Findley - A free smocking graph for your back to school smocking and sewing!
Children's 2-12; Misses 6-20; Men's 30-42 Smocks have been worn by rural laborers as protective overgarments for hundreds of years. The technique of hand-smocking evolved from the way many of these early garments were fitted, sized, and embellished. English Smocks were most widely worn during the late 18th century. Shepherds donned the sturdy garments while traveling unpaved roads. Butchers, bakers, fishmongers, and farmers wore smocks for work, and many had "best" smocks (usually white) as well, for Sundays, special occasions, and to make a good impression at the annual Hiring Fairs. Today, smocks are favored by artists, craftspeople, and fashionable folk everywhere. Originally a man's garment, the loose-fitting smock is sized for women as well as men. The Round Smock is sized for children as well. The Round Smock is mid-calf length and slips over the head. For children, the smock is knee-length. The Smock Frock has a button-front opening and is tunic length. Both versions may be hand-smocked on front, back, and sleeves, or easily "mock-smocked" by machine with elastic. Instructions and designs for smocking and embroidery are included inside pattern. This is the paper pattern. For the PDF version, go here. Suggested fabrics: Soft medium-weight fabrics with some drape such as cotton, rayon, wool, synthetics or blends in challis, broadcloth, corduroy, or flannel. For an authentic look, choose linen or homespun. Yardage chart (.pdf)
Want to try the Children's Corner Bishop and make an adorable smocked bishop? Get a few tips on the Sew Vintagely blog, and make something beautiful!
Make entredeux trim with this heirloom sewing tip using your sewing machine and a wing needle.
A round-up of Free Picture Smocking Plates to stitch for the little boy in your life.
Five hand stitches that should be in every sewist’s repertoire, by Tasha Miller Griffith.
milkmaid smock light blue linen smock blouse with 3/4 front button placket closure, hand embroidered english smocking on the chest, back and sleeves with custom embroidery on the collar and each side of the smocking panels. hand embroidered buttonholes with antique shell buttons made in the kent countryside
Stitching lace insertion to fabric is the first technique that we learn when I teach heirloom sewing by machine. This is not a strong applic...
When I first learned to smock I remember being taught about blocking, having no understanding of what I was doing and then assuming that smocking was too hard for me. This prevented me from smockin…
Learn machine smocking techniques you can do with your sewing machine in this expert guide from Lorna Knight.
Printable PDF: la-dollce-vita.com/patterns/playsmock.pdf I've also added instructions Playing with Photoshop today. I still have yet to figure out an efficient way to draw in the seam allowances. Generally I use 0.5cm seam allowances (a little less than 1/4")
A round-up of free geometric smocking plates to stitch and sew for children.
Visit the post for more.
Make entredeux trim with this heirloom sewing tip using your sewing machine and a wing needle.
63 p. 24 cm
couture addict, smocks addict, liberty addict, jersey addict ... Mais de tellement bonnes et belles addictions ! bonne visite de mon blog !
Smocking is such a lovely technique and looks fantastic on clothing and really good on pillows as well. The amazing thing that I recently found out was that smocking was really not hard at all with simple instructions. When I saw this video tutorial by Professor Pincushion on how to do a basic honeycomb smocking,
Bibliography: p. 135
The best and easiest way to sew bias tape with mitered corners. I even made a little video for you to explain it super clearly.
Appliqué is a fun way to express yourself with fabric. Learn How to Applique Like a Pro by following these easy steps. It's easier than you think.
For this outfit, I used another pattern from Creations by Michie', called Diaper Shirt and Shorts, #118. I loved the puppy fabric...
It's not that difficult to make your own sleep sack, so I decided I was going to try it. It certainly beats paying $30 for another one!
If you’re a seamstress extraordinaire than you are no stranger to bias tape. You probably know a handful of ways you can apply it to your sewing projects. If you missed it, we show you how to make your own bias tape here! However, if you’re not a sewing whiz, fear not! We treated our bias tape […]
A step by step guide explaining how to read a smocking graph.
On Friday I mentioned that sewing certain seams annoys me. I never wrote about it because I’m too picky but based on a vote (2 for, none opposed, that’s democracy for you), we’ll discus…
Coucou à toutes!!!! Alors, comme souvent ces derniers temps, je tiens à m'excuser à genoux de ne pas vous répondre lorsque vous laissez de si gentils commentaires sur mes posts précédents! Encore et toujours la même excuse: le manque de temps!!!!!...
tutorial on joining the ends of quilt binding
When I first learned to smock I remember being taught about blocking, having no understanding of what I was doing and then assuming that smocking was too hard for me. This prevented me from smockin…
One of the mysteries for smockers is learning to construct the garment after the smocking is completed. It is very important to size your pleated piece correctly when tying off. For this garment, the smocking will be attached to the bottom of the front yoke. In the picture you can see the front yoke, the piping that I will be using, and the smocked piece. I carefully measured and tied off the pleated piece before smocking, but got so excited about smocking that I forgot to take a picture! Right sides up, and matching the centers, the piping is then pinned to the smocked piece. The piping should fall right above the first row of smocking. I like to use my 6 groove cording foot since the tiny piping fits just right into one of the grooves! The stitch is lengthened to about a 3.5 to attach the piping, then back to a normal stitch length when the yoke is attached. I hope that these pictures have helped solve one of the mysteries for you! Michie'
Shirring is an old technique, I know. (Shirring and smocking aren’t actually originally done with elastic…..but it sure makes things easier. And faster.) Sometimes I assume everyone knows how to do it. But then I get another email asking how to shir (or smock) fabric. So it reminds me I shouldn’t assume…………..because it is …
This video tutorial shows how to hand pleat fabric for smocking and provides several reasons why you may choose to hand pleat.
Je reprends le titre du "board" d'une amie (qui se reconnaitra... ) pour ce billet consacré aux smocks ! En effet, plusieurs amies m'ont demandé un tuto sur la chose et j'ai cédé ... Non pas que je ne veuille plus dépanner par mail ou par téléphone...
We left off in this tutorial with tying off our floss. Now we need to rethread our needle with 4 new strands of floss that has been stripped and tweaked like we did in the very beginning. We are going to stack our next row but we are increasing the number of cable stitches. Our design calls for 9 cables starting and ending with an Up stitch. You can choose to start the new row to the left or right of center. It is totally a matter of choice. I am going to start to the right of the center line. Just as we have done before, we are going to take the needle and floss through the back of a pleat to secure the knot. Bring the needle up through the bottom between the 4 and 5 pleat to the right of the center line. Bring the needle and floss through the pleat on the right and we are ready to start stacking again. I am going to stack 9 cable stitches. Sometimes I use my needle to "Lay down" a stitch. Making sure my floss is separated, I place my needle under the floss. While applying a very slight tension to the floss with the needle, I am going to pull my floss gently down. You could also use a needle trolly for this. To be totally honest, I have tried a needle trolley but didn't like it for several reason. One reason is everyone in the house liked to play Edward Scissor Hands with it. The second reason is I tended to poke myself every time I needed to push up my glasses. :-) Okay, enough of sewing tools used for weapons of mass destruction. Our next row we are increasing again. Our design calls for 11 cables stitches starting and ending with an Up stitch. This row is going to be a little different only because it is our 5th cable row. This insert was pleated on a 24 row pleater. This allows us 5 cable rows between pleating thread rows. The same way a brick layer would use a level line we are going to use our pleating thread to make sure everything is level. My fifth row is going to be just under and kissing the pleating thread row. If your picture smocking was perfect you would just stitch your 11 cable stitches. But since the world and my smocking is not always perfect I use these rows to get back on tract. I am going to start my increase row as usual (Come up in the valley between the pleats then take my needle to the left through the pleat.) To straighten out your picture smocking we are going to either fluffy the cable row a little by laying down the cable stitch as shown before…….. Or we may need to flatten out a stitch with the side of our needle. Neither of these techniques are substitutes for bad cable stitches. If these slight adjustment don't work and you are really off then you will need to take out the previous row and restack the cable row and make corrections. Everyone back on track? Our next row is something new. This row is a mirror image 11 cables. When we ended our row before, we slanted our needle on the last pleat as usual. This would bring the needle and thread in the center valley of our first stitch on this row. I have stitched these matching rows 2 different ways. One is to just bring your needle and floss through the bottom of the pleat (as shown) so we are ready to stitch our cable row. This works, but I find it doesn't give much support to my first cable stitch. After years of picture smocking I really prefer something different. After I have stitched my last cable on the row before and my needle and floss are in the valley of pleat 5 and 6 (from the center line). I take my needle down to the back through the bottom of that valley. Bring my needle and floss back up the same valley but not in the same needle hole. Then bring my needle and floss to the right through the bottom of the pleat as shown. Notice that my needle depth with either technique is identical to the previous row. We are almost done! Two rows left. We are decreasing on both rows. The first row will be 9 cable stitches and the second will be 7 cable stitches. Both rows are starting and stopping with a Down stitch. Lets see if you know how to proceed on your own. Walla we are done (with the Gingerbread Girl's head)! Oh No!……...Before I tied off my floss I noticed the dreaded "Two headed Cable Stitch". I knew this would bug me so I unstitched my last row and fixed it by making sure my floss was really separated and slanting my needle more on the last stitch. Now we are done! What next? Normally, I would say we were going to turn our work over and finish the body of the Gingerbread girl. Since the Gingerbread Boy's head is identical and everything is fresh in our mind, your homework is to duplicate what you have just learned. You know how to read the design and dissect it. How to choose your starting spot. How to strip and and squeak you floss. How to tie on. How to start your row. How to decrease a stacked cable row. How to increase a stacked cable row. How to stitch a matching cable row. And how to tie off. Note: We are getting ready for an Ice storm followed by snow to hit here at the farm on Friday. Due to the possibilities of having no electricity the next installment may be delayed. We are busy getting the farm prepared for the possibilities (gas for the generator and the vehicles, wood rack filled up, extras straw in the chicken house, everything charged up and something for me to smock) Stay safe and warm!~jg
smocking, picture smocking, tutorials
A round-up of free geometric smocking plates to stitch and sew for children.
Ahhh, the weather is fine and the pleasures are simple. Peanut's First Birthday is rapidly approaching. His party is a Peter Rabbit theme...
The need for Wee Care gowns, listings of free sewing patterns and smocking plates to create these beautiful gowns for charity.
I love starting new projects - especially projects with new and unique techniques! I recently purchased two sweet baby daygown books from Ma...
Alrighty...I'm by no means an expert at this technique, and to be quite honest, this was my first attempt at machine smocking . I'm wor...
