Clover Smocking Stickers

Last Sunday I started sewing a loose style blouse, McCall's Costumes 4091.  I purchased the large/ extra large sized pattern.  The problem was the bodice was 72 inches finished.  I wanted a loose fitting shirt but that was way to big for me.  Sewing is something that I can't get the hang of, so I didn't want to try and resize the pattern.  Smocking seemed a good way of reducing the size of the shirt while also being decorative.  So at first I tried marking the fabric so I could pleat it, but placing marks on the fabric was to hard.  So yesterday Lee searched Beverly's for the Clover Smocking stickers and brought them home for me!  So with the instruction I will try and smock them shirt.

First thing was to iron the fabric so it was smooth to add the stickers to.  Then reading the instructions the next step is to cut out the sticker strips and decide whether to use mountain or valley style.  I decided to use the black valley stickers.  If making more than one row of smocking you can change to the blue mountain style for more variety.

Next I cut out a strip of stickers and measured carefully from the arm down to the marks I made last week.  Then placed the stickers on the fabric and rubbed to adhere them.  Unfortunately they didn't work as well as the package said.  First you should always cut the strips through the backing.  If you don't the stickers try to stick to your hands and everything else.  Because the stickers pleat and make a design at the same time they need to be pretty perfectly aligned to work.  The stickers are also low tack so they want to pop off the fabric.  Not a very successful start.

Now on to plan C!  Instead of working the pattern on the stickers I will use them as best I can just to pleat the fabric.  The instructions call for embroidery floss but I don't feel that floss is strong enough to hold the pleating.  So I am going to use perle cotton for the pleats and start by working from the center of the fabric and working the thread to the opposite ends.  Unfortunately That didn't work either.

So I just settled for working on the side seams.  The fabric is a very light open weave and so the stitches had to be tiny.  So tomorrow I will try again to smock the shirt.