Free smocking plates
These fifteen smocking plates are free to read, stitch and print. Each has its own chart, a floss estimate per color and a row by row list of what to do. They run from three plain cable rows to trellis, surface honeycomb and small pictures, so you can pick a plate that fits what you can already stitch.
All fifteen plates
| Plate | Level | Stitches | Pleats | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Cable Rows | Beginner | cable | 29 | 3 |
| Outline and Stem Ladder | Beginner | outline, stem | 29 | 3 |
| Soft Baby Wave | Beginner | cable, baby wave | 29 | 4 |
| Wave Stripe | Beginner | wave, cable | 29 | 4 |
| Starter Honeycomb | Beginner | cable, honeycomb | 28 | 3 |
| Diamond Trellis | Intermediate | cable, trellis | 33 | 5 |
| Bishop Yoke Classic | Intermediate | cable, baby wave, wave | 41 | 9 |
| Sailor Jon-Jon Band | Beginner | cable, outline | 33 | 3 |
| Christmas Cable Band | Beginner | cable | 31 | 3 |
| Easter Egg Picture | Intermediate | cable, picture rows | 17 | 11 |
| Heart Picture | Beginner | cable, picture rows | 17 | 11 |
| Wave Sandwich | Intermediate | outline, wave, stem | 35 | 5 |
| Surface Honeycomb Band | Advanced | cable, surface honeycomb | 36 | 4 |
| Double Trellis Border | Advanced | trellis | 37 | 6 |
| Sunrise Wave Panel | Advanced | baby wave, wave, cable | 41 | 8 |
Where to start
- New to smocking: Three Cable Rows, then Outline and Stem Ladder.
- Comfortable with cable: Soft Baby Wave and Starter Honeycomb.
- Ready for a yoke: Bishop Yoke Classic.
Make your own plate
None of these fit? The Plate Designer on the home page lets you stack rows of the eight stitches, pick colors, mirror the plate around the center and see the pleat count for a chest size. Its chart and floss estimate come from the same engine as these pages.
More plates
The collections hold eight plates each, in print ready PDF and SVG, for bishop dresses, boys' jon-jons, holidays, picture smocking and more.
Read next
- Blocking and finishing smocking: How to finish smocking: remove the pleater threads, steam the panel to its finished width and set the pleats before you sew the garment.
- Backsmocking explained: Backsmocking explained: working a smocking row from the wrong side of the pleated fabric, when makers use it and how to keep pleats even.
- My files: Download the smocking plate collections you bought.