How to start your first smocking stitch

The problem is the first stitch.

Always hold your needle parallel

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Pillowcase Dress How To

I have already enlarged the templates for you. The smallest one is the original template mentioned in the article that you had to enlarge 150%. All you need to do is print it out and cut it out, on the outside edge of the black line of the pattern as I had to take a black marker to edge it because my paper was white, so the pattern was defined. I made one other one a little larger, because the original was for all sizes, and it was kind of snug up under the armpit for some sizes. I marked on them the sizes I use each template for. Work with them to see which would be the best size for you. Below is some information that I thought good to pass along after working with this pattern and the instructions.

Pillowcase Patten pdf file

Make Sure Pattern Size is Correct Before Cutting – Please Read

Magazine page

First: FOR SIZING OF YOUR DRESS: (SIZING IS DETERMINED BY THE LENGTH YOU WANT YOUR DRESS TO BE.)

Making A Dress Out Of A Pillowcase. If you use a pillowcase, this is what I do. Measure your child from shoulder to where you want the hem to lay; shoulder to just above knee, on the knee, below knee, mid-leg calf, or ankle, (the original pillowcase dress was meant to be worn tea length,) but any length is fine and looks just as cute. Press your case with iron to get out the wrinkles, lay out flat and measure on both sides from the bottom (the opening of case) up towards the top of the case the measured inches you got from measuring your child for length. So let’s say your child was 17 1/2″ from shoulder to mid-calf. I stick a common pin all the way through both front and back layers of pillowcase at that point on each side (left and right) of the case. Then measure from that point another 7/8″ up, and pin mark both sides again. Fold the case back under matching your top two pin points on either side, press with iron for a good crease all the way across. While still folded, take your scissors and cut your case off straight across the width of case on your fold line. This helps to get a straight cut all the way across. The total length of your cut case now should be 18 3/8″. (I do it this way especially when using vintage cases, because sometimes one side is a little longer than the other side, and if you don’t measure both sides evenly, your dress will look a little lopsided.) Now fold your case length wise, making sure sides together are even to be able to cut out both the armholes with one cut. Take armhole template; lay it on your case on the edge of the side’s together with the bottom part of the armhole template laying right on the edge. The top part of the template will lay right on your 17 1/2″ line. Pin and cut. As you’re cutting out the curve and coming up the straight part of the curve near the top of the template, just keep cutting the case straight up to the top of the case which will be the added 7/8″. Now you have two perfect matching armholes. Now when you fold the top down the 1/4″ across then press and then fold down again the 5/8″ to sew across for the ribbon casing, your armpit hole size will stay what you want and you don’t loose any of your measured dress length as stated on Martha’s template enlargement, where it also gives you the typical sizes for age and measurements if you don’t have a child to measure! Other wise when you fold down for your ribbon casing it takes up your armhole space and can cause the dress to fit snug up under the armpit of the child and you loose some dress length. When you loosen up the ribbons to bring the armpit down lower, then the front of the dress drops lower too, and I like my front to hit just a little bit below the collar bone. You kind of have to play with this according to your taste and child but this works beautifully for me. Now: If you’re making your dress from fabric you purchase, just measure the width of a pillowcase using regular size or queen either is fine, Or just hold a pillowcase up to the child and see how much space there will be and you’ll know what size case measurement you’ll want to use, because you want space, then measure out your length, sew the sides together for just one seam, have that seam in the back of dress, and then follow the rest of the directions for cutting the armholes from above. If you want two side seams, that works ok too. See the magazine article I have sent you for finishing the dress up and you’re done. Once you do one or two, it should only take about 30 min to complete one dress. When making these to wear for a top with shorts, jeans, or skirts, just measure from shoulder to again where ever you want the hem to lie. The dresses are really cute with pantaloons, capri’s, and leggings. In colder climates they look adorable with turtle neck long sleeve shirts. I also made a maternity top for my daughter out of a vintage pillowcase, and for my daughter in-law I made a midriff top that she wears with her shorts. Both fit them real well and are really cute on them. It’s just amazing to me all the ways you can use a pillowcase! If you have matching cases, you can make a skirt or capri’s with a matching top too! Almost any child’s dress pattern can be used for a pillowcase dress allowing for several different styles when using a vintage pillowcase. It’s all in the imagination.

Appliqué Lesson 1
If you would like to learn appliqué, now’s your chance. This is the first appliqué lesson. Each lesson will get progressively more difficult.

Bullion Rose
Would you can like to learn the bullion rose? Here are step by step pictures to show you the process.

Bullion Stitch
Making a bullion stitch is the precursor to making the bullion rose.

Napkin Rings
By request the napkin ring “how to” is up. Have fun making them please send me pictures so I can see all of the variations.

a. From fabric that looks the same on both sides cut a 13″X 45″piece. Remove selvege.

b. Fold up and press 4″ on long edge for front and 2″ for back of bonnet.

c. Open up and sew machine scallops on right side of fabric (both long ends) Do not worry about perfect scallops at the ends, they will be turned up and not show. Trim scallops, fold back up

on pressed lines and baste before pleating..

d. On 2″ turn up, pleat five (5) 1/2 space rows for back starting first row 3/8″ from folded edge. On 4″ turn up, pleat eleven (11) 1/2 space rows for front, starting first row 3/8″ from folded edge.

LEAVE ENOUGH PLEATING THREADS TO FLATTEN OUT BONNET

Step Five:

Cut ribbon for top or make a double bow, or work the spider stitch to finish the ends.

Another way you can work your ornament is to finish the edges of you fabric before you pleat and leave the ends long, gather together with thread, tie with a bow and you have ruffled edges, very cute way to finish.

Smocking Video’s

If you want to learn to smock these video’s will help you get started. They include how to set up your pleater, how to thread your pleater, how to recognize a good pleat, blocking your pleated fabric and some basic smoking stitches.

The video’s are in windows media, realplayer format and quicktime format.

Next Step:

The pleater bar removed from pleater.

When re installing the bar, note that the right side of the bar has 16 full space rows and the left side of the bar has both full space and half spaces. Be sure the bar is lined up correctly when reinstalling the bar.

The white bishop dress is made using Ellen McCarn bishop pattern. The technique used was to smock it straight, and not fan the fabric or block it before doing the smocking. The smocking pattern used, is called “Baby Sister” by Galy Meyers. The fabric used is Imperial Batiste.

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Isabelle

Close up of roses

Isabelle a Petite Poche pattern, was used to make the pink dress with the cast on roses. It is available from Wendy Schoen Design. I enjoyed learning to make the cast on roses, the smocking design comes with the pattern. I think this dress would make up cute in any color, I am thinking of doing one in mint.

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