What is the difference between Picture Smocking and Geometric Smocking?
Geometric smocking is where you form patterns with the different stitches used in smocking. Picture Smocking is where you form pictures with the stacked cable stitch. Stacking cables is similar to cross stitch patterns as you place cable stitches on top of each other to form pictures. The image above is a good example of picture smocking with color changes and interesting shapes. The image of the stacking graph paper below shows how the stitches are put on top of each other to form shapes. Geometric paper is also available for Geometric Smocking Designs. Geometric smocking can be thick or sparse depending on your taste. Grace Knott designs are the oldest ones in print, coming from the 1950’s whereas the ones by contemporary designers such as Ellen McCarn, Creative Keepsakes, Little Stitches, Lou Anne Lamar, & Beverly Andrews (to name a few) are less dense in their designs but use a lot of embellishments such as ribbon weaving, bullions and silk ribbon embroidery.
