Technology and Livelihood Education

Home Economics

HANDICRAFT 9
Quarter 1 Module 4
Stitching Techniques to Smocking Embroidery
Technology and Livelihood Education – Grade 7/8
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 4: Stitching Techniques to Smocking Embroidery

First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

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Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers : Lowela P. Margallo

Editors : Carina A. Ortiz Luis, PhD./ Ailene L. Omadto/ Dr.Judelyn S. Dupitas, Ed.D.
Reviewers : Helen N. Flora, EPS TLE/TVL
Ma. Nimfa R. Gabertan, EPS ENGLISH
Jeffrey D. De Guzman, PSDS
Management Team: Dr. Jenilyn B. Corpuz, CESO VI, SDS
Mr. Freddie V. Avendaño, ASDS
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Technology and Livelihood Education
Home Economics

Handicraft
Quarter 1 – Module 4:
Stitching Techniques to Smocking Embroidery
 What I Need to Know

This module is designed and written to help you manipulate the tools
and materials for embroidery and Combine Stitching Techniques to
Smocking Embroidery in creating a well-made project. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons
are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in
which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are
now using.
After going through this module on Stitching Techniques to Smocking
Embroidery, you are expected to:
1. identify the tools and materials used in embroidery;
2. create an embroidery using different stitching techniques of smocking
embroidery project; and
3. develop creativity and patience in doing the activities.

What I Know

Directions: Choose and write the correct letter of your answer in a separate
sheet of paper.
1. It is a decorative embroidery or shirring designed to control the fullness in
garments.
A. calado C. honeycomb
B. cross-stitching D. smocking
2. This is composed of linen, crepe, silk, cotton, ginghams, and velvet used in
making embroidery stitches.
A. fabric C. garment
B. floss D. needle
3. This type of smocking has the dots marked on the right side of the fabric
before smocking stitches are formed from dot to dot, gathering the fabric in
each stitch.
A. English smocking C. Italian smocking
B. irregular smocking D. regular smocking

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4. This type of smocking is also called pre-gathering.
A. English smocking C. Italian smocking
B. irregular smocking D. regular smocking
5. The bottom of the pleat is called ________.
A. cable C. Outline
B. hem D. valley
6. This is a tight stitch of double rows that joins alternating columns of
gathers.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. stem stitch
7. This is a very decorative variation of blanket stitch.
A. cable stitch C. stem stitch
B. honeycomb D. vandyke
8. This stitch is like the stem stitch but with an upward slope.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. vandyke
9. This is a decorative stitch that can be used as a filling.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. vandyke
10. This is a level stitch made up of cable stitches.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. wave stitch

Lesson Stitching Techniques to

1 Smocking Embroidery
Smocking is a decorative embroidery or shirring designed to control
the fullness in garments by gathering the fabric in regularly spaced tucks
using fancy stitches. There are several stitching techniques used in both
calado and smocking and when combined, they create a well, intricate designs
on the fabric.

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 What’s In

Activity 1. I Can DO This

Try doing this…
Directions: Examine the picture of a sample
smocking embroidery on the right side. Look at
the stitches. Try to make stitches like the ones in
the picture. Get an embroidery needle (or even an
ordinary needle) embroidery floss (ordinary
thread will do), an old dress of younger sister, or
any available fabric at home. Start doing the embroidery stitches.
Note: As a beginner, you can put light marks on the fabric using a pencil as a
guide in making the stitches.
How did you find the activity? Did you finish the stitches? Those stitches are
the stitches used in smocking. Compare your work to the one in the picture.
Do they look the same? Which among the stitches do you find difficult to do?
Which stitches made the smocking look beautiful? Why? If you find it difficult
to do, you may ask the help of your mother or sister to assist you in making
your hand stitches.
B. Watch the video using the link https://youtu.be/Ll7tZMXwuDI “Smocking
with Martha Pullen”. Make a reflection of what you noticed in the tutorial
video. Take note of the tools, materials, procedures, and techniques
demonstrated and put it in your portfolio. Submit your output next meeting.
For those who have no internet connection, prepare the output for Activity
1-A.

What’s New

Smocking stitches are done with regular embroidery thread.

On silk clothes, it is important to use silk threads and cotton
clothes, use cotton thread. Use a simple color scheme to look
more elegant. Use pastel color for light-colored fabric. Keep
the thread (two strands of the thread) near your fabric to see
if it suits. Use one or two colors with two to three shades of
the same color for smocking. For a thicker effect, you may use
three or four strands of thread.

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Activity 2. Can You Identify Me?
Directions: Fill in the blanks to complete the following tools and materials in
smocking embroidery. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

What is it

Tools and Materials Used in Smocking:

a. Soft, light, weighted fabrics like cotton, lawn, and soft wool (use two to
three times in size of the desired finished width).
b. Crewel or chenille needles from 5 to 7
c. Pearl cotton or embroidery floss
d. Use a grid to guide you as you work. The grid is marked on the fabric
in evenly spaced dots. Hot-iron transfer sheets are available in crafts
stores, or you may use graphing paper to take your grid.

Stitches used in Smocking

Smocking is decorative embroidery or shirring especially designed to
control fullness in garments by gathering the fabric in regular spaced tucks
using fancy stitches. It is usually used for children’s girls’ clothing. It is
applied to areas of clothing with simple rectangular patterns like neckline,
yoke, sleeve hem, and cuffs.
There are two basic methods of smocking: Regular and English.
A. Regular Smocking- the dots are marked on the right side of the fabric
before smocking stitches are formed from dot to dot, gathering the
fabric in each stitch.
B. English Smocking- the dots are marked on the wrong side of the fabric
before the rows of uneven running stitches are worked from dot to dot,
forming small pleats. This process is called pre-gathering.

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Basic stitches used in smocking
The stitches are the cable, stem or outline, honeycomb, surface honeycomb,
Vandyke, and diamond with the variations of wave stitch and trellis stitch.

Outline Stitch/Stem Stitch Cable Stitch

Wave Stitch Diamond Stitch

1. Cable Stitch is a tight

stitch of double rows
that joins alternating
columns of gathers. The
cable stitch is made up
of alternating down
cable and up cable
stitches worked in a
straight line. The needle
is always inserted
perpendicular to the
pleats and parallel to
the gathering threads.

2. Honeycomb is a very
decorative variation of
blanket stitch that
takes the form of a
honeycomb. It can be
used as a filling stitch.

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3. Stem stitch is a tight
stitch with minimum
flexibility that joins two
columns of gathers at a
time in single
overlapping rows with a
downward slope. It
works in the same way
as the cable stitch
except that you should
always hold the yarn
below the needle.

4. Outline stitch is
like the stem stitch but
with an upward slope.

5. Vandyke is a tight
variant on the surface
honeycomb stitch that
wraps diagonal
stitches in the
opposite direction.
Stitch Variations

1. Wave stitch is a level

stitch made up of cable
stitches, moving up
and then down
incremented equally
between the gathering
threads.

2. Trellis stitch formed

may be of different
sizes, 3, 4 or 5 stitches
are the usual numbers
for the side of each
trellis.

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Methods used to gather fabric for smocking
1. Hand Gathering or Pleating- is one of the best options but needs to have
patience in doing it.
2. Machine Gathering- the easiest way to gather fabric but does not give even
pleats.
Basic rules of smocking
1. The gathering thread is to be used as a guide to keep your smocking
stitches even and straight.
2. Always hold the needle straight/horizontally or parallel to the stitches and
perpendicular to the pleats and valley.
3. Ensure that the gathering thread is not caught in the smocking stitches.
4. Use crewel needle size 5 to 8.
5. The bottom of the pleat is called a valley.
6. Always keep the floss in the same position throughout the row-above or
below the needle.
7. Keep the tension even throughout.

What’s More

Activity 3: My First Smocking Embroidery

Prepare a project plan for a smocking embroidery (baby dress, or dress
of your sister) using available material at home. Use embroidery floss when
making the activity. Submit the final output next week.
Direction: Do the following tasks:
● Copy the format of the Task Sheets 1-2.
● Fill-in the Task Sheet with the required information.
● Follow the steps in making the given tasks.
● Attach the Task Sheet and paste the output in your Portfolio.
● Submit the Portfolio next meeting.

TASK SHEET NO. 1

Name: ___________________________ Grade and Section: ___________
Title: Smocked Dress with Cable Stitch
Objective: After doing the activity, I would be able to:
a. describe what a cable stitch is.
b. make a smocked dress with cable stitches using old dress; and
c. follow the steps and techniques correctly.
Tools, Materials, Equipment: embroidery floss, old dress, embroidery needle

Illustration/Pictures
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Steps:

1. Bring the thread through A and put it in through B. Take the needle backward
to bring it out through C. Note that C lies halfway between A and B.
2. The stitch creates a single Stem Stitch.
3. Take the thread through D and bring it out from B. Take the point in such a
way that B lies halfway through C-D. The point will lie BELOW the stitch C-D. This
creates an Outline Stitch.

4. Continue making a Stem Stitch and Outline Stitch alternately to get a final
“break-like” effect.
5. The reverse of the fabric will give you a back-stitch pattern.
Assessment Method: (Performance Criteria Checklist and Oral Recitation)
TASK SHEET NO. 2
Name: ___________________________ Grade and Section: ___________
Title: Smocked Dress with Honeycomb Stitch
Objective: After doing the activity, I would be able to:
a. describe what a honeycomb stitch is.
b. make a smocked dress with honeycomb stitch using an old
dress; and
c. follow the steps and techniques correctly.
Tools, Materials, Equipment: embroidery floss, old dress, embroidery needle
Illustration/Pictures

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Steps:

1. Make a row of blanket stitch between the stitch Lines A and B. The subsequent
rows of blanket stitches will fall between the stitch lines. Bring out the needle
between the stitch lines B and C.
2. For the next row of blanket stich, take the needle under the previous vertical
stitch. Do not pluck the fabric.
3. Continue with the blanket stitch process. Make sure to alternate the vertical
stitches between the vertical stitches of the previous row.

4. The third row will begin like the first row. For the third row, it must be look like in
the picture.
5. The finished section of the blanket stitch honeycomb.
Assessment Method: (Performance Criteria Checklist and Oral Recitation)

Performance Criteria Checklist for

Activity 1-2
Do the student/s… YES NO N/A
1 Correctly copied the Performance Criteria Checklist
2 Accurately filled-in the Task Sheets 1 and 2
3 Properly demonstrated the steps and the techniques
used
4 Correctly followed the steps in executing the given
tasks
5 Performed the activity creatively
6 Submitted the output on time
7 Answered questions relating to the output of the
activity

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 What I Have Learned

Direction: Fill-in the blanks with the appropriate word/s to make the
statement complete.
Today, I have learned the following: _________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
But I am slightly confused about __________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
I want to learn more on ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What I Can Do

Activity 4 Compilation of Embroidery Stitches

Directions: Watch a video tutorial in making smocking embroidery using the
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQyqyHZz_TA. Practice doing the
stitches using any available fabric at home. Submit the output this week by
capturing a photo while doing the activity. Paste the output in your portfolio.
In case internet connection and gadget are not available, look at the picture
below. Analyze the stitches used, have an illustration/sketch of them and try
to practice doing it in a piece of 5”x5” plain cloth of any color. Paste the output
in the Portfolio and submit it next meeting.

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 Sample of a smocked girl’s dress
Rating Scale
Score Skill Level Description
-Fully capable and experienced
15 Expert -Needs no assistance to complete tasks
- Demonstrates ability to lead and train
others
-Capable and experienced
10 Proficient - Demonstrates proficiency
-Able to work independently with little help
-Able to perform at a basic level
5 Demonstrating -Has some direct experience
- Needs help from time to time
-Limited in ability or knowledge
3 Basic -Cannot perform for critical tasks
-Needs significant help from others
None/Low -Unable to perform
1 -Little to no experience

Assessment

Direction: Choose and write the correct letter of your answer in a separate
sheet of paper.
1. This is composed of linen, crepe, silk, cotton, ginghams, velvet, etc.
A. fabric C. garment
B. floss D. needle
2. It is a decorative embroidery or shirring designed to control the fullness in
garments.
A. calado C. honeycomb
B. cross Stitching D. smocking

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3. This smocking has the dots which are marked on the right side of the
fabric. It is done before smocking stitches are formed from dot to dot, while
gathering the fabric in each stitch.
A. English Smocking C. Italian Smocking
B. Irregular Smocking D. Regular Smocking
4. This is also called pre-gathering.
A. English Smocking C. Italian Smocking
B. Irregular Smocking D. Regular Smocking
5. The bottom of the pleat is called ________.
A. cable C. outline
B. hem D. valley
6. This is a tight stitch of double rows that joins alternating columns of
gathers for basic embroidery stitches
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. stem stitch
7. This is a tight stitch with minimum flexibility that joins two columns of
gathers at a time in single overlapping rows with a downward slope
consumer.
A. cable stitch C. stem stitch
B. honeycomb D. Vandyke
8. This is like the stem stitch but with an upward slope.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. Vandyke
9. This is a decorative stitch that can be used as a filling.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. vandyke
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. Vandyke
10. This is a level stitch made up of cable stitches.
A. cable stitch C. outline stitch
B. honeycomb D. wave stitch

Additional Activities

Directions: Look for any available fabric at home (an old dress or a pillow)
and make smocking embroidery stitches on it. Choose the kind of embroidery
smocking stitches that you have learned in this module. You may look for
videos or look for magazine featuring smocking articles. If no available
references, you can ask your parents about it and try to ask their help on the
techniques to use in making the smocked project. Take photos of your output
and add them in your portfolio for checking. Sample links for tutorial videos
about smocking pillows and pictures of smocked articles are provided for your
reference. You will be rated using the Rating Scale given below.

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Link for Video Tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7UqDDKO4Yg “Round Smocked Pillow
Tutorial: Make Your Vintage Cushion”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzMkDOBX43Q “Smocking Pillow Cover
Made Really Easy”

Sample Pictures of Smocked Pillows:

Rating Scale
Score Skill Level Description
-Fully capable and experienced
15 Expert -Needs no assistance to complete tasks
- Demonstrates ability to lead and train others
-Capable and experienced
10 Proficient - Demonstrates proficiency
-Able to work independently with little help
-Able to perform at a basic level
5 Demonstrating -Has some direct experience
- Needs help from time to time
-Limited in ability or knowledge
3 Basic -Cannot perform for critical tasks
-Needs significant help from others
-Unable to perform
1 None/Low -Little to no experience

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 Answer Key

Assessment:
1. A
2. D
3. D
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. C
8. C
9. B
10. D

References
Website URL.
Fig.1
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.needlenthread.com%2F2012%2F
07%2Fon-embroidery-stitches-samplers.html&psig=AOvVaw1A9AIxX0OZtCpUhpan4sF-&ust=159
4555624562000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjbtoaVxeoCFQAAAAAdAAAAA
BAL
Credit for Image Used:

Fat Pencil courtesy of OpenClipArt.org

Free font “KGWays to Say Goodbye” by Kimberly Geswein at www.dafont.com

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F422564
377533689470%2F&psig=AOvVaw0MOzm0T3qQt9vWDWVypgC4&ust=1595892823954000&so
urce=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMi-65qK7OoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F33%2F0
b%2Fa1%2F330ba1006da287397a2761b9fdfeac9a.jpg&imgrefurl=
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artedelricamo.com%2Fen%2Fembr
oidery%2Fembroidery-classes%2Fvandyke-stitch.html&psig=
https://blog.treasurie.com/embroidery/ “How to do Smocking the Easy Way”
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.managersresourcehandbook.com
%2Fskills-matrix-template%2F&psig= “Rating Scale”
https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/ “Cable Stitch”
https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/ “ Honeycomb Stitch”

Video URLs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQyqyHZz_TA. “Basic Smocking for
Dress Designs: Stitching Ideas for Clothes by Handiworks”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFhCGi1W3dU “Hand Embroidery”
Smocking Stitch )Part I)
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