More smocking. Berny made a reference to "American Smocking" in commenting on my baby dress. I hadn't heard this term so I had to look it up to find out what it was. I vaguely remembered my Mum smocking without gathering the fabric, but couldn't recall the results. I then realised that the cushions I made in the 70's and tfk made the other day, were in fact examples of American Smocking.
Anyway, I decided to have a doodle on the scraps left over from the baby dress. The resultant fabric is not as elastic as that with English smocking, but it uses less fabric.
The first picture looks rather messy with the connecting stitches on top of the work. I much prefer the second one. The third is done from the back so the stitches aren't visible. That is how the cushions are done.
The pattern I had followed was labelled as Canadian smocking and the name of this particular design was given as matrix!
There are more patterns like bones....arrows. ...leaves....flowers....I wish to make time to try all including the beautiful English smocking you are doing Sue on that baby dress!
This is a sampler my mother made when she was 11 or 12 yrs old (1926 - her birthday was in October). It needs careful cleaning, it's now grey instead of cream coloured; but I'd have to remove the cardboard that's inside it.
She used it when she was planning a design. The points were nice at the bottom of the smocked part. I have used some of those variations when I smocked dresses or tops for my daughters and those of friends.
BTW This is English smocking isn't it?
