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Chic stitchery

SMOCKING
The classic needlework technique, embroidery over tiny tucks, is making a comeback and it's easy to do yourself... Stitch gathering threads
For each row of dots, cut a piece of strong gathering thread, approx. 15 cm (6 inches) longer than the row of dots. Knot one end of the thread. Take a small backstitch at the rst dot of the row to prevent the knot from slipping through the fabric. Straight stitch along all rows of dots, always inserting the needle exactly at a marked dot and exiting the needle exactly half-way between 2 neighboring dots (1). When all gathering threads have been stitched, gather the fabric along these threads to the width of the pattern piece (piece 4 for stlye 135). This forms parallel tucks in the fabric. Knot the ends of 2 threads together or wrap them around straight pins which have been inserted at right angles to the gathering threads (2). Pin the neck edge to the pattern piece, distributing the tucks evenly. Leave the pattern piece in place during embroidery.

TO COLLECT

Smocked with zigzag lines of embroidery this darling detail makes the baby dress, style 135 (burda World of Fashion 7/08, page 90) truly special

EXTRA TIP
You can mark the smocking points quickly and easily with an iron-on transfer that you make yourself. You need tracing paper, an iron-on transfer pencil (e.g. from Prym), and a ruler. Use the iron-on transfer pencil to mark rows of dots on the tracing paper. Space the dots and rows each 1 cm (38 inch) apart. The dots of all rows must lie in straight vertical lines. To mark rounded yokes, cut the tracing paper between the vertical rows of dots, ending slightly below the upper edge of the paper. Then pin the paper with the dots to the yoke, with the transfer dots facing the fabric and spreading the cut sections evenly apart. Transfer the dots to the fabric, following the instructions included with the transfer pencil.

IMPORTANT PREPARATIONS...

Mark the lines of dots

To make the tucks perfectly even, you must rst mark rows of dots on the wrong side of the fabric. For the dress, style 135, cut out the dot template on page 2, exactly along the lines marked upper edge and center front. Lay the dotted template on the wrong side of the dress, beginning at the center front. The

...EMBROIDERING OVER THE TUCKS

You can embroider over the tucks with backstitch, cross stitch or herringbone stitch. For our dress we used backstitch. Work from the right side of the fabric and use embroidery oss to embroider zigzag lines. Work backstitches, worked from left to right. Begin at the center back, at the lowest gathering thread. Take one stitch over the rst two tucks. Insert the needle back through the second tuck, angled up, exiting the needle exactly above the rst stitch. Stitch across the 2nd and 3rd tucks, back through the 3rd tuck, again angled up, and pull the thread slightly drawing the 2nd and 3rd tucks together. Stitch across the 3rd and 4th tucks, back through the 4th tuck, etc. At the 7th stitch, change the direction and insert the needle angled down (3). Change the direction after every 6th stitch. Important: Don't pull the working thread too tight. The shape of the

upper edge of the template must meet the marked neck line. Use a pencil or vanishing marker (e.g. from Prym) to mark the dots on the fabric. Then mark rows of evenly spaced dots, ending approx. 1.5 cm (58 inch) from the marked back edge. Important: There must be the same number of dots in the upper and lower rows. Mark 2 more rows of dots between the upper and lower rows, spaced 1 cm (38 inch) apart, making sure that the dots form straight vertical lines.

burda World of Fashion download

Copyright 2008 by Verlag Aenne Burda GmbH & Co. KG, Am Kestendamm 1, D-77652 Offenburg. Smtliche Modelle, Schnittteile und Zeichnungen stehen unter Urheberschutz, gewerbliches Nacharbeiten ist untersagt. Der Verlag haftet nicht fr Schden, die durch unsachgeme Handhabung des Schnitts, der Materialien, unsachgeme Ausfhrung der Tipps und Anleitungen oder unsachgeme Nutzung der Modelle entstehen.

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Lovingly embroidered
3

SMOCKING
3rd tuck, run it up inside the tuck, and exit it at the level of the rst row (7). At this level, draw the 3rd and 4th tucks together with a backstitch (8). Insert the needle in the 4th tuck, run it down inside the tuck, and exit it at the second level (9). Draw the 4th and 5th tucks together with a backstitch, etc.

Work one backstitch over the rst two tucks (4), drawing them together. Insert the needle in the second tuck, run it down inside the tuck, and exit it at the level of the next lower row of gathering stitches (5). In this second row, draw the 2nd and 3rd tucks together with a backstitch (6). Insert the needle in the

TO COLLECT

neckline must always match the pattern piece. Stitch the last two tucks together with a backstitch. With the same color, work a second line of backstitching, directly above the rst line. Change color and work 2 more lines of backstitching, 1 cm (38 inch) above the rst 2 lines, then repeat with a 3rd color. Work one French knot above every other point of the middle zigzag line.

...EMBROIDERING A DIFFERENT PATTERN

This smocking pattern is horizontally elastic. Two rows of stitching are worked in one step, from left to right

Dot template for smocking on child's dress 135 Upper edge Center front

burda World of Fashion download

Copyright 2008 by Verlag Aenne Burda GmbH & Co. KG, Am Kestendamm 1, D-77652 Offenburg. Smtliche Modelle, Schnittteile und Zeichnungen stehen unter Urheberschutz, gewerbliches Nacharbeiten ist untersagt. Der Verlag haftet nicht fr Schden, die durch unsachgeme Handhabung des Schnitts, der Materialien, unsachgeme Ausfhrung der Tipps und Anleitungen oder unsachgeme Nutzung der Modelle entstehen.