Smock an Alternating Cable Stitch

Smock an Alternating Cable Stitch

alternating cable stitch smocking The Best of Australian Smocking & Embroidery

Cables, outlines, stems and waves - there are so many lovely smocking stitches we can combine to create beautiful smocked designs for our garments. Today, we'd like to share a step-by-step tutorial for the alternating cable stitch from our friends at Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine. Also known as cable picot, this is an attractive stitch that can be worked in a single color or two colors for varying effects.

Example was smocked with two strands of DMC satin stranded rayon.

1. Base row of cable. Work a row of cable.

2. Bring the thread to the front on the right-hand side of the first pleat, a needle's width below the first stitch of the base cable row.

3. Take the needle back through the first pleat from right to left.

4. Pull the thread through. Work two cables (an over cable then an under cable).

5. For the third cable, keep the thread below the needle and angle it to emerge on the left side of the same pleat, a needle's width above the base row.

6. Pull the thread through.

7. Work two cables (under, over). With the thread above, take the needle through the next pleat, angling it to emerge on the left side of this pleat below the base row.

8. Pull the thread through. Work two cables (over, under). For the next cable, angle the needle through the pleat. Emerge above the base cable row as in step 5.

9. Continue alternating between three cables below the base row and three above. End off the thread securely.

For more inspiration, don't miss The Best of Australian Smocking & Embroidery. This special issue includes eight multi-size patterns, tips, techniques and much more!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,
Cyndi and Amelia

Royal Sewing for Your Little Prince or Princess

Royal Sewing for Your Little Prince or Princess

Laurie Anderson Prince William's Suit Royal diamond chevron smocking Sewing for a Royal Baby smocked suit smocking smocking graph

Our version of Prince William's Suit!

It's a boy! What fun it is to celebrate the birth of Prince George Alexander Louis. We watched in delight last week as Prince William and Kate Middleton introduced their royal bundle of joy to the world on the steps of St. Mary's Hospital in London. Of course, our thoughts immediately went to all the stitched finery little George will soon wear. 

As a child, Prince William was frequently photographed wearing English smocking. While watching William, Kate and George leaving St. Mary's last week, we were reminded of a photo that was taken of a young Prince William in 1984 on the same hospital steps. He had just visited the hospital to meet his new little brother Prince Harry for the first time, and he was wearing an adorable English smocked shirt with matching red shorts. 

Designer Laurie Anderson recreated William's precious suit for our new book, Sewing for a Royal Baby, and now seems like a fitting time to share the smocking graph with you! Check out the book for the complete guide to making Prince William's Suit, or smock the design on a garment of your choosing.

Royal diamond chevron smocking

Royal Diamond Chevron smocking graph
Design as shown was smocked with three strands of DMC #817 red six strand embroidery floss.

1. Pleat seven rows. Mark center pleat with a wash-away marking pen. Rows 1 and 7 are holding rows and will not be smocked. Block 102 pleats for each insert. (Refer to Royal Diamond Chevron smocking graph below.)

2. For the upper border, start at the center two pleats and cable across Row 1, beginning with an up cable. Invert your work and complete the other side of the cable row.

3. On Row 1 under the first down cable, work a three-cable combination starting with an up cable, step down to Row 1-1/2, and trellis stitch over just one pleat, down cable one. Step back up to Row 1 and over just one pleat beginning on the same pleat continue the pattern across the row. Smock carefully and remember to trellis up and down on the same pleat as the previous cable.

4. Start the bottom border at the center two pleats on Row 5 and work a mirror image of the upper border between Rows 5 and 5-1/2.

5. Between Rows 2 and 2-1/2 and Rows 3 and 3-1/2, work a half-step wave across the row, beginning with a down cable.

6. Mirror image a half-step wave between Rows 2-1/2 and 3 and 3-1/2 and 4.

Royal Diamond Chevron smocking graph

Be sure to check out Sewing for a Royal Baby for more royal sewing inspiration!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,
Cyndi and Amelia