More Smocking

While I'm on the subject, I'd like to share more of my smocking that was published in this book back in 1982 ...

It was written by my sister-in-law, Dianne, who had introduced me to smocking. I had taken to this stitchery like a duck to water.  I found it much more interesting to do than counted cross-stitch, as well as much faster to complete a project than needlepoint canvas work and crewel embroidery.  By the time this book was published I had been teaching smocking for a few years. I found ways to incorporate it into the ethnic influenced style of clothing that I wore, since I had no daughters to smock for.  Just about all those garments found their way into this book.

It was a peasant blouse Dianne was stitching that initially piqued my interest.  My first smocking was done on the blouse I wore on the cover of my workbook. I loved that style as well as doing the smocking, so I made a number of them.  This one features a design concept that I developed ... plaid smocking.

These two nightgowns are variations of the round yoke style for the raglan sleeve style of the peasant blouse.

 

The adjacent page has the "map" for the stitch placement on graph paper to make that particular design.  Graphing of smocking designs was another concept that I developed.

The cocktail dress in the center is one I made of a silky synthetic jersey knit.  It was the first project to which I added beads and stitched with a thick shiny synthetic thread ... a departure from 3 strands of cotton floss on cotton fabric.

The one on left I made as a wedding dress for a friend's second marriage.  It's made of silk satin backed crepe and stitched with silk twist thread.

Dianne and I both made dresses from the published pattern she designed. They have hoods that you can't see in the photos.  Fun to wear!

I designed and constructed the sundress on the left for my friend, Alicia.  She did the smocking, though.  The one in the center was one of my favorites and I wore it for several summers.  The pretty one on the right was my experiment in coordinating a smocking design to the border print in the cotton fabric.

I wore this gingham blouse with a denim skirt or white slacks.

I still have the child's blouse and would've liked my granddaughter to wear it.  However by the time it fit her, she had developed a different taste in clothes.

Here are thumbnails of those garments in color ...

It was fun for me to revisit this part of my life through this book.  I hope you enjoyed it, too.