This issue was our first publication on 3/15/97 though the content is still relevant. Please feel free to comment.

Topics for Discussion

Our first topic is Pricing of Smocked Garments for Sale.

I would like to get a dialogue going from all of you as to what you think we, creators of beautiful things, should charge for the work that we do.

Personally I know that I undercharge, however there is some how believe that if it is priced too high then the garment will never sell or will sell only to those who are willing to pay a high price for beauty. What do you think?

In 1997 we hosted a smocking chat on America On Line concerning this very issue. The general consensus was that we should charge $3.00 to $3.50 per row of smocking and about $20 for the construction of a basic yoke or bishop dress, excluding the fabric and lace costs, added embellishments and fancy work is extra that makes it about $35 to $40 per dress. Add in the fabrics and lace costs and a dress can sell from $60-$80 depending upon the cost of the materials. There is one lady who wholesales her smocked dresses, sized 2-6, to a fancy children’s store for $85.00. (These dresses include smocking on front and sleeves with lots of bullions and lace on the sleeves. The fabric is Imperial Broadcloth or Imperial Batiste (which is 65% Polyester/35% Cotton). We also discussed the possibility of that where you live determines the pricing of your hand-smocked clothing along with the competition with discount stores and garments made in the Philippines and Mexico.

What you think?

***
Beginner’s Corner

Attaching a Bias Strip to the Neckline

If you are a beginner in smocking or have a question please address your questions to this section.

During a smocking chat that we hosted a while ago SaharSmith described a new technique of applying your bias strip at the neckline by hand. Here is a copy of that log:

SaharSmith : you lay the folded edge of the bias neck band on top of the first row and pin it in place, then you stitch the herringbone at the very edge
between the fold and the pleats, understand

GarFairies : so the bias band isn’t attached yet to the neckline?

SaharSmith : right, you do it with the stitch

GarFairies : so it isn’t stitched onto the back of the neckline?

SaharSmith : no, its on the front

GarFairies : No I meant machine stitching. Usually I attach the bias band matching right sides together

GarFairies : and machine stitch, then I turn the bias to the back and whip into place

SaharSmith : oh, your bias is folded with the right side up

GarFairies : Sahar do you machine the bias strip first onto the back of the neckline

SaharSmith : no

GarFairies : Ok so you pin the bias onto the neckline front with the bottom folded under then you work the herringbone stitch onto the front

SaharSmith : you got it

GarFairies : now what about the back?

SaharSmith : pull the band over and hand stitch

GarFairies : Does this hold the neckline really tight through all those washings?

SaharSmith : I don’t know.

GarFairies : Hmmmmm, Sahar what I would do is to machine the bias to the back and turn it over and then do that lovely stitch

SaharSmith : what a smart idea!

***

Smocking Stitches

Rope Stitch

The oldest smocking stitch is the Rope stitch, also know as the outline or stem stitch depending upon how you hold your floss as you stitch.

The outline stitch is worked with the floss always held in the up position after each stitch, creating a rope like texture. Holding your floss in the down position creates the same texture of a rope but is referred to as the stem stitch. Put together these two stitches create the wheat stitch. (Work the outline stitch first, then come back and work the stem stitch just under it creating the wheat stitch).

What is the stitch often used for? Well it’s very nature is a tight holding stitch and often times it’s primary job is to hold pleats together on design plates at the top and the very bottom (often called holding rows of a design). You will also see the outline or stem used within designs as “S” curves upon which you embroider french knot flowers and bullion rose accents.

About Backsmocking:

The top row is usually not smocked in your design plates but is saved for the seam allowance. It is important to know that in order to get your pleats to stand upright during the sewing it is recommended that you work the outline or stem stitch on the backside to hold the pleats in place, though Elizabeth Travis Johnson recommended that you work this stitch on the front of your smocking to use as a guide for placement of attaching a bias strip. The reason for using the outline stitch is that it holds pleats together singly as opposed to the cable stitch your pleats holds together the pleats in groups of two thereby increasing the chance of your pleats bending over during sewing. If you have the book A to Z Smocking you can see from the photograph what I am talking about.

Here are some design plates which use the Outline Stitch.

Cynthia Finnerty

We have more designs available on our site http://www.smockingstore.com/smockingplates.html