Hi Everyone! In Part 4, Kathy wraps up the topic with a few more stitch demonstrations as we finish up our smocking project! In this lesson you will learn the Trellis Stitch, Wheat Stitch, and the Wave Stitch. Follow along in the video tutorial and practice, practice practice!
Part 4: A Few More Stitches and The Wrap up
Trellis Stitch
The trellis stitch is any stitch that is 2-steps or more and can be executed between a half- row, a full row or many rows. For the graph included, a 2-step trellis stitch will be used. Sometimes the 2-step trellis is referred to as a 2-step wave. The 2-step trellis is much like the wave stitch, but with an additional traveling stitch in each direction. Begin the stitch just like every other stitch. Start with a down cable stitch. With the thread below the needle, travel half way up to the row above and over one pleat - take a stitch.
Again, with the thread below the needle, travel up to the row above and over one pleat - take a stitch.
At the peak of the trellis stitch, an up cable will be completed.
To travel down, hold the thread above the needle, travel half way down to the row below, move over one pleat and take a stitch.
Once again, with the thread above the needle, travel down to the row below, move over to the next pleat and take a stitch.
The bottom of the trellis stitch needs to be completed with a down cable stitch.
This completes a trellis stitch.
Trellis stitches can contain many steps between the rows. The smocking graph will indicate how many steps (4-step, 6-step, etc.) And how many rows these steps will cover (between 1 row, between 2 rows, etc.).
Trellis Diamonds
To create diamonds, the smocking will be a mirror image of the row above. To begin the row below, start with an up cable that will sit just below the down cable from the row above. Travel down with 2 steps to the row below. Cable 3 (down, up, down) and then trellis 2-steps up to the row above. Cable 3 (up, down, up). Remember that the cable stitches in the center of the diamond need to “kiss” each other.
6-Step Flowerette
A 6 step flowerette is made by stitching 3 cables – a down, up and down cable, then taking the needle to the back, bring the needle back to the front of the fabric, directly below the first cable stitch that was made (see arrow) and pull needle through to the front.
The needle can be brought to the back of the fabric and then come out again underneath the first stitch, or the needle can pierce through all the pleats (shown in diagram) to exit again underneath the first stitch.
Stitch an up cable that mirrors the down cable above it, then do a down cable, and finish with the last up cable, pushing needle through to the back with this stitch. This completes the flowerette.
Stitch an up cable that mirrors the down cable above it, then do a down cable, and finish with the last up cable, pushing needle through to the back with this stitch. This completes the flowerette.
The flowerette covers 4 pleats. For the graph included, the flowerette is stitched inside the trellis diamonds.
When the smocking has been completed, remove all but the top 2 gathering threads. These 2 threads will be removed AFTER the neckband has been sewn on.
Now it's time to finish up sewing the Katya top by following the instructions in the pattern! We'd love to see your finished tops! Share them with us in the FB group or add your images to the Inspiration Gallery for all to see!
And once again, I wanted to give a special shout out to Kathy Dykstra! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with our community! This has been so much fun! I'm guessing I'm not the only one who would love to have you back to show us more in the future!
4 Comments
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Lisa
February 01, 2024
Great teacher, thank you! I appreciated the slow and steady explanation and execution.