What are the basic smocking techniques?
Traditional hand smocking begins with marking smocking dots in a grid pattern on the wrong side of the fabric and gathering it with temporary running stitches. These stitches are anchored on each end in a manner that facilitates later removal and are analogous to basting stitches.
What is North American smocking?
American smocking is worked entirely on the reverse of the fabric and creates a dense puckered design on the front of the fabric. Traditionally the design is marked out as a series of dots, but a grid is much more effective.
What is traditional smocking?
Smocking is a traditional embroidery technique that gathers fabric together into tight pleats so that it can stretch and return to its gathered shape. It is often used as a form of decoration on a garment, as the gathering of the material and stitches can be formulated to create patterns.
How do you do English smocking?
Outline Stitch
- Bring your needle up from the back on the left side of the first or third pleat. Remember you work smocking stitches from left to right!
- Move the needle to the next pleat and put the needle through it from right to left at a slight angle up.
- Keep the thread below the needle.
- Repeat.
How is smocking done?
To do smocking, start by making a grid on a piece of fabric using small, evenly-spaced dots. Then, thread a needle and make a small stitch under the first dot, from one side of the dot to the other. Then, bring the stitch to the next dot and repeat.
What is English smocking?
English smocking is embroidery on prepleated fabric. On this Individual Correspondence Course, students will learn common smocking and accent stitches and master correct tension as they work a series of samplers. Both geometric and picture smocking are covered in this ICC.
What is American smocking and how is it made?
American smocking is worked entirely on the reverse of the fabric and creates a dense puckered design on the front of the fabric. Traditionally the design is marked out as a series of dots, but a grid is much more effective.
What are the different types of smocking techniques?
This is one of the many techniques covered, other techniques include trapunto, ruffles, shirring, pleats, tucks, Suffolk puffs and 3D applique. American smocking is worked entirely on the reverse of the fabric and creates a dense puckered design on the front of the fabric.
Are there any free smocking tutorials out there?
A collection of free smocking tutorials that are available online where you can learn different techniques: There is no need to stick to existing shapes though, feel free to try just drawing a grid onto calico and trying out your own patterns, or creating random winding paths with your thread between a dotted grid to create your own effects.