Pfaff creative 2140 Owner's Manual - Page 121

5. Sewing Assistant 5-13 Smocking Smocking is achieved by sewing parallel rows across your fabric to create a gathering effect. Smocking is mainly used in childrens wear and heirloom techniques. There are different methods of creating the smocked effect: Smocking with gimp thread (non-stretch) Stitch 7 or 12 For beautiful smocking effects you will need two and a half to three times the desired finished width of fabric. The smocked section is usually made before the completion of the garment. Light-weight fabrics such as batiste or fine linen are best suited for this technique. Using a fabric marker, or other non-permanent pen or chalk to draw a straight line on the fabric as a guide for the first gathering row. Attach presser foot 1 or the appliqué foot (optional accessory): slightly loosen the screw at the back of the presser foot holder and insert the edge guide through the opening. Position the edge guide 2-2.5cm (1") from the needle and tighten the screw. Place the fabric to be gathered under the presser foot, right side up. Position the gimp thread under the presser foot so it runs exactly in the groove at the center of the foot. Sew the first gathering seam, leaving approximately 10 cm (4") of the gimp thread at the beginning and end of the seam. Place the edge guide on this stitching line - the next row will sew approximately 2-2.5 cm (1") from the first row. Different spacing will achieve different gathering effects. Continue to sew the remaining rows using the edge guide for spacing. Carefully pull the ends of the gimp thread and gather the fabric evenly over the entire fabric width. Secure your threads. Smocking effect with elastic threads Stitch 1 For this technique, elastic thread is hand-wound onto the bobbin. The needle thread may be a regular sewing or an embroidery thread. Since elastic threads are much thicker than normal bobbin threads, the tension on the bobbin case must be set extremely loose. The tighter you set the bobbin-thread tension, the greater the gathering effect you will obtain. For this kind of smocking, fine and light material such as lightweight knit fabric, silk or satin are suitable. Mark the first line on the fabric to be gathered. Sew along this line and knot the threads at the beginning and end of the seams. For the remaining parallel seams the material must be stretched to its original length during sewing (do not overstretch fabric).