Small Scale Smocking For Dolls: Part 3

Hi Everyone! In Part 3, Kathy continues to walk us through our smocking project with a look at several more stitch types. In this lesson you will learn the Stem Stitch, Wheat Stitch, and the Wave Stitch. Follow along in the video tutorial and practice, practice practice!

Part 3 Smocking Stitches:

Stem Stitch

The stem stitch is worked exactly as the Outline Stitch but with the thread always remaining below the needle. The completed stitch will appear to slant downwards to the right (left diagram).

Wheat Stitch

The wheat stitch is created by first stitching a row of outline stitches and then stitching a row of stem stitches directly underneath the outline stitches.

Wave Stitch (also called a baby wave or Chevron stitch)

The wave stitch is worked between 2 rows of pleating threads, coming up on one row and traveling a full space to the next row.

Begin the stitch in the same manner as all stitches. However, because 2 rows of waves will be sharing the same pleating/gathering stitch for this smocking design, begin this first stitch a needle’s width above the gathering thread.

In smocking, whenever the stitch moves up or down, it is called “traveling”. Whenever traveling, the thread is always held in the opposite direction. So, when traveling “up”, the thread will always be below the needle.

Start by making a down cable. Hold the thread below the needle and travel up to the row above and over one pleat, take the stitch and pull thread through.

Now, an up cable needs to be made. Hold the thread above the needle, move to the next pleat, at the same level, and take a stitch.

 

 

Hold the thread above the needle, travel down to the row below, move to the next pleat and take a stitch a needle’s width above the row.

 

 

Moving over to the next pleat, keep needle on the same row and with the thread below the needle, take a stitch (down cable). This completes the wave stitch.

 

 

Continue stitching in this manner across the row.

 

 

 

 

Whenever smocking stitches share a starting and stopping point, it is important that the stitches begin and end at the same level on the pleat. This creates a visually appealing look. Keep this in mind as the next row of wave stitches are stitched.

 

 

 

Start this stitch in the same manner as all stitches start, directly below the wave stitch above.

With the thread above the needle, move over to the next pleat staying at the same level, and take a stitch. This “up” cable will kiss the “down” cable above. No fabric should show between the 2 cable stitches.

With thread above the needle, travel down half way to the guide thread/row below, move over one pleat and take a stitch.

Keeping the needle at the same row, move over to the next pleat, keep the thread below the needle and take a stitch to complete a down” cable.

Move over to the next pleat, travel up to the previous stitch and place needle in the first stitch of the cable above it, kissing the cable stitch above. Pull needle through.

With thread above the needle, move over to the next pleat and take a stitch – this “up” cable stitch kissing the “down” cable stitch above it. This completes one diamond. Continue across row to complete diamond row.

Note: To check for accuracy, there will always be 2 pleats showing in the center of the diamond shape.

 

Accent Stitches: Straight/Satin Stitch

An accent stitch can be added to the inside of the diamond shapes. It adds a pretty pop of color to the design.

To create the stitch, start a stitch by coming up in the middle of the 2 pleats inside the diamond shape. Take a stitch through the pleat to the left, just as is done when any stitch is started.

With the thread above the needle, go over 2 pleats, as if to create a cable stitch and go to the back and then come up again underneath the first stitch. (Alternately, the needle can pierce through both pleats and come up underneath the first stitch.)

With the thread below the needle, go over the 2 pleats and insert the needle into the second pleat directly underneath the previous stitch, going through to the back side of the fabric. Knot off the thread.

Homework

Complete the stitches learned in this lesson on the pleated fabric as shown in the graph.


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