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Smocking 102: Straight Stitches

© Sharon Washam

Smocking contains four categories of stitches: straight stitches, zigzag stitches, accent stitches and combination stitches. In this article, we will describe the straight stitches. The next three articles will include the zigzag, accent and combination stitches. One important tip to remember here is that English Smocking is a technique that beginners should use. The pleats are set and all the beginner has to do is work the stitching across the pleats.

Straight Stitch: This stitch is used to stabilize the pleating at the top of the work (around the necklines). It is worked at a depth of one-third of the pleat down and worked through each pleat.

Cable Stitch: This stitch is one of the most important stitches that you will use in smocking. It also stabilizes the pleats, controls fullness, and provides a separator for the other stitches used in smocking. This stitch has an up and down cable which you will work close together and stagger one from the other. The thread position on the up cable will be above the stitch. The thread position on the down cable will be below the stitch.

Outline Stitch: This stitch is used to add color to the smocked item. You work it the same as cable stitch except it is one row (no up and down cable) and you will keep the thread above the line of stitching.

Stem Stitch: You work the stem stitch the same way as the outline stitch except the thread is held below the line of stitching.

Chain Stitch: Working from right to left, you make the chain stitch as follows: Insert needle through the first pleat (one-third of the way down), bring the needle up to the top, **make a loop, insert needle in next pleat (one-third of the way down), bring the needle up through the loop just made. To continue across the pleats, repeat from ** across.

Raised Chain Stitch: Again, working from right to left, you work this stitch the same as that chain stitch except that you will insert the needle through the same pleat twice. The stitch will look like it has a straight stitch running through the center of the chains. First, make a straight stitch through the first pleat bringing the thread back through the pleat and up through the valley behind the straight stitch. **Make a loop (from bottom to top), inserting the needle through the next pleat over and bring needle up through the loop to start creating the next straight stitch. Make the straight stitch, bring the needle back up behind the straight stitch. Continue across the pleats from ** ending with a loop.

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