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July 8, 2006
e-Mail: smockingstore@att.net
Website: Garden Fairies Smocking & Needlearts Catalog
Smocking Newsletter - Beth-Katherine Kaiman, copyright 1997-2006, 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.
Collar Embellishments
From Our Readers
Silk Ribbon Washability
Fanning Island Smocked Blouse Pictures
Hello everyone. I know it's been a while since our last newsletter but wanted to reassure you that we're still here working everyday to fill your orders and answer your questions. Please note we have had to change our email address smockingstore@att.net <-- Beth ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, Collar Embellishments ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø One of the sweetest things you can do for the little girl you're smocking for is to introduce her to frilly feminine clothing while you can before peer pressure sets in and all she wants is a trip to the mall. The collars of dresses are the perfect area for you to embellish depending upon the tone of the whole dress sets the bar for how frilly you should become. A play dress can withstand piping and perhaps a little substantial lace such as bobbin lace or tatting or crochet.
One of the sweetest things you can do for the little girl you're smocking for is to introduce her to frilly feminine clothing while you can before peer pressure sets in and all she wants is a trip to the mall. The collars of dresses are the perfect area for you to embellish depending upon the tone of the whole dress sets the bar for how frilly you should become. A play dress can withstand piping and perhaps a little substantial lace such as bobbin lace or tatting or crochet.
Cotton Laces
Use a lace that is at least 1/2" wide while a lace edging of 1/4" to 3/8" looks lovely at first but when you wash it the lace tends to shrink and almost disappear until you iron it flat. Usually the lace is either attached to entredeux or else just sewn into the seam of the collar. For an extra special touch you can apply lace to piping so the piping sits on top of the lace at the edge of the collar. (See our Laces We Carry page for samples of lace.)
L-21
French lace is unique in that it has a pull thread woven in the header which allows you to gather the lace without having to add in a gathering thread. (This is pretty cool I have to say.). The pull thread exists in both edgings, insertions and galloons opening up a world you may have never thought possible of shaping lace. It would be so easy to add in a lace insertion heart onto a collar (applied with a teeny tiny zig zag stitch) with the backing of the collar cut out to accuate the lace shape. (See our Heirloom Sewing Books for info on how to do lace shaping.)
English Lace
E-2060
Used the same as French Lace with one major difference, you have to add in a gathering thread to gather the lace. Some of the English Lace patterns are delightful and worth the time it takes to add in a gathering thread.
Tatted Edging or Crocheted Edging
#026
Tatting and crocheted lace are lovely laces that are a bit more substantial than the delicate French lace as the thread used is thicker. These laces tend to look tailored. To add crochet or tatted lace to a collar is easier if you have hemstitching or entredeux added into the collar edge. Zig zag the lace onto the entredeux before sewing the collar pieces together or work your lace after the collar pieces are completed OR if you feel confident enough to sew the tatting on the collar lining just above the seam allowance and then sew the collar pieces together.
A lovely swiss edging lightly gathered is a pretty touch to a peter pan collar. Some swiss edgings come with entredeux attached already. You can use smaller sizes than the lace as the fabric doesn't disappear after washing. 3/8" to 5/8" is a nice size to use. Add in entredeux for an extra nice touch or add it directly into the collar.
Embroidery onto Collars
This is a natural place to add an extra embellishment such as a bullion rose or character, crewel flowers or insects or silk ribbon embroidery. Simple touches as a motif are quick and easy to make but well worth the effort. If you are working with a sheer collar consider working shadow embroidery. Just remember to keep the chocolate away while the dress is worn. Saliva will take out a lot of the stain but only if the occasion allows (a quick trip to the bathroom and suck it out baby).
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸Silk Ribbon Washability Question¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
<<I was wondering if the silk ribbon is washable? I always think of silk as being very delicate. I wouldn't want to use it on clothing if that is the case. I can't seem to find care instructions with it. Connie>> Hot water and non color safe bleach are the enemy of all dyed fabrics and ribbons whether commercially or hand dyed. Your safest bet for cleaning garments embroidered with silk ribbon is to either hand wash the item in warm wash/cool rinse or machine wash delicate inside out in a sock sack with a gentle color safe detergent. If you are hand washing you can use Ivory Liquid and warm water. Which method you choose is the best for your garment depends upon how you finished off the back of your embroidery as some chemical glues will loosen over time with harsh agitation or hot water. After several years of embroidering I have found after trying to pick out a knot that is tightly tied, that once a knot is tightly tied it rarely wants to be untied especially is there is a small tail of a 1/4-3/8" in length. If you cut the end of your ribbon on an angle (exposing the bias) it usually won't fray away. If the item is too big for a sock sack then put it in a pillow case, tie the end and wash it that way. ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, Pictures from our Readers ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
Hot water and non color safe bleach are the enemy of all dyed fabrics and ribbons whether commercially or hand dyed. Your safest bet for cleaning garments embroidered with silk ribbon is to either hand wash the item in warm wash/cool rinse or machine wash delicate inside out in a sock sack with a gentle color safe detergent. If you are hand washing you can use Ivory Liquid and warm water.
Which method you choose is the best for your garment depends upon how you finished off the back of your embroidery as some chemical glues will loosen over time with harsh agitation or hot water. After several years of embroidering I have found after trying to pick out a knot that is tightly tied, that once a knot is tightly tied it rarely wants to be untied especially is there is a small tail of a 1/4-3/8" in length. If you cut the end of your ribbon on an angle (exposing the bias) it usually won't fray away. If the item is too big for a sock sack then put it in a pillow case, tie the end and wash it that way.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, Pictures from our Readers ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
I was pleasantly surprised one day to find these pictures in my email file of a blouse that is sold in the Fanning Islands. I had never seen the blouse nor heard of Fanning Island so Ghislaine graciously sent pictures with permission to post them on my site. She was looking to recreate the blouse. As far as I can tell it's a simple raglan sleeve blouse (Contessa 401 Smocked Nightgown). It appears the the sleeves are smocked separately and attached to the front and back rather than smocking in one piece. All edges are finished with a bias band. <<Hi Beth, Fanning island is 1000 miles south of the Hawaian islands. We sailed there and stayed there for 7 months. Here are the pictures of these blouses that I promised you. Just a yoke type with a puffed sleeve. They wear these blouse as everyday wear. Some are very well made with embroidery pattern. They sell it for $20.00 only. Talk to you soon <---Ghislaine>>
<<Hi Beth,
Fanning island is 1000 miles south of the Hawaian islands. We sailed there and stayed there for 7 months. Here are the pictures of these blouses that I promised you. Just a yoke type with a puffed sleeve. They wear these blouse as everyday wear. Some are very well made with embroidery pattern. They sell it for $20.00 only. Talk to you soon <---Ghislaine>>
#400 Contessa Short Sleeve Smocked Gown Misses 4-14
A pretty smocked raglan sleeve gown with a small ruffle at the hemline. Adorable in all fabrics. Can be worn as a summer dress as well as a night gown.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
"A tail isn't a tail to THEM, it's just a *little bit extra* at the back." — Eeyore
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Smocking Newsletter since 1997, 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.
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