[Ansteorra-Textiles] New to SCA making little girl outfit

embroidery at penpoint.biz embroidery at penpoint.biz
Thu Dec 8 16:45:33 PST 2005


>   The little apron I would like to smock however I do not know if this
> would be appropriate???

English Smocking (what most people call smocking) developed in the 17th
and 18th centuries, but gathering cloth into pleats and embroidering those
pleats goes way, way back.  There are extent pieces of very simple
pleatwork at Viking digs.

Nearly all of the pleatwork you will see during the 14th and 15th
centuries was done white on white.  And if you go looking for examples of
pleatwork, look at the aprons in the illuminations and paintings of the
period.

Since children were dressed up like little adults, making a simple small
apron for your child is very appropriate.  It should have a simple band of
fabric that ties in back, and a cloth front attached to it.  The cloth can
be as short as just below her knees, or as long as her skirts.  The
pleatwork was used to control the cloth at the top.  When sewn into the
apron strings, it should be between half to ¾ of the front view of the
outfit.  The embroidery on the pleats on an adult would be about a full
hand width (scale down width to fit the child), then the balance of the
fabric comes out of the pleats and completely covers the skirt on the
bottom from the front view and even goes around a little on the sides.

If you would like more details, just let me know and I will try and dig
out where to find pictures.

Ever a Servant,

Lady Prudence the Curious





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