Smocking Advice?

Any smockers available to lend a hand? I am smocking a high back yoke and need to know if I smock across the back or leave a space (center back) to put in the button placket after the smocking is completed? There is no back seam and the smocking is done directly on skirt section (no insert).

Also, when should I remove the pleater threads on a bishop I have completed the smocking on? Before or after applying the neck binding? What about the same on the sleeves; before or after sewing the underarm and side seams.

As you can see I am new at this smocking stuff. Embroidery by hand and sew everyday but just learning the smocking - loving every minute of it.

Thanks,
Nelwyn from Bunkie, LA

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By Philene (Guest Post)

May 24, 20060 found this helpful

You may have gotten an answer to your questions by not--or have just on and finished the best you could. When smocking the back of a yoked dress I leave 3 pleats in the middle of the back unsmocked. That gives room to cut and insert a placket. Then I put buttons on the yoke.

As for the pleating threads on the bishop. I remove all but top two rows (I always pleat one row near top and do cable on it with 2 threads to hold pleats in place--this ends up under the bias). I remove those last two just before putting the bias strip on.

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