In the years I have been in business (going on 18) the publisher Margie Bauer, of Country Bumpkin, has shown herself to be a brilliant mind who intutively understands what a person needs to see in a book in order to learn. The step by step photographs, that made the fame of Australian Smocking & Embroidery & Inspirations magazines, are an excellent way for a person to learn how to construct clothing. We all know the downside of sewing clothing with some pattern companies, bad directions and confusing illustrations. With photographs this is different because it sparks a different side of the mind than most of us are used to using all the time. This latest publication in the series fills a gap created by the loss of two important women in the tradtion of smocking and heirloom sewing, Mildred Turner and Elizabeth Travis Johnson. Both of these women contributed so much to the Heirloom Sewing World as we know it that is is a shame that their publications are no longer around to spark the creativity of women all around the world. A to Z of Sewing for Smockers carries the tradition of sewing for a new generation of smockers.
What I found to be extremely helpful is the Fabric Requirements of both bishop and basic square yoke dresses for sizes 3mos - 5 for bishops and 3mos - 10 yrs for BSY. In centimeters and inches. You will also find a good discussion of the different types of fabrics that work well with the pleaters for smocking. Especially helpful is the section of Square Yoke garments for smocking that ends in the under arm of the sleeve (rather than stopping just before the armhole) and the full bodice method of smocking.
My recommendation is while thumbing through the book put a set of headphones on with Mozart (or any other Classical period composer) and trigger the 'alpha' state that helps you learn better or "grok" ala Michael Valentine Smith, meaning suddenly the "light" in your mind dawns and you "get it". So if you missed out on the Mildred Turner Series or Elizabeth Travis Johnson's collective wisdom you will find their voices echoed in this publication. A must have for your sewing library.
<<Hello, I am actually writing with a question about shirring and smocking...and wondering if there is a difference between the two. I want to create a strapless beach dress - with the bodice having the texture of shirring/smocking...I also want the bodice to have stretch (though it will be made of woven cotton). I have not had luck with elastic bobbins, cording etc does not work becuase it's uncomfortable against the skin, and pulling a regualr bobbin thread is untenible becuase I am making the dresses in bulk (and there is no elasticity). SO I am wondering if smocking techniques would aid me a/o I am wondering if smocking machines can be used for shirring? ANy advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much Hannah >> Shirring, a technique popular in the 1920's and 30's and in the 70's, is rows and rows of running stitch slightly gathered to create a puckering. You could use a gathering foot to create the look as it gathers while it's stitching. I recently saw a foot for the Singer Serger that does shirring, gathering and ruffling that does this quite nicely. I'm sure other manufacturers have the same attachment. For larger projects, such as curtains, there is "shirring tape" available which is quite fun as you sew it onto a flat piece of fabric, pull the "shirring string" and voila, you have a shirred piece of fabric. The Do It Yourself Network website (always a fun place to go searching for information) has complete instructions for shirring with elastic thread in the bobbin of your sewing machine. Shirring with elastic thread was very popular in the 1970's and occasionally you can still find the fabric. Here is the link:
Shirring, a technique popular in the 1920's and 30's and in the 70's, is rows and rows of running stitch slightly gathered to create a puckering. You could use a gathering foot to create the look as it gathers while it's stitching. I recently saw a foot for the Singer Serger that does shirring, gathering and ruffling that does this quite nicely. I'm sure other manufacturers have the same attachment. For larger projects, such as curtains, there is "shirring tape" available which is quite fun as you sew it onto a flat piece of fabric, pull the "shirring string" and voila, you have a shirred piece of fabric.
The Do It Yourself Network website (always a fun place to go searching for information) has complete instructions for shirring with elastic thread in the bobbin of your sewing machine. Shirring with elastic thread was very popular in the 1970's and occasionally you can still find the fabric. Here is the link:
You can also zig zag over elastic thread, held in place with your cording foot, if the thought of putting elastic thread in your bobbin case scares you. Smocking (the embroidery) is done by hand, with the pleating of the tiny pleats done either by iron on dots or a pleater.
In my search for more information for you I came across this Job Description in the Sewing Industry, thought you might get a kick in reading it:
<<Shirring Machine Operator
Shirring Machine Operator - Gatherer, ruffler Operates sewing machine equipped with shirring attachment to shorten or decorate edges of material with gathers or puckers for use in fabricating articles, for example buffing wheels, curtains and tie-backs, casket interiors, hats and caps, and decorative folds in fabrics for garment trimmings: Turns screws to adjust tension of thread, length of stitch, and spacing and width of shirred runnings. Presses knee control to raise gathering device, positions edge of material beneath needle, and lowers gathering device onto material. Trims excess thread and material from shirred material, using scissors or knife-blade attachment. Performs duties as described under SEWING-MACHINE OPERATOR, REGULAR EQUIPMENT (industry) Master Title.>> (Can you imagine doing that all day long? Yikes. No wonder we humans are working on inventing robots to do the drudge work. Meanwhile what happens to the displaced workers? ))
*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*
A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference. Or so they say. — Eeyore
Don't forgot to check out our What's New Pages and front door.
For complete information on how to get started smocking please visit this page.
Special Edition - How to do a Bishop Dress
Special Edition - What is Smocking?
Special Edition - How to Get Started Smocking
Special Edition - Eleven Rules of Smocking
Special Edition - How to make the Perfect Bullion and Bullion Rose
Smocking Newsletter since 1996, frequently imitated. Glad to be of inspiration to all who read our issues. All we ask is that you give us credit when you quote from our newsletters, we do.
Go to Smocking Books for beginning Smocking books
---->Finished shopping on this page but want to shop more? Click the submit button to add in the items you want to add in your order<----
To complete your order just click the SUBMIT button, or if you changed your mind click the RESET button.