How To Hand Pleat Fabric For Smocking

December 1, 2023December 12, 2023 Jessica 0 Comments Pleat, Smocking

Adding a smocked pattern to your pillow, dress, or blouse is a fascinating affair. However, beginners may find it complex as it’s more difficult than other embroidery work. But realistically speaking, the experience is worth your effort – and here’s your guide to initiate smocking!

Smocking isn’t just a design method to control the fabric’s fullness. In fact, it’s a perfect technique to add variation to the fabric or pattern! So, are you ready to learn the hand-pleating method?

In this tutorial guide, you are going to get an explanation about the best method to hand-pleat your fabric for smocking. Let’s dive into the narrative and read on!

How To Hand Pleat Fabric For Smocking?

Contents

How To Hand Pleat Fabric For Smocking?
Which Fabric Is The Most Apparent for Smocking?
Do You Need Extra Cloth for Smocking?

Step 1: Selecting The Fabric and Threads

So, smocking is something that works the best with thin materials. Probably, something that’s not too stretchy! So, you can try choosing cotton or linen fabrics for the purpose.

Additionally, you need to choose the embroidery floss in a contrasting or matching color. As stitches will be noticed, you can create beautiful patterns with contrasting threads!

So, when cutting the fabric, keep in mind that smocking gives an elastic quality to the fabric. Thus, it would be better if you make it 2? to 3 times bigger! For a sewing thread, a regular one would serve the purpose.

Step 2: Drawing Grids on Your Fabric

You can choose a pencil or fabric pen to draw evenly-sized grids that cover the fabric’s smocking area (rectangle or square). Depending on your design, you can make the dots closely positioned or placed a little far from each other.

However, a good starting point is to place dots within 1 inch of distance! Also, ensure that the dots get positioned straight across your fabric. Else, smocking turns out crooked.

Alternatively, you may choose to make the grid using the iron-on dots! In this manner, you will stay assured about the right measurement.

Step 3: Threading Your Needle

Now is the time when you would require threading the needle. So, the beginning step is to choose the needle. Upon then, you have to gather your fabric and hold it straight. Now, thread the needle, and don’t forget to tie the knot to keep it sturdy while sewing.

One Quick Note:

That placeholder thread gets trimmed. Thus, it doesn’t matter the kind of it you use. The gathers get fastened later on with beautiful stitches. So, here’s where you can make use of your embroidery thread!

Step 4: Making Your Gather (Part 1)

To begin with, all you need is to make a little stitch under your first dot. Also, ensure that the knot rests alongside your dot. So, pull the thread accordingly.

Now, continue taking the stitches under every dot in a single row. For this reason, pass your needle through the chosen fabric from a side of your second dot to another side! Likewise, practice the same for the rest in the row!

Until you reach the finish, you can’t wrap the tail! As you reach, do so and ensure that it is around the pin to hold stitches in position! Ensure the proper neatness of each stitch, such that each dot comprises the required amount of room!

Step 4: Making Your Gather (Part 2)

Now, you need to complete your stitching in the remaining rows. As you complete, do not forget to secure each end to the pin until the rows complete!

After this, you need to gather the first two rows. For this, you have to pull the thread’s end from its first stitched row. Do it, so that the fabric gets folded in little & even gathers.

Also, ensure that the dots are at the outward-facing top of every gather! Now, hold gathers in a position by securing the thread’s end around the pin. Alternatively, you can tie them in the end with the help of a knot.

Now, you need to gather the second row in the same manner. Ensure that each gather has the same difference from gathers in other rows so that they look even!

Step 5: Threading Needle with The Embroidery Floss

Now is the time when you require threading your needle with your embroidery floss. As you have decided on creating a smocked pattern, it is imperative to tie off the thread at the end.

Step 6: Bringing Needle to The First Dot

After you thread the needle, it is time that you bring the needle to the beginning point (i.e., to the first dot). Again, ensure that it comes down directly through a dot in that first gather!

Step 7: Stitching 1st gather To 2nd Gather

After this, you have to move the needle to the 2nd gather. For this reason, you need to insert the needle on that dot’s right side. Accordingly, pass it right under the dot such that the needle appears out from its left side.

So, now’s the time to move your needle back to your first gather! Here, pass it right under that dot where your thread is about to come out.

Now, pull the thread through. Upon this, cross it over your stitch that you made & pass your needle again through the second gather! As soon as you complete the stitch, it’s going to look like the tiny “x” cinching gathers together.

One Quick Note:

Your thread and needle must finish under this fabric.

Step 8: Bringing The Needle to 2nd Row’s 2nd Dot

Here, you will require skipping that first dot in your second row. Now, you have to bring the needle through that second gather through the marked dot!

Step 9: Stitching 2nd Gather to 3rd Gather

After this, you are required to move the needle to your third gather. So, here, you need to insert the needle on the dot’s right side. Then, pass it under such that it comes out from the left side.

Now, you need to move your needle to second gather again. Here, pass it under the dot where you thread comes out. Pull it through! And don’t forget to cross it over your stitch that you made. Afterward, pass your needle back through that third gather and cinch gathers.

Step 10: A Honeycomb Pattern for The First-Two Rows

In the tenth step, you are required to bring the needle through the empty dot in that top row. Here, you have to use the same stitching method! And stitch it to an adjacent gather.

Do not forget to make the little “x” with the stitches. After this, finish you’re your needle under your fabric. Now, bring your needle through the next dot in that second row. As you do so, stitch it to that adjacent gather.

You need to continue alternating between the rows until all gathers in the first two rows are stitched. As you finish the job, tie the thread on its backside!

Step 11: Continue Hand-Pleating Remaining Rows for Smocking

When you are working two rows simultaneously, you need to use the same method for stitching gathers in the remaining rows. For this reason, use the embroidery thread.

As a matter of fact, it would be better if you pull gathers in the next rows. And then, gently, tug your thread to design even gathers. The dots in rows should appear at the top of every gather. Here, you need to secure your thread. For this, wrap it around the pin at each rows’ end.

After this, you need to stitch the first & second gather. Then, stitch the second & third without skipping the first dot. Here, you have to continue stitching the adjacent gathers.

You can also alternate between first & second rows until all gathers get stitched. Lastly, tie & trim your thread accordingly!

Step 12: Trimming Out The Gather Threads

So, the threads used for pulling gathers aren’t required any longer. Thus, you can unwind it from pins and cut or pull it out.

Which Fabric Is The Most Apparent for Smocking?

As a general rule of thumb, cotton, linen, lawn cotton, chiffon, velvet, lace, and silk knits can be considered the most apparent and best fabrics for smocking!

Basically, a light-to-medium weighed fabric is the safest bet for smocking – provided; it should have a plain surface. You can opt for printed or plain cotton, satin, cotton blends, poplin, lightweight denim, organdie, and more!

So, you name a fabric, and you’ll have historical evidence of women using it for smocking in the bygone days! However, for a beginner, cotton fabrics are the purest and best materials used for smocking!

Do You Need Extra Cloth for Smocking?

Absolutely, yes! In fact, you need three times the cloth for the width of your final piece when it comes to smocking. Take an example of a final piece of 10 inches! For this outfit, you would require at least 30 inches of cloth for smocking.

However, it also depends on the stitches and tightness! If you make slack stitches, you might require lesser clothes. However, you should add the seam allowance too!

Author
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Jessica

I'm Jessica Flores, a professional fashion designer and an expert seamstress.

Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.

I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.

It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.