R=Nx.21 - Southern Stitches

The guides I have consulted in
blocking a smocked collar or
bishop ignore one basic rule of
dress design and construction.
Although children's necks are
circular, dress necklines are only 3/
4 of a circle. For example, imagine
that you have sewn the front and
back yokes together at the shoulders for a basic square yoke dress.
Now lay the imaginary sewn piece
flat. What you get is something like
this (Fis.
1):
The bishop/collar guide that I have
drawn up is based on basic math
skills and the 3/4-circle neckline rule.
To use this guide, first determine
the neckline size of your finished
garment. Usually, this measurement
is given in your pattern, although it
may be disguised as the measurement of the neck bias binding. lf it
isn't or if you want a looser neckline,
measure the neck of the person who
will be wearing the garment. Then,
use this measurement for your neckline.
Pin the first pleating row of the
neckline to the appropriate 3/4-circle
f irst pin the
line on the guide
center front, then the two center
backs, then the front sleeve seams,
and finally the back sleeve seams.
For a collar, divide the collar evenly
into four sections
center backs,
prior to
shoulders, and center front
pleating. Match these points to the
appropriate line on the guide.
Hint: Only use quilting thread in the
first pleating row. Use regular sewing
thread in all the other rows. Quilting
thread can leave holes in fine fabrics,
such as batiste and eyelet.
Do not use the raw edge of the
garment to match the guide. Use the
first pleating row, and make this row
the seam line. By doing so, the first
row of smocking will always be evenly
spaced in relation to the neck binding.
Tie off the pleating threads in pairs
on one side. Pull up the threads on
the other side until the garment lies
flat on the guide. Tie off in pairs the
remaining threads. Unpin the garment
from the guide. lt is now blocked to
the correct size. When smocking, remember to loosen the tension the
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Smocked collars and bishops
must conform to the 3/4 neckline to
fit properly. Overlooking the slight
sizing difference between the
actual neck and the neckline on a
collar pattern, will lead to fitting
problems in the finished garment. lf
the collar of a bishop is blocked to
a shape larger than 3/4 of a circle,
your collar or dress will "bump out"
in the back where the two back
pieces want to overlap. Smock the
collar or bishop to a smaller size,
and you get a "turtleneck." With all
the energy that goes into our
beautiful garments, a few extra
minutes of preparation time are
wellworth
it.
-
farther you are away from the
neckline.
It is also possible to smock a
garment while it is pinned to the
guide. This is a little awkward, but
I think this method helps you to
better smock to size.
For neck sizes, other than
those drawn, the math works out
as follows:
Circumference of a circle =
2nR
Neckline = 314 C
Neckline = 3la (2 n R)
R=Nx.21
ln plain English, the radius of
the circle in inches (or centimeters
for metric) equals the finished
neckline size times .21. As long as
all your measurements are in
inches or centimeters, the formula
holds. For example, for a 17-inch
neckline, R + 17 x.21 =3.57
inches. This is approximately 3-5/B
inches. Draw a series of dots 3-5/8
inches away from the center point
between the center bacl</front/
center back. Connect these dots
and you have a '17-inch neckline.
I have used my copy of this
neckline guide successfully many
times. lf you cover both sides with
a clear adhesive paper, such as
"contact" it will last through several
uses. You can also transfer the
markings to a 18-inch square of
heavy sew-in interfacing.
Happy Smocking!
Lisa Feor is a member of the
Smocking Arts Guild of America
and teaches smocking in the
Webster, New York area.
Summer 1990
Lisa feor's
BISHOP AND COLLAR GUIDE
For other neckline slzes:
Radius in inches equal neck size x .21
(^_x
Back Sleeve
6
0r
tt
7l
8r
tt
9r
9r
Seam