maggiebsmocks

Mystery Smocking LAST CHANCE!

Due to additional requests, I am offering the Mystery Smock A-Long one last time before Christmas.

Thank you to those who have played along with the Mystery Smocking Plate. About 75% of those who started the previous sessions have made it to the end.

What is this, you ask?

1. Send me a email at maggieb.blog2@gmail.com requesting to play along.

2. I will send you confirmation with a materials list. You will have 48 hours to gather the supplies. 

3. Once you have supplies in hand  and you email me the list, you will be assigned to a team. Teams are grouping of players who are working at the same time. 

~IF YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE that you want to make up your team, say a SAGA Chapter, message board group, whatever, I am willing to work with you to keep you all on the same team. Otherwise, teams will be assigned randomly as requests come in.

~WHY THE TEAM? I found that those who were group together were more successful in finishing. You will cheer each other on and learn from each other along the way.

~If you do not keep up with the team, you will be dropped from the loop.

Hint: it is a free smocking plate suitable for an insert or ball. You will choose your own colors to make it for Christmas, Easter or anything you wish!

IF you want to play along, I will email you the daily directions. This will be the only way you will get this free smocking design!

4. There are 3 stages to the smocking plate. You MUST COMPLETE EACH STAGE BEFORE MOVING ON.

5. Please email me before 9PM, Dec. 2, (Weds.) to be included in the final round of the Mystery Smocking Plate.

If you have already started the plate but wish to continue, I will be happy to group you with others who are already in the loop. However, this is the same design so if you have played along and received the third plate, I ask that you sit this round out. (It is too confusing to juggle additional emails.)

I will only be using maggieb.blog2 @ gmail.com for this round.

Thanks!

maggieb!

CSP #4: a Wee Care bonnet example

Continuing the comfortable smocking position discussion...

Here are two pictures of a Wee Care bonnet. The first one shows the pleats tied off with the pleats close together in the comfortable smocking position.

Note the smocking pleats are pulled up to about 5.5"

This is an extremely simple smocking design consisting of two step trellises over a half space using floss shading.

Floss shading is a nice way to add design interest to a super simple (plain) smocking design. 

1. Use two strands of the colored floss for the center two passes. 

2. The next two passes, one on either side of the original passes, are smocked with one strand of white floss and one strand of the colored floss. 

3. The next two passes, smocked to the outside of the white/colored pass are smocking in plain white.

4. The final passes, working toward the back and front of the bonnet, are one of the colored floss and one white.

Here is the bonnet pulled to the full width. Note there is no distortion of the smocking. 
It is the pleats underneath flowing out like water being poured into a bigger contain.

This is the same smocking design, smocked with variegated floss.

Again, very plain stitch design, letting the floss play speak instead of the stitch configuration.

This will be the final post for a few days. I'm heading back to Mom's. I have been very lucky this summer and now fall to have the ability to care for her. I know this time is going to pass and I am counting my blessings.

Smock on, Friends!

mag

CPS #3 Serendipity, a sample of straight smocking a bishop

Continuing on about the position of pleats for smocking...

Remember when smocking to keep the pleats lined up straight up and down at all times. This includes smocking a bishop yoke. 

You need to adjust the pleat position as you smock even though you have tied your fabric off to the comfortable smocking position. Sliding the pleats back and forth to get the needle and floss into the side of the pleat is necessary. The pleats are held close together like soldiers standing in formation. They are not too far apart but not squished together either. They are just next to each other, neat & tidy. I move the pleats apart with the needle and my thumb as I stitch.

It is the ever-opening design common in bishop smocking plates that gives a bishop it's natural flair. Note the common use of a stem, outline or cable stitch on the top rows of a bishop plate. Following this there are usually a couple rows of combination stitches blending cables and short waves (trellises). Finally, the last few rows of a bishop plate are usually multistep waves across a full row or two.

Think of it this way: you have X amount of fabric to spread out under a cable stitch. With a 4 step trellis (wave) you are adding 4 times X to the cable movement. 

Sample of a bishop plate using this concept. YES! It was smocked using the straight method.

CSP Continues

Thanks for the compliment, Janet.

If the pleats are too far apart to smock, yes, you need to improve the pleat situation. There are a couple ways you can do this.

 1. Add fabric to add more pleats to the section.  

         a. Pleat the full 44" width of fabric if you were using less.

         b. Use a fabric that has a greater width than 44". This is especially easy when using Spechler-Vogel (Imperial) broadcloth since it now comes in a 60" width.

         c. Pleat down the length of the fabric instead of across the width. Remember to cut everything in the same direction if you choose this method for a garment like a yoke dress.

         d. Seam addition fabric to the main fabric using my Teeny Tiny French Seam  technique     followed by the pleating technique shown in How to Pleat a Bishop .

        I recommend adding width to each end of the center panel avoiding a seam near the center of     the insert, giving balance at the sides.

OR!

2. Plump the pleats

    a. Use a thicker fabric. For instance, use broadcloth instead of  batiste. Use Kona cotton instead of broadcloth.

         b. Pleat something behind the fabric.

                  1. Iron German Interfacing to the back of the fabric prior to pleating.  Debbie Glenn imports this product.

                  2. Pleat a second layer of fabric. Pleat them as a single unit.

Having said these two things...YOU need to take into consideration the project at hand. Does adding extra width make the item look silly? Conversely, removing fabric because it is too thick, does it leave too little for the item to function? I'll talk more about this in the next post.

The Comfortable Smocking Position

The Comfortable Smocking Position

This theory is based on the assumption the weight of the fabric, amount of fabric and pattern are compatible for the given project. More on this later.

People who have read my work or taken classes with me are familiar with my phrase “the comfortable smocking position”. When I say this, I am not referring to sitting in the overstuffed chair in the corner. I am talking about the pleats in relation to each other and the embroidery (smocking) on top of the pleats.

Smocking should be stitched in a consistent tension holding the pleats together uniformly. The stitches should all be similar in size. 

It is not the actual stitching that stretches but the unused portion of the pleat below the embroidery allowing movement that give smocking its elastic characteristic.

To correct tension problems from one project to the next, try the following:

1. Pleat using the full compliment of half spaces.

a.    Pleat all Whole Rows in one color quilting thread.

b.    Pleat all Half Spaces in another color quilting thread. Pleat the top and bottom Holding Rows in this color one full space from the top and bottom Rows. This is a quick visual reminder not to count these as Rows.

2.   Position the first Whole Row on the seamline for your pattern..

3. Tie off Rows 1 & 1.5 and the top Holding Row as a single unit. Do ,       the same for the Bottom Row & BR -.5 and last Holding Row.

        Tie these off to a length greater than the finished size.

Example: a yoke measures 14”, tie these gathering threads off to 15”-16”. This length is irrelevant with the exception that it needs to be longer than the finished size.

4. Tie off all remaining Whole Rows in pairs to the long length.

 5.   Tie off Half Space Rows in pairs to the comfortable             smocking position. This means the pleats are next to each        other closely with out squishing or distorting them. You              will be able to move the pleats along the gathering threads        like cars of a train on the train tracks.

        Example: My Imperial Broadcloth, 44" wide panel, pleats will be pulled up to 9"-10"

 

Conversely, if the pleats are spread out and tied off to the finished distance, 14" is this example, the pleats are too far apart to smock.

 

6.   Smock as usual with a consistent tension throughout. 

7.   Remove all Half Space gathering threads. *NOT the top and bottom Holding Rows!!

8.   Block smocking using the gathering threads on the Whole Rows along with the Holding rows at the top and bottom.

9.   Construct garment as usual.

The point of this lesson is that there is no need to block pleating to finished size before smocking. Trust the concept the the unused portion of the pleat (that which has not embroidery) is going to allow 'give' or 'stretch' once the gathering threads or out. Think of it like elastic. You wouldn't prestretch your elastic, you would trust it to have give, right? 

 

 

 

 

milestones

Today, I had my 20,000th visitor (give or take a few based on the reliability of the counter).

That's all.

Smock on!

Emma Lee G, a Smocking Plate for the Holidays

Emma Lee G, a Holiday Smocking Plate

A friend of mine (M) requested a special piece to give to her dear Grand Daughter to wear for the Holidays. M. had a jumper made to go underneath this piece in a beautiful shade of red. The jumper will be worn for a couple years so she wanted the over piece to fit likewise. I made this pini top for my own Emily many times over the years so knew it would be perfect for this request. 

                                            The pattern is Leigh’s Bib by designer LouAnne Lamar of Beaucoup. 

This bib is made from Imperial broadcloth. We decided to use a fabric that required little care and Imperial is the best fabric when anyone mentions they don’t like to iron.

I smocked with Anchor floss. Red: 1015, Green: 683.

 

There are 15 design repeats across a 44” wide piece of broadcloth.

 

This is smocking plate is also suitable for a Christmas ball or Kissing Ball. A close up of the smocking:

The design covers 10 full space Rows. The red passes at the center begin on R5.5, four quarter-steps up to R4.5, one over cable, four quarter-steps down to R5.5, cable 3.

The green passes use five quarter-steps over 1-¼ spaces.

The outer motifs include a cable pass in red on R1 & 10 followed by 2 red passes repeating the full space, quarter-step trellis with the three cables in between.

Note the added splash of color with the green interjected inside the cable/trellis motifs at the outer borders. The green is smocked only inside the motif, taken to the back at the cable connecting the motif to the original cable pass then brought back up on the other side of the cable. There is no need to tie each of the green off each time. Take the floss to the back in the outside valley of the stitch and bring it up at the valley of the next placement.

This is how I stitch my six-cable flowerettes too.

I start and end all of my passes at the bottom of the valley rather than the side of the pleat. I learned this trick from Laura Jenkins Thompson in her Perfecting Picture Smocking book. Now reprinted, I highly recommend this book to smockers even if they aren’t planning to picture smock a great deal. The tips MissLaura in the book helped my smocking improve by leaps and bounds. You can order the book from your local smocking store or here:

BessieMary.com

I take the valley stitch one step further. I stitch a tiny bite and I mean 2-3 threads of the fabric behind the previous cable.I find this ‘anchors’ the stitch and prevents that unsightly gap that can happen when transitioning from one area to the next.

 

Happy Holidays, Emma Lee G! Thank you for the inspiration for this smocking design.

 

 

A Bra Purse Chatelaine

In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What exactly IS a BRA PURSE?

A bra purse starts out as a brassiere. From there, the bra identity ends. It becomes a decorated bag that expresses the identity of the maker.

I had the opportunity to participate in a challenge requiring me to use pearls, perles and or purls. I opted to include all three words in my playful piece. As a seamstress, I decided to make my bag into a fun chatelaine to keep my sewing tools in order as I stitch.

 

I started with a fairly stiff cup underwire bra that I cut off the backs and straps. I started by embroidering directly on the cups but found the latex shape difficult to hand stitch through. I added a fabric cover to each cup outside. That gave me something to stitch through for embellishments. MUCH EASIER!

 

I opted to keep one side fairly flat with the English lace motifs. The hot pink underneath was a scrap of silk dupioni. I added seed pearls to add some lace motifs.

The reverse side started out as a child’s handkerchief. I cut the black/pink  plaid away from the edges leaving the pink and white print for the foundation. 

I then ruched the edge sections into flowers. I added a mother of pearl button to the center of each flower. Cotton rick rack became the flower stems and leaves.

 

Note the pearl forming the body of the butterfly each side.

To incorporate the purl idea, there is a cast on buttonhole loop that forms the anchor loop. This is the only semi-closure for the bag.

Mother of pearl thread rings are attached to the lower edge to hold perle cotton threads, ready to stitch my next project.

I stitched two black butterflies to the inside of the cups as little pockets. They hold thread spools and thimbles.

 

Here are a couple links to find out mare about bra purses.

How to make a bra purse.

to find thread rings

Sharing the Needlepoint of Raymond Dockstader

Sometimes the light shines upon us and brings special people into our lives. I count my time with Mr. Raymond Dockstader as one of those special occasions.

I met Mr. D several years ago working with the Woodlawn NeedleArts Show in Alexandria Virginia. I am the person who check pieces into the Collection for each Show. I see just about everyone who walks through the doors. After a few years, certain people stand out in your memory. Mr. D was at the top of my list. I always looked forward to seeing what magical piece he was sharing with the public that year.

Mr. D came to live in the Washington DC area from his home State of Montana. He was a Hill Aide. Specifically, he was a speech writer for Senator Mike Mansfield. However, Raymond Dockstader was an artist. A GENUINE ARTIST. He was a painter, printer, photographer and needlepoint artist.

Mr. D would sit with his basket of threads & canvas and stitch. He never drew out designs. He never followed a pattern or graph. He drew colors from his lot and stitched as the mood suited him. Some of the attention to detail in design is seen in the borders of these cushions.

Can you see the minute color changes?

These tiny cushions, Raymond called paper weights. They are weighted with beans, I suspect. Each cushion is a mere 3" square.

One of my most favorite pieces Mr. D showed at Woodlawn was a lucite box wall hanging with 25 of these cushions mounted inside. He said he had given away as many cushions as he was able to and he was afraid to keep giving them as his friends might tire of them. 

Imagine my delight when I saw a display of little cushions at the estate sale today. I rudely pushed my way in and grabbed these five. Needless to say, the cushions were gone in minutes. Now, to be fair, a gentleman mentioned he saw one he was interested in but it was gone before he had a chance to grab it. I DID OFFER that if one of mine was the one he wanted, he was welcome to it. Luckily, it wasn't in my group.

I also picked up a few unframed/finished works. I plan to let my Nelly's Needlers' friends complete them to be sold in the Museum Shop during the annual Needle Arts Show in Mr. D's honor. 

Many people attended the Needle Arts Show just to get a glimpse of what Mr. D brought in for the year. Mr. D was honored last year, at what would be his final Show, with the Director's Choice Award for his collection of 3 pieces. I squealed with delight when I saw the award. Now it means more than ever.

You see, sometimes those Needle Art Judges didn't like his work. They critiqued the colors. The stitching. The design. Yet, Mr. D showed every year whether he was going to win a ribbon or not. At 78 years old and living with Macular Degeneration, Mr. Raymond Dockstader continued to do what he loved. Stitching and Sharing. I pray in my old age, when my eyes have failed me, I will still find pleasure in my art. 

Godspeed, Mr. D. 

maggieb!

 

WEE CARE: Peaches & Cream

Peaches and Cream 

Beading with Ribbon, a Curved Smocking Design

maggie bunch © 2008

Inspired by the Peaches and Cream Challenge for SAGA Convention, 2008, I created this Wee Care bonnet and smocking design. The bonnet is perfect for Wee Care because the size is fully adjustable with a trick of the ties. Not only is it fitting for homecoming for the Wee One, it is suitable for the baby for several months after too.

Materials:

Fabric: 29” X 5 1/2”

Lace edging: 31” narrow, 1/4” – 3/8”

Lace Beading: 42”

Narrow Ribbon: 36”

NOTE: I tea dyed my white lace to blend in with the peach Nelona.

Step 1. Cut fabric and laces to size.

Step 2. Pleat fabric & tie off gathering threads.

1. 12 Half Spaces, 1/2“ from the front edge. Leave gathering threads long to flatten the fabric to apply lace edging.
   
2. Pull gathering threads ¾” from the side edge. 
   
3. Tie off the gathering threads in pairs leaving threads long for now.
   

Step 3. Sew laces to fabric edges.

1.           Sew narrow lace edging to the front edge of the bonnet using the roll & whip technique. Leave a 1” tail of edging at each end to encase the beading ends later.
2.           Press lace edging away from the font edge of the fabric.  
3. 
4.          Lace beading is roll and whipped to the two sides and the back edge. Leave a 1/4” tail of beading at the front of the first side edge. Roll & Whip the beading to the first side edge. Leave a section of lace to miter at the corner of the first edge and back. However, do NOT miter the corner and do NOT cut the lace! This leaves a small tail of lace sticking out at the corner. Simply fold the lace over and begin rolling and whipping again along the back edge. Again, at the next corner, leave a lace tail, fold over the lace and roll & whip the second side.
5.           Press lace away from the fabric.
6.           Hand whip the lace edging tail over the raw edge of the lace beading enclosing the raw ends of each lace. 

 Weave 1/8” double-faced satin ribbon from the center back toward each back corner. 

Cross over the ribbon weaving to the opposite side allow the ribbon to form the  drawstring effect at the back edge.

Gently pull the ribbon ends to the front drawing in the back edge into the bonnet shape.

The drawstring makes the bonnet suitable for many sizes!

A general word about curved smocking designs:

Curved smocking is easy once you get the hang of it!

I like to think of it like this:

There are two times you ‘transition’ from holding the floss over or under the needle in curved smocking rather than alternating stitches in traditional smocking. Think of the in line (cable) stitches like as a series of outline (Floss OVER the needle) and stem (floss UNDER the needle like a flower’s stem) stitches.

Transition in the middle of on-the-line sequence and at each peak of the trellis.

 For instance, A 2 step trellis/7stitch curve is worked like this:

Begin smocking with an over cable on Row 1, Floss is OVER THE NEEDLE

Stitch two steps down to Row 2, Floss is OVER THE NEEDLE.

Stitch 3 outline stitches on Row 2, FLOSS OVER THE NEEDLE

TRANSITION to floss UNDER the needle

Stitch 4 stem stitches on the line, floss UNDER the needle.

Stitch 2 steps up to Row 1, floss UNDER the needle.

TRANSITION: floss to OVER the needle to make the top cable stitch of the trellis sequence.

Beading with Ribbon, a Curved Smocking Design

Cut a 30” length of floss in order to smock the first pass. 

CENTER THE DESIGN

Smock from center two pleats to right edge. Leave the first half of the floss dangling at the back to pick up later. Return to the center stitch, remove it bringing the floss to the top to work the stitch sequence in the opposite direction. To smock the other side of the Row, turn the bonnet upside down, replace the center stitch and continue working.

Once the design is ‘set’ you may smock from one edge to the other rather than starting at the center two pleats on each pass.

Begin smocking on Row 3 with an over cable on the center two pleats. (This is the middle of the curve.)

Outline stitch 3 on Row 3. etc

Trellis 2 half spaces down to Row 4.

TRANSITION! Now the floss is UNDER the needle. Under cable on Row 4.

Fill in the center curved space with stacked cables to look like ribbon inside the beading!

My apologies for the random 3...typepad kicked my bum today. But rather than retype everything for a fourth time, I am posting.

Happy smocking!