Canadian smocking- Design "Bones"

Cushions with Canadian smocking

I have used 2cm squares to do These cushions.these are gift to my youngest  sister.

Canadian smocking- Design mesh with flowers

Dimensional embroidery

I have used Rayon threads which are available in India to do this project.
I have used cone thread from Indian Rayon & Industries Limited of ,Adithya Birla group.I think one cone casts approximately RS.20/=, I do not remember the actual prize.When I started to do Brazilian embroidery by using pearl cotton threads by Anchor, I was told Brazilian embroidery should be done using rayon threads only or else it is called dimensional embroidery.Stitches are the same but different types of threads are used.I started searching for rayon thread .I had some cone threads with me.Till now I did not care about the brand .I saw inside the spool .I saw the label Rayon- Indian Rayon & Industries Limited,My joy knew no bounds!The machine embroidery thread by Natesh- well known & reputed company in the field of embroidery threads is also rayon thread.

Closeup view

Six Canadian smocked cushions with six designs

I have made these cushions with 2cm graph.I am going to gift them to my sister.

Front and back views of Canadian smocking designs

Here are some designs which I recently did.I have used 2 cm graph.Material used is satin.Here you can see how the pleats can be  arranged.
leaf design

 

 Design Matrix

Design " Bones "

Design " Shells"

       Design " Braid "

                                    

Design " Arrow head"

Method of making square cushions with Canadian smocking

Canadian smocking is not as complicated  as it appears. Precession is very important.
Satin which is not too shiny is suitable for this. It can also  be done on any thick material. If it is done on thin materials embossed effect will not stay long.
Follow the following steps to stitch a cushion of your choice
Measure the size of the cushion.
Decide the size of the squares in the graph.
Select the design.
Calculate the material needed.
Press the material so that there no wrinkles.
Check whether the adjacent sides of the material  are perpendicular to one another .If they are not correct them.
Fix the cloth on a table with sticky tapes all around so that wrong side is on the top. Draw graph of squares of your choice. Do not forget to leave borders all around.
 

I bought 45 cm long and 4 cm wide plastic scales and got them cut along the length into 2 cm, 2.5cm , 3 cm  and  3.5 cm wide pieces .
I feel 2 cm x 2 cm graph gives good finish.




Zigzag the edges or else the thread coming out of the edges hinders our work.
Smock the design  of your choice column by column.
There will be pleats all around the design. Arrange the pleats in an order according to the design.  here  I have shown you how pleats can be arranged for different designs Check the size of the smocked piece tack the pleats in place.  This takes a little time. Later on these stitches can be removed.

The lines in the graph also  help us while making pleats. I prefer giving lining to the smocked material.



This is front side of the cushion cover. Using matching cloth for the back stitch the cushion cover.