Christmas Cable Band
Christmas Cable Band is a beginner smocking plate charted on 31 pleats and 3 worked rows. Three cable rows in coral and sage for a holiday pillowcase, stocking cuff or ornament. It uses cable, stitched in coral and sage.
The plate at a glance
| Level | Beginner |
| Pleats charted | 31 |
| Worked rows | 3 |
| Pleater setup | 5 pleater rows (3 worked plus one holding row above and below) |
| Mirrored | yes, around pleat 16 |
| Pleated width | 7.75 in at 0.25 in per pleat |
| Raw fabric width at 3:1 | 23.25 in |
| Colors | 2: coral and sage |
| Thread in all | 2.00 yd |
Row by row
Rows 1 to 3 read top down, pleats 1 to 31 from the left.
| Rows | Stitch | Color | Pleats | Bites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cable | Coral | 1 to 31 | 31 |
| 2 | Cable | Sage | 1 to 31 | 31 |
| 3 | Cable | Coral | 1 to 31 | 31 |
The needle movement for Cable is described in the glossary.
Floss for this plate
| Color | Thread (yd) | Skeins needed | Skeins to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral | 1.33 | 0.09 | 1 |
| Sage | 0.67 | 0.04 | 1 |
Coral carries 66 percent of the thread; estimate for 3 strands, formula in the floss guide.
Pleats by chest size
The plate is mirrored around pleat 16, so the garment sizes keep an odd pleat count. The chart's 31 pleats cover 7.75 in; a front panel for an 18 in chest pleats to 41 pleats (30.75 in of fabric), one for a 28 in chest to 61 pleats (45.75 in); the full table by chest size is in how the sizing works.
Compared with the other free plates
- The only free plate charted on 31 pleats.
- With 3 worked rows it is among the shortest free plates; 10 are longer.
- It belongs with Holiday Smocking Plates, eight plates on 37 and 38 pleats; the closest to this plate are Christmas Red and Sage and Candy Cane Stripes.
Print at 100 percent and check the inch square. See also how to read a plate and using a pleater.