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Soon after we published Boy, Oh Boy!, our first boy’s only machine embroidery disk from Martha Pullen Company, we approached Janet Gilbert to design a smocking plate to match one of the motifs. She loved the baseball emblem and chose a dark blue fabric for the background to really make it pop. She used the “Jack and Jill Overalls” pattern from the Sew Beautiful Collection for the smocked version and a cargo pant and short-sleeved top pattern for the older boy’s machine embroidered version. What a great way to make a coordinating set for brothers of different ages. The older boy’s baseball shirt is actually made from a New Look pajamas pattern. It’s amazing what a little thinking out of the box can do. The smocking graph and instructions are included in this article. The Boy, Oh Boy! machine embroidery disk and the “Jack and Jill Overalls” pattern are available from the Sew Beautiful catalog (www.sewbeautifulmag.com or www.marthapullen.com).
IN THE ARTICLE
• Smocking Plate
• Smocking Instructions
• Floss List
• Garment Information
FLOSS LIST
• DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Cotton
#437 - lt tan (bats, gloves)
#3865 - winter white (hat, ball, bat, glove detail)
#840 - md beige brown (glove)
#820 - v dk royal blue (hat, bat)
#3031 - v dk mocha brown (gloves)
#304 - md red (hat, bat)
Black - (glove detail)
Floss color to match background fabric for backsmocking
GARMENT INFORMATION
All patterns were current at time of printing; we cannot guarantee availability. Check on line at www.sewingpatterns.com to view and purchase from these pattern catalogs.
Overalls pattern is “Jack and Jill Overalls” from the Sew Beautiful Collection. Suggested pattern for cargo pants is “New Look Kids #6667 (2-7), or Kwik Sew #2543 (4-7) and (8-14), or Kwik Sew #2858 (1-4). Boy’s baseball top is New Look Kids #6446 (1/2-4) and New Look Kids #6131 (3-8). Overalls and cargo pants are made of Windsor blue Kona cotton, and top is bone Kona cotton both from Hancock’s of Paducah (privately owned and not associated with the Hancock’s Fabric chain). A shirttail hem was added to the pattern by dropping the front hem 3-inches and drawing a curve up to meet the original hem at the side seam.
1. Follow instructions for Smocked Bib (View 2) from the Jack and Jill pattern. Pleat 13 rows (first and last rows are holding rows). Work smocking between Rows 2 and 12. Pull up pleats and block piece to fit bib pattern and tie off. Trim off excess fabric leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance at each end; you will not need the whole width of the fabric.
2. Backsmock Rows 3-11 with floss to match fabric.
Stitch stacked cables with four strands of floss.
1. Begin at center on Row 7 at the button on the hat with a six-cable floweret using #304 (md red).
2. Work hat from center out following #304 (md red), #3865 (winter white), and #820 (v dk royal blue) color changes and cable count on graph. Stitch a backstitch using one strand of red floss between white and blue sections on front of hat above bill.
3. Continue from hat working upward to complete upper bat with #437 (lt tan), then stitch lower bat sections from hat working downward following lt tan, red, white and blue color changes.
5. Use two strands of #3865 (winter white) and straight stitches to complete laces on gloves. Stitch a curved backstitch with one strand of black floss to define thumb of glove.
6. Work baseball in #3865 (winter white) from center of ball upward, then from center of ball downward. Stitch red detail lines with a backstitch using one strand of #304 (md red) floss.
Using three strands of #304 (md red) chain stitch across borders. Top border chain points to the left and bottom border chain points to the right. Work top border with piece top-side down, stitching left to right. Work bottom border with piece turned bottom-side down, stitching left to right (this will be opposite if you are left-handed). See sidebar for chain-stitch diagrams.
Janet Gilbert is a smocking designer from Vienna, Illinois. She is a commissioned designer for Sew Beautiful and often shares her own designs in the magazine. Look for more of her designs in upcoming 2007 and 2008 issues. Next issue, Janet will share a sparkling beaded snowflake smocking plate stitched on navy velveteen. Her purple and green silk checked smocked variation of the “Pascale” pattern is pictured in our current catalog and will be featured in the January 2008 issue.