WAVE STITCH (Baby or Half-space)

Back to the smocking! The next stitch we will work on is a variation on the cable stitch, but instead of stitching in a straight line, we will add one little step to make it look like a wave (hence the name!)

Step 1: find your middle "thread knot"marker

Step 2: Look at your pattern. Does it say begin on the guide thread, or does it say begin half-way between two guide threads? Mine says to begin at the half-way point, so I will bring my needle through there.

(Note - we will be stitching 1/2 the space between guide threads. That is why it is sometimes known as the "half-space wave")

Step 3: Make a "down cable". (The down cable is one straight stitch with the thread "down" below the needle.) Remember! The first stitch is always over 2 pleats, then every stitch after that is one pleat at a time.

Step 4: Instead of making your next stitch in a straight line, take your needle up half a space on the next pleat over, keeping your thread "down" below the needle again. (Sort of like a long down cable).

Step 5: Make an "up cable" (The up cable is a straight stitch with the thread "up" above the needle. Step 6: Now we are going to stitch back down to the row we started, with the thread "up" above the needle. (Like a long or slanted up cable).

There you go! You have just made a baby wave! Isn't it pretty? Now we just repeat!

Remember to ask me questions!