questions about hand smocking
I never smocked before but I have some experience in hand embroidery.
I have been reading tutorials about smocking up and down and started to pleat a gingham fabric. I go through every third square and it is pleating up very nicely.
But I have tons of questions:
What kind of embroidery thread do you use? How about Anchor stranded cotton and do you use the full strand or separate into thinner strands?
How deep do you insert your stitches into the pleat and how do the pleats hold together if you use a picture smocking pattern that doesn't cover the full width? How stretchy is the smocked piece after removing the basting thread..........or does it fall apart???
I would highly appreciate if you could tell me what works best for you. And of course I would love to see pictures of smocked items you made.
Granny