1. Cut a 7" x 30" piece of taffeta fabric and pleat 15 rows. An extra row is left at top and bottom.
2. Smocking design (490K) is centered across 118 pleats.
   • Line A - use 1 strand of Marlitt™ 1211 with 1 strand of Balger™ 042.
   • Line B - use 1 strand of Marlitt™ 801 with 1 strand of Balger™ 042.
   • Line C - use 1 strand of DMC™ Fil or Clair. Apply Fray-Check to cut ends to prevent fraying.
3. Work cable stitch on row 2, beginning with a down cable using 1 strand of Marlitt™ 1211 and 1 strand of Balger™ 042. Work plaid smocking lines A, B and C between rows 2 and 5. Work repeats of plaid lines A, B and C between rows 5 and 8, 8 and 11, and 11 and 14, following graph carefully. The number of stitches vary according to the space to be filled.
4. Backsmock rows 3 1/2, 5, 6 1/2, 8, 9 1/2, 11, 12 1/2, and 14 leaving trapunto areas on rows 5 and 11 without backsmocking.
5. When smocking is complete, remove gathering threads from row 2 - 14. Stuff diamond shapes marked with "Tr" from the back using a small amount of Poly-Fil™. Loosely whipstitch across the first and last pleats of each "trapunto" diamond area to hold the Poly-Fil™ in place.
6. Using one strand of black Marlitt™ and size 10 needle, bead center medallion diamonds marked with the sequin symbol. Come up through the hole in the sequin and make a diagonal stitch through the peak of the pleat to the back at 1 o'clock. Make three more diagonal stitches at 7 o'clock, 11 o'clock and 5 o'clock. Come up on the gathering row at 9 o'clock, pass through the rocaille bead and finish by going to the back a 3 o'clock.
7. Cut flap (102K) interfacing and baste to the wrong side of the smocked piece.
8. Bead all diamonds marked with the beaded flowerette symbol. Stitch through fabric and interfacing when beading to minimize the vertical ridges between the trapunto stuffed pleats.

CONSTRUCTION

1. Leaving a 1/2" border around the four sides of the flap, trim excess fabric.
2. Cut a bias strip of taffeta fabric 2" x 15". Cut a bias strip of taffeta fabric 1 1/4" x 7" for piping.
3. Make piping. Stitch to top edge of flap above cable row.
4. Pin flap lining to flap wrong sides together. Slip stitch bias band around the sides and bottom of right side flap making tiny tucks at corners. Slip stitch bias binding to lining side of flap.
5. To prepare purse body fabric with twin needle tucks:
   1. Cut a rectangle of velvet fabric, approximately 12" x 18".
   2. Fold on bias and mark first stitching line on bias fold with chalk or thread basting.
   3. Stitch marked tuck first using twin needle. Then set a quilting bar one inch to the right of the needle. Sew the second tuck parallel to the first using the quilting bar and previous tuck to guide stitching. Continue until all tucks in one diagonal direction are sewn. Repeat steps 5.1 and 5.2 to complete tucks in the opposite diagonal direction.
      
   4. Cut purse body (110K) from fabric prepared with diagonal twin needle tucks.
6. Catch stitch interfacing to fold lines of purse body. Baste at top edges.
7. Sew purse body to flap using stitching line from piping as a guide.
8. Right sides together sew side seams of purse. Trim seams. Turn. Fold sides as indicated on pattern. Press.
9. Slip stitch flap lining to interfacing of purse back.
10. Turn under raw edges of upper edge of purse.
11. To make twisted cord shoulder strap:
    1. Cut six lengths of shoulder strap material. Each length should be 9 feet long. I used:
       • 2 lengths - 4 strands Marlitt™ 1211 and 1 strand Of Balger™ 042
       • 2 lengths - gold metallic ribbon floss
       • 1 length - 4 strands Marlitt™ 801 and 1 strand Balger™ 042
       • 1 length - 4 strands Marlitt™ 846 and 1 strand Balger™ 042
       • Other comparably sized materials may be substituted.
    2. Tie one end of all six lengths together. Tack to bulletin board or other stationary surface. Working with all six lengths of material twist the bundle to the right until it begins to kink.
    3. Holding the twisted end in one hand, grasp the center of the twisted cord with the other hand Securely pin the twisted end to the bulletin board next to the tied end.
    4. Drop the center point and allow the two sides to twist together. To straighten the cord, slide your hand up and down the length of the twisted cord until it hangs straight.Tape or tie loose ends together. To attach to purse, zig zag back and forth over the cord ends at the outer edges of the seam allowance where the flap joins the purse. Apply Fray-Check™ to the cord just below the stitching. Allow to dry and trim cord ends.
       
12. Stitch lining right sides together at side seams. Insert lining into purse with wrong sides together. Turn under raw edges of lining and slip stitch to purse.
13. Cover coat snap with lining fabric. Stitch to purse flap and purse front as indicated on pattern.
14. String bugle beads onto a long length of double thread. Secure one end of the beaded thread at the piping. With a separate thread secure beads in place where the bias meets the smocking, by stitching over the doubled thread between each bead. Repeat for a second row of beads along the outer edge of the bias band.

REFERENCES

Plaid Smocking. A Self Help Workbook for Group or Individual, Evelyn M. Philip, 1989.

"Smocked Evening Bag", Judith Brandau, Creative Needle, Nov/Dec, 1989, p. 38.

"Twisted Cord Shoulder Strap for Ribbon Purse", Cindy Foose and Neal McQuinn, Creative Needle, Sep/Oct, 1990, pp. 100 and 118.

"Twin Needle Tucks', Kitty Benton. Creative Needle, Sep/Oct, 1990, pp. 93 and 119.