Smocks are decorative gathers that add a unique touch to your garments, while providing elasticity in specific areas. This step-by-step tutorial will help you master this sewing technique, essential for embellishing your creations. Follow Cécile's advice to make smocks like a pro!
We see them everywhere on the bohemian dresses, the small blouses, the skirts, the summer tops, the vaporous blouses, the pants, the light combis, the colored swimsuits... Always in the air of time, smocks accessorize a garment. They are the small detail, but that makes all the difference.
In this video tutorial, we show you how to make smocks with a sewing machine. Follow the step-by-step explanations to make decorative gathers like a pro!
They are decorative gathers embroidered on the front of the fabric. They are used on several rows when you want to obtain a pleated effect or when you want to reduce the total width of the fabric. This sewing technique can also be used to give elasticity to certain parts of a garment such as the neckline, the belt, the bottom of pants, the bottom of sleeves...
Cécile aka Ma petite fabrique, reveals here her technique to make a nice smock in sewing. To go further, find her creations, her advices and her pretty patterns on her website
Warning: before working on your final pieces, always make a test on a scrap of fabric.
You just made your first smocked piece! Do you like the result? Do you want to show it to us? We love to see what you make, so feel free to share the result on our Facebook page and Instagram page.
Put the gathering thread in a bobbin. This step should be done by hand (not automatically with the sewing machine) by pulling lightly on the gathering thread that you wrap around the bobbin.
Put a thread that coordinates with your fabric for the top thread.
Choose a very long straight stitch (set to 4).
Trace the smocking lines on your fabric with chalk or erasable pen. You can also stitch with the help of a guide (my preference).
You can then stitch on the right side of the fabric by making a stop stitch at the beginning and at the end.
For the first smocking thread, do not pull on the fabric.
For the following smocking threads, pull slightly on the fabric to "unravel" the smocking threads already made.
The tightened effect is accentuated by the number of threads, so you must put on all the smocking threads to check the length of the piece.
VERY IMPORTANT: At the end, you iron, it crushes and tightens the smocks even more (without this ironing, the piece will not be at the right width or length).
Credits
Perles & Co, Internet & E-Commerce company [21/06/2021] Any reproduction, representation, adaptation, in any form whatsoever, even partial, is prohibited, except for reproduction for private use not intended for collective use, representation in the family circle (art. L 122-5 CPI) and online publishing on condition that the source is mentioned and a link is included to the corresponding page of our site www.perlesandco.com.
