How to Start Smocking
Beginning Smocking Information by Beth-Katherine Kaiman©2009
Please do not copy this info onto your site
as I spent hours writing and polishing the text over the years
and do get upset when I see that someone has just lifted the info for their own credit.
I am more than willing to
write something up for non-profit sites.One question that I am always asked is how to start smocking so I thought I would take a few paragraphs explaining how to go about getting started - as if I could begin to explain the addiction . . . To begin with smocking is embroidery upon pleated fabric, 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 through discussions of 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, the rows end up too uneven).
or2) 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 or embroidery (fortunately my Grandmother was so I was taught the basics of 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 in the late 19th century, 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 accessible 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. It has been said that 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, much like knitting gauge, changes depending on the weight of fabrics you use, thinner fabric means more pleats to the inch and thicker fabrics less pleats per inch. if you are creating a pattern on your own or altering a commercial non smocking pattern for smocking always pleat a sample piece in order to calculate the width fabric you will need to accomplish your project. (Please note all of the patterns we carry already have this figured out. Oh and if you're interested in any of the items pictured you can click on the link below to get to that page, after you finished reading of course.)
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 say that if you have never hand pleated fabric this way it is a bit of a challenge to keep yourself focused to the end of the process to where the fun of smocking 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.
Chery Williams Basic Square Yoke
If you have no child to smock for and just want to learn then a sampler pillow, purse or a baby bonnet are good choices. 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 the "Patterns We Carry" link to the left and follow the path to Smocking Patterns.
Ellen McCarn's Button Back Pillow
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!
Adapting Commercial patterns to the Smocked Insert - Creative Keepsakes
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.
Everything on this page is covered by my copyrights, don't even think about copying without permission or discussion about compensation. Otherwise I will have to send the fairy militia out after you. If you wish to re-publish this information in a guild newsletter just ask.
Beth-Kathering Kaiman©2009
Appliques
Battenburg Lace
Featured Items ...
