Picture Smocking Unraveled-Part 1 Blocking

PICTURE SMOCKING TUTORIAL PART 1 Blocking
Spring brings not only flowers outdoors, but a desire to sew and smock all kinds of cute clothing!
I'm re-posting my series on smocking tutorials since I have changed blogging platforms and many of my links take you to ......nothing!!!  Now, you should be able to find the tutorials!!!!

Recently I have seen picture smocking on many facebook style auctions.  You know the ones I'm talking about?  Picture smocking requires "stacking" cable stitches to create a picture.  Since I loved to color as a child (you may still catch me coloring) picture smocking affords me to "color" with  thread.

Picture smocking can be done on bishops (around the neck and shoulders)

or an insert (inset) that is placed into a garment.

To begin, select one of many picture smocking "plates" (short for template) available from many designers, available online or from specialty sewing stores.

PICTURE REMOVED PER REQUEST OF SMOCKING DESIGNER

Then have your 100% cotton fabric pleated with the number of rows required for your intended project.  I prefer the stability of broadcloth for picture smocking.



For my selection, I need 9 rows of gathering threads pleated.  Always make sure you have a "holding row" at the top and bottom of your insert.  Then you have the actual rows that make the picture smocking.  This pattern has an "H" for holding on the very top row and the row 9 serves as the second "holding row".

PICTURE REMOVED PER REQUEST OF SMOCKING DESIGNER


"Blocking" your insert is required prior to smocking to insure the piece will fit into your garment correctly!  You don't want to spend the time it takes to smock only to discover the insert has been squeezed tightly by your stitches and is too little to be sewn into your garment.:(

Next, scrunch all the pleats over to the left hand side (make sure there is a knot holding all the threads together)  pulling on the top and bottom of the insert to "straighten" any puckers.  Hold your steam iron over the insert and steam the pleats.  DO NOT IRON THE PLEATS!!!  Let this dry.

You need to make sure you're smocking on the "right" side of the insert.  Since broadcloth is essentially the same on both sides this doesn't create a problem with the fabric.  However, there is a "right" and "wrong" side to the pleating.  In order to stitch into each pleat while smocking you want as much of the pleat to be above the gathering thread as possible.  So....look at both sides of your insert.  The stitches that are longest are on the wrong side.  "Wrong is Long"  Notice that on the pleats, there is little room to take a "bite" of fabric with your needle while smocking.

Notice here that the stitches are shorter and therefore, this is the "right" side.  The pleats give you more room to take a stitch when pulled together.

After the insert is completely dry, you are ready to pull the gathering threads from the left side away from the fabric and snip off the knot.

I use the blocking board that can be purchased from Martha Pullen's website.  When I first started smocking, however, I used a bulletin board that had been covered with muslin and a grid that had been covered with contact paper.

Make sure to line up the left edge of the fabric so that it is square.  Secure with several pins.

Stretch the pleats out from the left side.

Measure the seam allowance.  My particular garment pattern requires 1 3/4 inch seam allowance in order for the insert to fit into the clothing I'm planning on making.  So I use a seam guide to find that width and notice which pleat lines up with that required 1 3/4 inch allowance.

Using a straight pin, (I've also used a seam ripper only to break my gathering threads so I don't suggest this method :( pull each row out gently along the same pleat all the way down the left side.  It should look like this....

Now you will take 2 of the tails and tie and overhand knot.

Using your right hand on the right side of the fabric, gently pull the top two gathering threads through the fabric until the first knot is "seated" right against the left first pleat.

This is a properly "seated" knot.  :)  Continue all the way down the left side.  If you have an odd number of rows (as I do in this particular design) just tie the last 3 together.  (When I pleat my inserts, I use one color-pink in this case- for the top holding row, all the smocked rows are orange and the bottom holding row is blue to help me while picture smocking)

Now it is time to count the pleats.  I use one color of (white) pins across the top of my insert and count out 10 pleats at a time and mark them with my pins.

Write this number down or put it into your handy cell phone calculator!

Look at your template to make sure you have enough pleats to cover the smocking design.

PICTURE REMOVED PER REQUEST OF SMOCKING DESIGNER

This particular design calls for a total of 162 pleats.  I have more than enough to cover that!  (I will use only the amount required since I'm making a small 6 mos size garment, if I make something bigger I like to leave extra pleats on each side to cover a larger chest area)

After dividing 162 pleats by 2 I get 81 which is the center of my smocking design.  So now I recount the white pins by 10's until I get to 80 then add the 1 pleat and mark it with a blue pin.  Take a safety pin and secure it on the center pleat.

  Determine the width your insert needs to be by consulting the pattern.  The pattern I'm using has a "blocking guide" to give me the width the insert needs to be to fit into the garment properly.

My project needs to be 12inches wide so I'll stretch out the right side of the insert on my board to the 12 inch mark.  Make sure that the edges are square and pin into place.

Repeat the measuring process used with the left side to determine where to pull out your gathering threads so you can tie off the right side. Since my project requires 162 pleats total, I'm going to be sure I have 81 pleats from center to right side in order to have enough pleats for my design. Do the same for your required number of pleats, depending on which smocking template you selected.   (As mentioned before, if you have extra on BOTH sides for a larger insert, it is ok unless it is too big for the blocking guide so refer to your pattern)  Again, I will use the 1 3/4 " seam allowance called for in my pattern.

Repeat the process for pulling out the threads up to the pleat at the end of your measurement.  Use a pin and go down the entire length of the pleat pulling out the gathering threads.
(see above pic like we did on the left side)

 Now remove all the white pins across the top of the insert and mark the center pleat top and bottom with a water soluble fabric pen.  Slide the pleats over gently using your fingernails or a wide toothed comb.  (Be careful if you have colored nail polish on!) Put your marked center of the insert in the middle of your measurement.  In my case 12 inches wide divided in half is 6, so I put my safety pinned center pleat on 6 inches.

Pin the insert at the top and bottom, making sure the center pleat is straight and squared.  Continue to adjust the pleats from the left side to the center .

Now it is time to tie off the right side.  I take a pin and secure it to the right side of the last pleat required for my design in between the first two gathering rows.  On the right side I tie a square knot using the pin for leverage to make sure I get the knot "seated" securely on the right side of that last pleat.

Continue down the right side in two's, remembering to tie an odd number of rows by using the tail of the gathering row above it.

I promise we are almost through!  Now give the gathering threads a "haircut" to about an inch within the knots on both sides.

The last step in the blocking process is to adjust the pleats with your fingernails getting them straight and no puckers, then spray starch the insert while it is still pinned to the board.

Let it dry completely and then you'll be ready to smock!
Join me on a  Spring Smock-along ---Part 2 coming next!

UPDATE:  link to Part 2
https://neyneysnest.blogspot.com/2015/03/picture-smocking-tutorial-part-2.html
Smooth Smocking,

Renee
UPDATE--6/27/17--PICTURES REMOVED AT REQUEST OF SMOCKING DESIGNER, REQUEST FOR REPUBLISHING BY PINTEREST USER.  Thanks!!!!! 😉

Whoops! Copyright Woes

Be careful when posting pictures of someone elses' work, patterns, etc.  Always check first before posting...

Not realizing I had violated Cross-Eyed Cricket's copyright, posts dealing with picture smocking had to be removed.  I had used her "owls" smocking template to do a tutorial .  Although she praised the tutorial itself, she wasn't happy about using her template in my pictures and using the name even though I gave credit where credit was due. Based on what I had read, I thought posting the article was done correctly. She asked that in the future I got permission.  Rather than address the issue with a claim to Pinterest, she contacted me directly.  Although her email was polite, I felt like a child that had their hand slapped for wrong-doing, and removed the post.

A web article from Baylor University says, "Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder for purposes such as criticism, parody, news reporting, research and scholarship, and teaching. There are four factors to consider when determining whether your use is a fair one.

The four fair use factors are as follows:

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether the use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. The nature of the copyrighted work, such as whether the work is fiction or non-fiction, published or unpublished;
3. The amount of the work used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, such as using a poem in its entirety, or using one chapter from a long book;
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for the copyrighted work.   http://www.baylor.edu/copyright/index.php?id=56543

Whoops!
Still sewing in my happy place!
Renee

Smocking Blog Posts

We all have moved before....sometimes it takes a while to get everything unpacked and put where it needs to be....
Such is the case with this blog that I moved from my previous web platform.  The content moved but links to the pictures were broken.  I have corrected this issue.

http://neyneysnest.blogspot.com/2013/06/picture-smocking-unraveled-part-2.html

This blog discusses the prep involved BEFORE  actually picture smocking.

Here are others discussing picture smocking:

http://neyneysnest.blogspot.com/2015/03/picture-smocking-tutorial-part-2.html

http://neyneysnest.blogspot.com/2014/04/spring-smock-along-picture-smocking.html

Enjoy the tutorials!

Happy Smocking,
Renee

P.S.All tutorials, information and images are the property of Renee Galloway at Ney Ney's Nest and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, pin, share with attribution to Ney Ney's Nest.  For all other purposes, please contact me at reneegalloway@me.com.  Thanks!

Picture Smocking Tutorial-Part 2

Easter is around the corner and will be here before we know it!
Smocking is synonymous with Easter and bunnies....

Today's blog is a tutorial to help with the picture smocking that is so very popular.
Let me first say that you must know how to do a basic cable stitch before trying picture smocking.
If you aren't comfortable with this basic smocking stitch, I'd recommend practicing more geometric smocking before moving on.

If you have mastered the basic cable stitch come on along!

After you have blocked your piece (see tutorial here) smocking can begin!

I like to "backsmock" my piece first to keep my pleats nice and tight and evenly aligned.

This is simply cable stitches on each row in floss color that matches your fabric.  

You'll see knots showing.  Why? This is the back--I don't want any knots to go through to the front.

After all the "prep" work is done, the actual "coloring" with the thread can begin!

Some smockers wait and do this step last....this is just my personal preference.

(I think it also gets the plain stuff done first and I can enjoy the creative stitching and be ready to put it into an outfit!)

Pay special attention to the starting point of your particular "plate" or smocking pattern.  For illustration sake, I'm using the smocking plate "Baby Brown Owls" by Cross Eyed Cricket. 

You'll see I use a highlighter,  a magnetic cross stitch board and magnet strips covered in painter's tape with an arrow drawn with a sharpie.

Per the instructions, I smock the cable stitches on row 1, 2 and 7 1/2  in the colors on the instructions.

Next we follow the instructions for cable stitches that are "stacked" that form something like bricks in a wall to "color" our pictures.  It is very much a premeditated system; staying in rows, stacking our cables so they match in the overall scheme of things to create a picture...thus "picture smocking".

According to my smocking plate, my first cable stitch to touch is a "down" cable preceded by an "up" cable.  It comes in from the left edge 4 pleats.  I usually use the already stitched cables to find the correct spot.  (sometimes it is necessary to "fudge" if I have miscounted in previous stitches)  My first "up" cable will begin one pleat in front of the green "up" cable on row 2.

This picture shows the correct placement for my up cable stitch.

 The thread comes up in the valley, make an "up" cable.

 The tail is "down" so your next cable is a down cable.

Your down cable should touch or "kiss" (my saying in classes I teach) the previous up cable.  Think about kissing....your heads move - one goes one way, the other the other way.  In this case it is a down cable matching an up cable.   This is a good way to check for errors!  If the tail isn't ready to lay across the previous row's stitch, you've either miscounted and are stacking at the wrong point OR you are getting ready to do the wrong type of cable!!

Sorry for the blurry pic but you'll see the down cable nestles nicely on top of the previous row's up cable.  The tail is up high ready for and up cable.

So I completed the required number of cables in a row right on top of row 2.  See how the down cables touch the previous row's up cables forming a stack? The up cables form the base for another row of stitching.

I need to change colors to form the flower, so I push the needle down in the valley where the tail just came up.

Turn it over and tie off.  (Notice my "honking" knots!  they won't show and they make me feel secure!)  no pun intended....ha ha!

To begin the next color, I push the needle up in the same valley, close to the same spot I tied off in.

Can you figure out what stitch comes next based on the previous row?

An up cable!  Then the pink "kisses" the brown threads just as before!  So I finish with the flower cables.

Check the chart again and notice there is a white spot or a blank between the "pink" and beginning the rest of the green leaf on the other side.  See my needle pointing to the spot?? What should happen here?  Skip a row and begin a green "up" cable so that two up cables are sitting side by side.

Look closely and you can see the little piece of white below the pink stitch?  I'm coming in from the back into the valley next to the pink up cable to start a green up cable.

Finish the cable stitches as directed in instructions.  See the space of white?

Now use your highlighter on a copied smocking plate.  (Never mark on your originals!)

Turn your magnetic board up side down and turn the arrow so that it is pointing up AND turn your smocking up side down to match! We are ready to do our second row of picture smocking!  

Starting again at the left in the correct spot per your smocking plate and begin again.  A closer view of my plate indicates a down cable hanging out by itself.

The next cable up cable "kisses" the row above.  I'm right on track!

Continue with your stitches, then mark them off and flip the magnetic board back right side up as well as the arrow magnet and your insert.

Moving right along to finish the other picture smocking leaves and flowers.  See how nicely the others look?  Remember to flip the board and insert for each row.  This is really handy if you need to get up for any reason and need to find your place again.  (potty breaks can be gruesome if you lose your spot....what about another cup of coffee?)

Some plates come with a diagram showing how many cables are done per row.  This comes in handy. I have even used colored pencils to color in my color choices to speed up my stitching or if I've changed the color palette to match my fabric.

TIPS:

• Notice my finger placement.  Only concentrate on the area within your fingers.  I usually roll the left side up and let the right side dangle.  As I move along I continue to roll the left edge up to make it easier to handle.
• My stitches aren't loose but aren't tight either.  Think relaxed sewing.  You want them full enough to cover the space but not loose.  If they are too tight, white (or your background color) will show  between your stitches.  Don't worry if they aren't perfect to begin with.  My first piece shows background in between but I did it, my daughter wore it and it is hanging in my closet waiting for grands!  Practice makes perfect!
• Use 4 strands of floss that have been separated and put back together.
• For your first attempt at picture smocking, try something with few color changes and/or something that is small like pictured.  Perhaps a border with picture smocked flowers or other items that will be simple to learn.

Try not to catch the gathering threads in your stitches.  Makes for quite tedious work to pull them out at the time to construct.

 A closeup of correct picture smocking.

All done!

How did you do?

What did you select to smock as your first project?

UPDATE:  ATTRIBUTION FOR THE SMOCKING PLATE:  http://www.crosseyedcricketsmocking.com/owls.htm

Always in Stitches!

Renee

P.S.All tutorials, information and images are the property of Renee Galloway at Ney Ney's Nest and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, pin, share with attribution to Ney Ney's Nest.  For all other purposes, please contact me at reneegalloway@me.com.  Thanks!