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Fabric for the following projects was pleated by simply using the gingham checks as a guide & handsewing gathering threads to create the pleats.
There are advantages to pleating in this manner. Pleats are slightly larger than those created by a pleating machine (i.e. pleater), making them easier for the beginner to practice the stitches. Even if a pleater is available, you may find that pleats on gingham fabric will have a more uniform appearance when pleating is done by hand using the method described here.
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Machine sewing of these projects consist of a few straight seams. Handwork consist of sewing basting stitches to create pleats & then smocking the design. (The smocking stitches create the casing for the drawstring ties which even eliminates the need for sewing a casing in fabric.)
Smocked Gift Bags
These bags are basically the same size. The different shapes are created by the contents of the bags. An option is included (in step 7) for varying the length of the bags, if desired.
Materials
1. Each fabric piece should be approximately 45" wide X 18" long. With right sides together, sew the 2 pieces together across top (45") edge. Fold (right side out) at seam & press.
2. Cut this sewn piece in half lengthwise. (This is the basis for 2 bags, each 22 1/2" wide. Set one piece aside & continue to step 3.)
3. On gingham side, using any contrasting color thread & beginning approximately 1" below top seamed edge, sew 4 basting rows (i.e. gathering rows) across sewn piece. Space stitches as shown in fig. 1 & be sure to catch both layers of fabric when stitching. Basting may be done with single or double threaded needle, but double threaded is recommended. Study Design Graphs & decide if more than 4 gathering rows will be necessary.
Note: The top gathering row will be an extra row (i.e. holding row) & will not be used for smocking. Ruffle depth will measure from top seamed edge to the 2nd gathering row. For deeper ruffle, begin 2nd gathering rows further from the top edge.4. After completing gathering rows, pull threads to gather fabric. Threads can be pulled from both ends. Adjust gathers until fabric creates even vertical pleats & is approx. 6 inches wide. (To hold pleats in place during smocking, you can tie gathering threads together on each end.)
5. Refer to Design Graphs & work smocking across pleated fabric on side selected as outside.
DESIGN GRAPHS
Design #1(recommended for first project)
(a) Work cable across row 1.
(b) Work whole space baby-wave between rows 2 & 3.
(c) Work half space baby-wave between rows 3 1/2 & 4.
(d) Work half space baby-wave between rows 4 1/2 & 5.
Extra (holding) row
It's difficult to work a cable row without this extra row to hold pleats in place. Also, an extra row is often necessary as an aid in construction of projects.
Optional extra (holding) row
This is optional because it's not as difficult to work a baby-wave or trellis row without the holding row. Also, the gift bags do not require the bottom edge of smocking to be sewn into a seam, so the extra holding row is not necessary for construction.
Design #2Notice in steps b & c, the baby-waves are connected with 3 cables (instead of 1) on rows 3 & 4.
(a) Work cable across row 1.
v (b) Work whole space baby-wave between rows 2 & 3--connected with 3 cables (down-up-down) on row 3.
(c) Work half space baby-wave between rows 3 1/2 & 4--connected with 3 cables (down-up-down) on row 4.
(d) Work 2-step trellis wave between rows 5 & 5 1/2.
(e) Work 2-step trellis wave between rows 5 1/2 & 6.
Extra (holding) row
It's difficult to work a cable row without this extra row to hold pleats in place. Also, an extra row is often necessary as an aid in construction of projects.
Optional extra (holding) row
This is optional because it's not as difficult to work a baby-wave or trellis row without the holding row. Also, the gift bags do not require the bottom edge of smocking to be sewn into a seam, so the extra holding row is not necessary for construction.
Finishing
6. Sew sides together with french seam (or serger). If possible, try to catch the ends of smocking (i.e. the first & last stitched pleats) in this seam.7. Note: Length of bag can be altered at this step. If shorter bag is preferred, simply trim bottom to length desired & then stitch edges together as directed. Measuring from bottom of whole space baby-wave (row 3) gingham bag was trimmed to 13" (red bag trimmed to 11") before sewing bottom seam.
With bag wrong-side-out stitch bottom edges of bag together with side seam positioned as shown in fig. 2.
8. (optional) To create a flat bottom in bag, fold fabric flat at ends of bottom seam as shown in fig. 2. Measure from end of bottom seam along folds & mark fabric at 3". Stitch across folded ends between marks. Turn right side out, remove gathering threads & press.
9. Using small safety pin, weave ribbon under stitches of whole space baby-wave row (i.e. stitches between rows 2 & 3). Begin & end weaving on opposite side from side seam so ribbon bow will be positioned in front & seam will be position in back.
ADDITIONAL PROJECT IDEAS
Construction of these projects is basically the same as previously described for Smocked gift bags. Any variations from directions are described below photograph.In the following descriptions, when bottom edges were trimmed below casing, measurement was from bottom of whole space baby-wave row, which is row 3 of smocking design. This "trimming" was done in construction step 7.
(a) To construct tissue box cover, bottom seam was eliminated. Bottom edge was trimmed to 9" below casing. Then, 2" were turned under for hem.
(b) The flower accent on this bag is from Hannah Marie design plate. Six additional gathering rows (first row approximately 4" below casing) were stitched. Only 12 pleats were required for this flower so gathering rows were only necessary in the middle 2" (approximately) of fabric. Bottom edge was trimmed to 13" below casing. Two ribbons (1/8" wide) were woven through casing & tied together in a single bow.
(c) To construct an unlined bag, top edged should be "finished" (narrow hem, eyelet trim attached, etc.) before beginning step 2 of directions. Smaller gingham checks were used as guide for gathering this bag--refer to (d) below for instructions. Bottom of bag was trimmed to 5" below casing. In step 8, measurement was 1 1/2" (instead of 3") from ends of bottom seam.
(d) To smock using smaller gingham checks (1/16"), basting rows were stitched between every other solid check & 2 solid rows are skipped between gathering rows. To construct this medium length bag, bottom edge was trimmed to 7" below casing. For square look, in step 8, measurement was 3 1/2" (instead of 3") from ends of bottom seam. Two ribbons (1/8" wide) were woven through casing & tied together in a single bow.
To create a bag that is an exact height for a certain item, measure the item from desired placement of casing to the center of the bottom of that item. (For example, the tall bottle of bath oil in photograph was measured from center of top of bottle to center of bottom.) To allow for seams & ruffle add an additional 3"to this measurement. The fabric pieces were cut this length before beginning construction.
Copyright 2001 Creative Keepsakes, Inc.
Feel free to use these instructions for personal or instructional use. If used for instruction, please give credit to Creative Keepsakes and provide the URL http://creativekeepsake.com.
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