A Smocked Summer Frock for a Small Girl

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 6, 15 December 1949, Page 611

A Smocked Summer Frock for a Small Girl

NOTHING is fresher for a small girl’s summer wear than a smocked washing frock. Whether checks, spots, stripes, or sprigged materials are chosen, the pattern should be small and dainty. Gingham is an all-time favourite, for its washing and wearing qualities are undisputed. With the advent of summer a small daughter will require several frocks of the type described in this article by Eva Topping, Rural, Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Auckland. THE pattern illustrated has simple A lines and an easily-worked but effective smocked front. If the checks of the material are small enough■ about J to l/16in. squareno transfer is required. Pin-spotted or striped material with the spots or stripes Jin. apart does not need a transfer. The size of the finished frock is: — Length from shoulder to hem 17in. Width across front chest over smocking .. . . . . lOin. Length of sleeve seam . . . . 1 Jin. Width of sleeve at bottom .. .Tin. Round neckline when; fastened lOin. Width at lower edge about 1 l/3yds. Materials required are: Ifyds. of 36in.-wide cotton material; Jyd. or a piece about 9in. x 18in. for the collar in white or a plain colour to match the frock material (calico, haircord, and boiling silk are all suitable, and the rag-bag probably will supply a large enough piece); 2 skeins of white or coloured stranded cotton; 3 small buttons, and Jyd. of narrow tape. Cutting a Paper Pattern First study the diagrams to become familiar with the shapes of the pattern. Then take sheets of. paper, a pencil, and a tape measure or ruler,and make a pattern as follows: . Back (Fig. 1) Size of paper 18in. x 13in.; mark the corners A, B, C, and D as on the diagram. From A measure 9in. toward B and mark a. From B measure 2Jin. toward D and in 2in., and mark b. Join a and b as shown for the armhole. From D measure up lin. and mark c. Join b and c for the side seam. Join c to C for the hemline. Measure 4in. down from A and mark “Cut to here for back opening.” Mark the pattern “Back.” Write “Gather here” along the line A-a and “Fold” at the centre back. Front (Fig. 2) Size of paper 21 Jin. x 13Jin.; mark the corners E, F, G, and H. From E measure 2in. toward G and mark e. From E measure 3fin. toward F and mark f. Join e and f as shown for the neckline, which is straight for almost ljin. at e. From E measure Ilin, toward F and down ljin., and mark g. Join f and g for the shoulder seam.

From F measure s£in. toward H and in 2in., and mark h. Join g and h as shown for the armhole. From H measure lin. toward F and mark -i. Join h and i for the side seam. ' Join i and G for the hemline. Measure 3Jin. from F toward E and down 7in. From there draw a line lin. down and mark it “Stitch tie belt.” Mark the pattern “Front.” Write “Gather, here” along the neckline (e-f) and shoulder line (f-g) and “Fold” at the centre front.:; Back Yoke (Fig. 3) Size of paper' sfin. x 4|in.; mark the corners I, J, K, and L. . From I measure lin. toward K and mark k. From I measure 2Jin. toward J and mark 1. . Join k and 1 as shown for the neckline. From J measure 2in. toward L and mark m. Join 1 and m for the shoulder seam. From L measure fin. toward K and mark n. Join m and n for the armhole. Write “Back yoke, cut 4” on the pattern. Sleeve (Fig. 4) Size of paper 17in. x 6in.; mark the corners M, N, O, and P. From M measure BJin. toward N and mark o. From M measure 4in. toward O and mark s. From O measure Jin. toward P and mark p. From P measure Jin. toward O and mark r. From N measure 4in. toward P and mark q. From O measure BJin. toward P and up lin.; mark t. Join s-p and q-r for the sleeve seams. Join p-t-r with a gentle curve for the lower sleeve edge.

From M measure ljin. toward N and down in.; mark with a dot. From M measure 2Jin. toward N and down 3Jin.; mark" with a dot and cross. From M measure 3Jin. toward N and down 2in.; mark with a dot. From M measure 4Jin. toward N and down lin.; mark with a dot. From M measure 6in. toward N and down Jin.; mark with a dot. Join these dots to o with a smoothly - curved line. From N measure lin. toward M and down 3 Jin.; mark with a dot. From N measure ljin. toward M and down 3in.; mark with a dot. From N measure 4in. toward M and down lin.; mark with a dot. From N measure sin. toward M and down Jin.; mark with a dot. Join the dots to o as before. Mark a cross between the second and third dots to correspond with that on the other side of the sleeve top, and write “Gather here” along the top edge between the two crosses. Make two crosses on the lower edge about lin. in from the side seams and write “Gather here” between them. Write “Sleeve, cut 2” on the pattern and “Place to back yoke” on the righthand side as shown. Collar (Fig. 5) Size of paper 6Jin. x 3f in.; mark the corners Q, R, S, and T. From Q measure 3in. toward R and mark u. From Q measure 2Jin. toward S and mark v. From S measure fin. toward T and mark w. Join u, v, and w with a curved line as shown. From r measure 3in. toward T and mark x. From T measure fin. toward S and mark y. Join y, x, and u with a curved line. From S measure 3in. toward T and up ljin.; mark z. Join w, z, and y with a curved line. Mark the pattern “Collar, cut 4” and write “Back” on the right-hand side as shown. j

These five pieces are the paper pattern from which the frock will be cut, but one more piece is required— smocking guide for the front. It should be cut from fairly stiff paper and must be cut whole, not in halves as for the pattern. : Smocking Guide (Fig. 6) Size of paper 14Jin. x Bin., folded in halves along the long sides; mark the two open corners on the left side U and V. From U measure 2in. toward the fold and down 1-Jin.; mark a. From U measure sfin. toward the fold and mark b. Join a and b for the shoulderline. From the top edge at the fold measure down 2in. and mark c. Join b and c with a curve for the neckline'. From V measure 2-jin. toward U and Jin. in; mark d. Join d to V for the side seam. Join a and d in a curve as shown for the armhole. Mark the piece “Front smocking guide” and cut it out folded to make the sides symmetrical.

Turnings of Jin. are allowed in the pattern on all seams except the back yoke at the fastening edge, where the allowance is only Jin. The pattern allows for a hem of 2iin. with a Jin. turning. Cutting out the Frock Set the pattern out on the material as in Fig. 7, making sure that the centre front and centre back are on the fold. Cut four yoke pieces, two being the linings. Two lengths 22in. x 2in. for the tie belts are also needed. Place the collar pattern on the contrasting material so that the grain runs either lengthwise or crosswise. Front Smocking Lay the other pieces aside and take up the front of the frock. . Run rows of gathering stitches across the front with the stitches about jin. apart and the rows Jin. below each other. Keep the stitches even in length and the pleats formed regularly. When ' the pattern of the material is conveniently spaced, as in small checks, a transfer

may not be necessary, but if one is wanted, use small-sized smocking dots, stamp them on the wrong side of the material, and make the running stitches on the wrong side too. Make about 22 rows of stitching to attain a bodice effect for about s|in. from the centre front neckline when finished. Start with the full-length row just below the neckline; the short rows on each shoulder can be put in afterward. Continue the stitches for the required depth. Take a length of thread for each row and leave the ends hanging free. Next gather round the front neck and the front shoulders. Tack the front smocking guide to the back of the dress front, pull up the neck and shoulder gathers to fit the guide, and fasten them off firmly. Pull the loose threads through to the right side, insert a pin for every two rows, pull up the gathers to fit the smocking guide, and wind the threads round the pins. Pull the pleats gently from top to bottom to make them lie evenly. Take three strands of stranded embroidery cotton in the needle and proceed as follows: First Row of Stitching Insert the needle at the right-hand side of the work on the first long row .of gathers. Take up the first two pleats and make a back stitch over both. Take up the second and third pleats of the 2nd row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the third and fourth pleats of the 3rd row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the fourth and fifth pleats of the 2nd row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the fifth and sixth pleats of the Ist row and make a back stitch over both.

This makes one point. Continue to the end of the row and fasten off the thread firmly. Second Row of Stitching Start again at the right-hand side of the work on the fifth row of gathers. Take up the first and second pleats of the sth row and make a back stitch over both. , Take up the second and third pleats of the 4th row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the third and fourth pleats of the 3rd row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the fourth and fifth pleats of the 4th row and make a back stitch over both. Take up the fifth and sixth pleats of the sth row and make a back stitch over both. Continue to the end of the row. These two rows of stitching are repeated until the correct depth of the bodice is reached. Then return to the shoulders and work in the appropriate rows. Gather the neck to fit the paper guide, then remove it and pull out the gathering stitches. Fig. 8 shows the smocking stitches in detail. Making up the Frock Take the back and make narrow hems jin. wide down the back opening, cutting a straight line across at

the bottom. Fold the right side over the left to form a pleat and back stitch to form a square of stitches to strengthen the opening. Gather both sides of the top edge, sandwich them between the two yoke pieces, and stitch along the bottom of the yoke and up the two ends at the centre back. Turn the back right side out and press the seams. Gather the front shoulder edge, set it on to the outside yoke pieces right sides together, and stitch it. Make french seams at the sides. Make a single turning, of jin. on the lower hem to the wrong side and stitch it. Make french seams for the sleeve seams, taking care to make a pair. Make a tiny hem at the lower edge and hem it by hand. Gather the top between the two. crosses on the pattern; gather the lower edge between the two crosses and pull up the thread to make the sleeve 7in. —that is, 3Jin. when it is doubled. Tack the gathers evenly on to a piece of narrow tape, turning in the outside end of the tape for a neat finish. Set the sleeves into the armhole, 1 leaving the inner yoke unattached. Stitch round the outer edges of the collar Jin. in from the edge, trim to tin., and snip at the curved corners. Set the collar on to the neckline, making the front opening at the centre, and stitch it on the right side. Trim the seam, press the raw edges

down, and tack the inner yoke in place at the shoulders and round the armholes. Cut a narrow crossway piece for the front neckline and hand sew it in place over the raw edges of neck and collar. Stitch the inner yoke to the shoulder and armhole seams by hand; oversew the lower armhole to give a tidy finish. Turn up the hem 2fin. and hand stitch it to make

the hem easier to unpick when it is necessary to lengthen the frock.

Make three buttonholes or loops on the right side of the back yoke and sew buttons in corresponding places on the left side. Hem the belts with Mn. turnings and attach them at the lower edges of the smocking. Work a row of double-sided feather stitching (Fig. 9) over the gathers of the sleeve, taking the stitches right through to the tape, and the little frock is completed.