Strawberry Jam!

Note: the graph begins at the center two pleats! Note too: Begin smocking on Row 2 with the upper portion of the strawberry*. Although the colors are difficult to differentiate on the graph, there are 3 colors used in this design. The green stitches are drawn in blue ink. The dark pink stitches are drawn in red. The light pink stitches are drawn in black. 

Graph paper is by Ellen McCarn, Proportional Graph.

STRAWBERRY JAM a smocking lesson in Vertical S P A C I N G.

Stitches ~could~ be layered, but smocking tends to place stitches side-by-side, each occupying its own space. What about when the smocking plate tells you to stitch two passes of cables on a single Row? You know you aren’t going to be able to jam all those stitches in one place. Help is here!

This lesson reviews factors affecting stitch placement including pleater spacing, fiber choice and stitching technique.

Sixteen Row Pleater Rows are spaced ever so slightly closer together than 24 Row Pleaters. While this may not make a difference over two or three Rows, it DOES make a difference by the time you are down to the eighth or tenth Row.

This is particularly evident in older smocking plates designed for the original pleater, the Read 16 Row. One solution is to begin smocking at the horizontal middle of the design. That way you are building upward and downward, spreading (or lessening) the spacing variation over two directions rather than just one. When smocking a geometric design, stitch the pass that ‘sets the design’ first. Most likely it is not the top Row or the bottom Row. For this design, use the top of the strawberry figure. Smocking certain passes first leaves a space to fill in with the other stitches allowing the stitcher to adjust spacing accordingly.



Smocking with stranded cotton, perle cotton, floche or silk fibers will vary the size of the stitches. When in doubt, smock a sample with the fiber on a small pleated piece.

Not all stranded cotton (floss) is created equal. The old adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ is true when it comes to floss. For best coverage, try Anchor floss or Madeira floss. Fluffier floss means fuller stitches. I know we are splitting hairs here. Really, how wide is a single strand of floss? Trust me on this one. Stringy DMC will smock a thinner line than fluffy Madeira floss.

Strawberry Jam uses four strands of floss for every pass. The ~design~ did not call for four strands, the bold background fabric dictated the extra strand. Jam’s stitches are bulked up in two ways: better quality plus an additional strand of floss. This design on a less busy ground could be pleasing with just three strands of floss. Remember three strands will occupy less space than four strands.

Floche: one strand is comparable to 2 strands of floss. Floche is not twisted as tightly as floss therefore it wears more easily. Use shorter lengths when smocking with floche.

Perle cotton is a round fiber. It can be used for smocking and is quite effective for some designs. Instead of adding a strand of fiber to perle, use a lower number weight for bolder stitches. Perle 12 is nice for backsmocking since it doesn’t need to be stripped. Perle 8 is a good place to start smocking. It is not too heavy, not too slight.

Silks: the standards for silks are very different than the cottons with details vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some flosses are very fine requiring 4-6 strands to look similar to 3 strands of cotton floss while another brand may require three or four strands. Silk ribbon, 2mm width, looks interesting in smocking too. Remember to use very short sections with silk, as it is more likely to fray and wear with each stitch. Once again, when in doubt, stitch a sample!



HINT: I Smock just the center front section with three or four passes leaving the extra fiber dangling at the back. This helps identify any pattern or spacing problems limiting frog stitching if mistakes were made.

I prefer to use extra long fiber lengths to limit tying off as much as possible. For a bishop, cut a 36”ish length of fiber. Thread the needle, drawing half to the front of the garment to work in one direction, leaving half dangling at the back to use later for the opposite direction. I know there are purists having a stroke right now thinking of the horrors that I would possibly encourage you to use the embroidery floss against the grain. Remember the basics, untwist the floss every 10-12 stitches. If the floss is wearing, obviously, tie off and start a new section. Most importantly, when stripping the floss into strands, replace them in the same direction for each new section.



Finally, the biggest variance in smocking is the stitcher’s hand. Tension is the biggest culprit. Pulling hard to cinch stitches into place will pull the fibers closer together giving a smaller appearance. Conversely, leaving the stitches loosey-goosey will make the stitches look fatter. The key is to stitch with the correct tension. The goal of each stitch in smocking is simply to be embroidery on top of pleats to help control gathered fabric. The stitches themselves are not ‘elastic’. It is the unused portion of the pleat underneath the stitches that gives smocking the appearance of stretching.



Strawberry Jam has 4 passes touching Rows 1 & 2. That is A LOT of smocking in a very small space. *First smock the fourth pass, the 5 cable - 2-step trellis combination a needle’s width below the gathering thread on Row 2. Next smock the top cable Row one needle’s width above the gathering thread. THEN fill in the other two passes compensating for the allowed space.

Note: the graph begins at the center two pleats!

• Row 1. Cable.
• Row 1-1.5. 7 cable/half space baby wave/3 cable combination.
• Row 2-1.5. 5 cable - 2-step trellis X 2 combination.
• *Row 2-2.5. 5 cable - 2-step trellis X 2 combination.
• Row 4-2.5. 3 cable - 3-step trellis/2 step trellis combination.
• Row 4.5-3.5. 5 cable - 5-step trellis combination.
• Row 5-4. 7 cable - 4-step trellis combination.
• Row 6-5. 7 cable - 4-step trellis combination.
• Row 7-6. 7 cable - 4-step trellis combination.
• Fill in the strawberry with 3 french knots blending 2 strands of each light and dark pink floss.

Madeira cotton colors:

• Light pink: 0505
• Dark pink: 0507
• Green combination: 1206 &1207

NOTE: This design uses two shades of green floss blended together. Variegated floss colors did not change often enough for the look I wanted. Using the individual colors side by side did not look right either. By blending the two shades I was able to vary the colors similar to the printed fabric. REMEMBER! Restrip blended flosses OFTEN to maintain the best color variation. Your fabric may not dictate the blended colors; use your own best judgment to match your fabric.