Smocking 103 - Zig Zag Stitches

This segment of the Smocking series will include the zig zag stitches. These stitches are more elastic than the straight stitches and can work into many shapes such as waves, diamonds, and pyramids. When I thought about smocking, these stitches come predominately to mind.

Before we start the list, a rule for zigzag stitches is to keep thread below the needle for the bottom stitch and thread above for the top stitch.

Trellis stitches are worked much like the back stitch in embroidery. You move up the pleats as you continue working the "back stitch". When you finish the top stitch, you start working down the other side which will create a pyramid effect.

= = = = = The Half Trellis is half the size of the Full Space Trellis. The Zigzag Trellis just moves up and down across the smock.

The Chevron Stitch starts at the bottom with a straight stitch crossing two pleats, bringing needle up through the middle of the two pleats and crossing two pleats in a diagonal stitch into the middle of the next two pleats. Make a straight stitch across these two pleats and then make a diagonal downward stitch from the middle of the two pleats to the center of the next to pleats (at the same level as the first stitch). Work a straight stitch across those two pleats and continue working up and down across the smock. _ _ _/\_/\_

You can work a cross over chevron by working an inverse chevron on the inside of the original chevron. The Chevron Diamond works with one Chevron Stitch on top and one on the bottom. _ _ _/\_/\_ \/ \/

The Honeycomb Stitches work much the same as the Chevron except the stitches are worked in same pleats. To best describe this, look over the following: __________ /\/\/\/\/\

Variations of the Honeycomb depend on where you start the zigzag.

The Herringbone Stitch is simply lattice work. You work the X with the top across two pleats and the bottom acrros 4 pleats. The next X starts from the bottom center of the first X to the second pleat over and comes down across 4 pleats.

\/\/ / /\/\/ / /\/ Notice how the lattice design starts to show with this stitch.

The Van Dyke looks something like the Chevron stitch except that instead of working the diagonals from the center of the straight stitch, you will work from the ends of the straight stitch.

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