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| Pony Club, Australian Smocking & Embroidery, Issue 98 |
This simple top, Pony Club from Australian Smocking and Embroidery, Issue 98, kept me busy for way too long. AFTER I finished the smocking and started constructing the top, I found out the pattern pieces were drawn incorrectly in AS&E and there were corrections found here.
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| Smocking detail on front |
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| Back view |
Below is my third attempt at taking out every seam and reconstructing the top. Below is also, the correct (according to the pattern) amount of smocking in the front. You can see how much I have pinned up for it to match the back width.
My top is a size 8, and I after three attempts at making the top, I have about 8 1/4" of smocking left in the front. Notice the pictures of my daughter above, if she moves it gaps even with the reduction in front width. Since I had already completed the smocking, I added a hem band since the correction I needed was to add length to the front. I am not convinced the corrections on AS&E's website are totally correct in regard to the front width of this top.
After all the changes, I really like this top. It is cute on my daughter. Smocking on this bold print is not normal, but I like the end product.
The front of this top is pleated and smocked through two layers of fabric. My fabric on this top was a thicker quilting cotton that broke a needle as it went through the pleater. Since the smocking is simple, a young smocker could excel at this project. With so many changes to the pattern, a more experienced seamstress is needed to finish the top.
Lesson Learned: Check for corrections BEFORE you start a new project!!!!
I have been busy after four days of sewing heaven putting my house back together. I spent four wonderful days with the best teachers at the American Sewing Guild's National Convention. It was so much fun and I learned a ton.
My daughter modeled in the Runway Fashion Show, where she promptly fell in love with ladies ohh-ing and ahhh-ing over her.
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| Modeling Aine |
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| Modeling Poppy |
I fell in love with some of the teachers and their amazing projects.
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| Here I am with Susan Khalje |
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| Here I am with Connie Crawford |
Now on to the end of summer sewing. School has started. The fall garden is planted. Everything is in full swing! Have fun with your end of summer projects.
You have been quite busy!
ReplyDeleteI like the end product, too!! Sorry the pattern gave you such fits! Thanks for the detailed information about how you fixed it.
ReplyDeletefor all the problems you had, it turned out darling on her. And of course everyone loved her at the show! I've had problems with doing the same type of double layer. I've decided I will only do that on very fine fabrics from now on. My smocking ended up kind of on the wonky side. Your's looks great.
ReplyDeleteThat top is so cute!!! I would really like to learn how to do smocking; the effect is just so lovely.
ReplyDeleteYou did such a good job on this top. I am making one right now and was having the same problem with gapping in the front and a friend told me to re-block the Smocking, but upside down and steam a piece of interfacing to the back that fits in between the holding rows on the back. And that seems to have fixed the problem for me. It just holds the pleats together. Just thought I would pass that fix along to you.
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