BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Sewing Smocking as Embellishment

Smocking in its simplest description is embroidery over even, tiny gathered pleats of fabric. It is a fine needle art form for garment decoration usually seen on sleeves, yokes, and bodice fronts with origins now obscure.

Smocking as Embellishment

I made dresses for my girls and would smock a yoke that I inserted into the bodice. I even smocked a yoke for a corduroy jumper - that was harder.

I imagine corduroy would be difficult to get the wales even. You are brave. I used the dot to dot approach once and found it tedious to make the gathers. I loved to use gingham for making a smocked bodice for my then little girls dresses. Gingham fabric is so easy to pleat and looks very summery. Baby bonnets are also so cute with a little bit of smocking. Alas my girls are grown now with kids of their own and kids today seem to just live in t-shirts and jeans, no more fussy dresses.