Smocking Embroidery

Smocking embroidery technique involves gathering the fabric in such a way that it stretches. In the past, smocking was generally done to add a decorative effect to the cuffs, bodices and necklines of an outfit to replace buttons. It is a beautiful embroidery style which makes clothes comfortable and flexible. Smocking fabric provides excellent fitting. During the middle ages, smocking technique was used extensively and smocked outfits were generally worn by laborers.

 

Smocking embroidery is done before the outfit is gathered. The dimensions of a normal piece of fabric are minimized to one third of its original width, whereas in a thick fabric these changes are comparatively lesser. Smocking pleater, often known as smocking machine, is often used to make pleats for smocking. The fabric is feeded into the pleater from the back, which is pushed back through grooved rollers to the needles which hold a strong thread. After the pleating of the fabric it is choked and sized in for working beautiful stitch.

Hand smocking is done by marking smocking dot behind the fabric and assembling it with temporary running stitch. The marking dots are in a grid pattern and the stitches are done in such a way that they can be easily removed later. The top and bottom of the working area is balanced by a row of cable stitches.

Smocking stitches for creating different smocking patterns are :

 

Variations of smocking embroidery includes :

 

Commonly used materials for making smocking designs are :