Smocking Tutorial: Flowerettes

So far in these smocking tutorials, I have covered the meat and potatoes of smocking. We have covered the cable, wave and trellis stitches. I would guess that 90% of all geometric smocking is done with those three stitches. Flowerettes are likewise a simple stitch - in fact they are made up of cable stitches. But with the Flowerettes, we are leaving the meat and potatoes behind and are starting to add some spice to our creation!

There are two types of Flowerettes: single and double. One is understated and one is more flamboyant. Which is more appropriate is entirely dependent on the look you wish to achieve.

To form the Single Flowerette, begin by stitching a down cable, up cable, down cable combination. You can find the tutorial on the cable stitch here.

Take the needle to the back of the work and come back to the front below the stitches just formed and in position to stitch one final cable centered below the middle stitch. A single Flowerette is stitched over 4 pleats.

A Double Flowerette is also stitched over 4 pleats and begins the same way with a down cable, up cable, down cable combination. Again, take the needle to the back of the work. Turn your smocking upside down, come back to the front, and stitch another down cable, up cable, down cable combination. Turning the work upside down and stitching back prevents carrying the thread across the back to the beginning of the flowerette, which in turn keeps the smocking more elastic. If it is easier for you to carry the thread across the back and come back to the beginning and stitch a mirror image of the first three stitches, I won't tell!

Here are the completed Flowerettes! Enjoy Smocking, and if you haven't signed up for the Pink Hollybush Newsletter, please do and receive the free Daisy smocking plate as my thank you gift to you!

#smocking #smockingtutorial #tutorials