"Stripping" your Floss

I never thought floss could have a wrong way and a right way to be inserted into fabric until recently.  Did you know that floss has a nap (rough side) and no nap (smooth side)?  It makes a difference which way you insert it into your fabric....

Have you ever been frustrated because your thread kept getting tangled and knotted?  Did your finished stitches seem tight and not fluffy?  It's all about how you "strip your floss"!

 

This method is for DMC or Anchor floss,  a 6 strand or ply fiber. The fibers are twisted around each other in the manufacturing process.  Stitches made with thread that has been "stripped" or untwisted results in prettier handwork that allows the light to reflect of of the now flatter threads in your project!

After cutting an 18"  length of floss  ( I usually measure from my wrist to my elbow) from the skein and before stripping it, notice how the end behaves.

Is it frayed open or "blossomed" or is it still wound tightly and intact?  The blossomed end is typically the "nap" side of your floss.  In other words, it has a grain or can be rougher coming through your finer fabrics such as batiste.  Close your eyes and run your fingers down the length of your floss.  Is it rough or prickly?  Start at the opposite end, close your eyes and run your fingers down the length of floss again.  Is it smooth?  I've learned that threading my needle with the "no nap" or smooth floss going into my fabric creates prettier stitches and less knotting.  So you KNOT the "blossom" end.

Holding the floss between your thumb and index finger, use the other hand to lightly tap or rub the end and "blossom" the threads to make it easier to separate.  Still holding the floss in one hand, use the other to grab only one of the six tiny threads that were wound together.  Pull that one thread through your thumb and forefinger.



 

Continue until all six strands are separated or "stripped".

 

 

 

 

Then, based on the stitches you will be using, put the threads back together.



For back smocking- use 2 threads

For geometric smocking- use 3 threads

For picture smocking- use 4 threads

 

 

 

Depending on the project I have going, I strip my floss and then regroup them accordingly.  I wind them around two fingers and lay them in my handy altoid tin that I keep my needles and scissors in.

 

 

 

Happy Stripping!

Renee

 

Picture Smocking Unraveled-Part 2 Holding Rows and Backsmocking

So, you've blocked your piece and are ready to begin smocking!  Go to my Picture Smocking Unraveled-Part 1 to block your piece.  There is still a little "prep" work to be done to ensure "picture perfect" picture smocking. (hehe love the pun?)

Next you need to secure the holding row on the top.  If you're doing an insert you can either remove from the board and smock the holding row or leave it on to make sure you don't pull the stitches too tight and draw up the pleats.  I recommend leaving the piece on the board with pins if you are a beginner or smock tightly.  If you are doing a bishop, LEAVE IT ON THE BOARD!!  You don't want to draw up the pleats with your stitches and make the insert or bishop neck too small.

First, cut a piece of floss about 18 inches long.  I use tip of my middle finger to my elbow as a guide.  Then close your eyes and run your thumb and middle finger down the floss.  Does is glide smoothly or feel like it has little burrs?  Start at the opposite end and repeat.  The direction that the floss was in that felt smooth is the way you want it to go through the eye of your needle so it will glide through the fabric and not catch.  It also makes prettier stitches.

Next, we will strip the floss.  Roll the thread between your fingers so that they separate a little and pull one strand out at a time.  It is easier to do this from the smooth side I mentioned before to keep it from ending up in a "bird's nest" like my picture.

I usually use a thread color to match the fabric I'm working on.  In this case, it is white.  For the holding rows and backsmocking I use 2 strands of floss.  Once you separate each strand, put them back together.

Notice that I rolled the 2 strand together by wrapping them around 2 fingers (above) and then I use my handy dandy altoid tin case to store these threads in as well as my needles (stuck in felt-color coded to discern types of needles) and my little embroidery scissors. (below pic)

Your next step is to smock the holding row by doing the cable stitch all the way across on the right side of your insert/bishop neckline.  Remember the saying "cable up-tail down and cable down-tail up"  just like a cat going up the stairs, his tail is down and a cat going down the stairs, his tail will be up.

then begin your cable stitches.   CABLE DOWN- tail is up and first stitch crosses 2 pleats.

Next CABLE UP (tail is down) and only cross one pleat from now on!

Completed holding rows!





To BACK SMOCK you will turn to the wrong side of your insert (Only do this on an insert, not a bishop- a bishop is designed to spread across the shoulders and neck) and cable on each row.

You will probably run out of thread before crossing the entire piece.  When you need to rethread your needle, just loop through the pleat you just completed and insert the needle through the loop.  Take the needle back through the pleat with just a little "bite" in the fabric and cut the tail off.  When you begin again, pretend you didn't just tie off and put your needle back into the same pleat and continue.

Continue back smocking until all gathering rows have been smocked.  Some prefer to back smock after picture smocking.  I've tried it both ways and prefer the stability that back smocking first provides.

Any questions, please ask! Comments welcome!

Happy Stitching,

Renee