Wee-Care Gown Smocking and Sewing Instructions To Smock:
1.
Pull out the
pleating threads approximately one inch on each side of the center back.
2.
Pull
the gathering threads up and block into circular shape as follows:
- The top two gathering threads
should be tied off to the following neck measurements:
- Tiniest size (1-2 pounds) is 6
inches.
- Small size (3-4 pounds) is 7
inches.
- Preemie size (5-6 pounds) is 8
inches.
- Newborn size (7-8 pounds) is 10
inches.
- Fan out the gown in a circular
shape and tie off the remaining gathering threads.
3.
Smock, centering
the design in front. Smock front and back of the first row with one
strand of sewing thread in the same color as the gown fabric. This
smocked row will be used as a guide when applying the bias neckband.
Begin smocking the design on the second gathering row. Use two strands of
floss for smocking the design on the front of the gown. The following
colors have been suggested by the nurses at the hospitals:
- DMC #3325 (blue)
Susan Bates/Anchor 120/128
- DMC #818
(pink) Susan Bates/Anchor 48
- DMC White or ecru
Susan Bates/Anchor White or ecru
4.
Sleeves:
pull out the pleating threads one inch on the smallest sizes and 3/4 inch on
the larger sizes on each side of the underarm seams. Tie off the pleating
threads on the sleeves almost as tight as you can, leaving room to smock.
5.
Remove
all gathering threads except the top two at the neck edge.
These will be removed after the bias neckband has been attached.
6.
Sew
the side/underarm seams using 1/4 inch seam allowance. Use a narrow
French seam to sew the side/underarm seam. (With the wrong sides
together, sew 1/8 inch wide seam; trim "fuzzies" from the edge, press
seam and fold with right sides together, sew 1/8 inch wide seam.)
7.
Finish
the center back opening by folding it under twic on the edges. The left
side should be folded back even with the smocking. On the right side,
fold it under only half of the unsmocked fabric to create a small underlap.
8.
Finish
the neck edge with the bias strip: The top gathering row is already
smocked with sewing thread; trim any uneven edges above top row of
smocking. With right sides together, pin the bias strip to the garment,
matching center of the bias strip to center front of gown, and having at least
1/4" of the bias strip extending past each side of the center back.
Pull the gathering thread up to adjust the garment to fit the bias strip,
enclosing the top holding row in the bias band. Stitch. Check to be
sure the seam is an even distance from the first row of smocking and fix any
unevenness. Turn the ends of the bias strip under; turn the bias strip to
the wrong side of the garment, enclosing the raw edge. Fold under the
edge of bias strip and slipstitch to inside. Finished neck
measurement (center back to center back) should be:
Sewing:
Newborn (7 pounds
and up)
|
10”
|
Preemie ( 5-6
pounds)
|
8”
|
Small ( 3-4 pounds)
|
7 ”
|
Tiny (1-2 pounds)
|
6 ”
|
Extra Tiny ( less
than one pound)
|
5 ”
|
Instructions for Pleated Sleeves for Wee Care Gown {Click link}
