Author(s): Laura Burch

stitching

A guide to sewing beautiful and modern smocking for the modern sewist.

Rocking Smocking is a contemporary guide to using joyful colour and bold graphic pattern to create smocking that adds a beautiful decorative touch to handmade garments. This image-led, modern guide is suited to both smocking learners and experts as well as lovers of colours and patterns.

Offering both instruction and inspiration this fashion-forward guide walks you through the basics of English smocking and offers a kaleidoscope of ideas for how to bring these hand stitches to life by combining thread colours, stitch motifs, and dramatic smocking placement to fabulous effect.

• It starts by setting out the basics of smocking--what you will need, how to choose and prepare fabric, and basic stitches. 
• The second section lays out different strategies for choosing thread colours
• The third section goes through the design process: using 10 smocking panels to replicate at home, it shows readers how to rock their smocks by blending fabrics, smocking patterns, and colors to sensational graphic effect
• The final section looks at how and where to place smocked panels on your garments, adding volume to dramatic effect with 6 smaller on-trend fashion projects.

Equally appealing on the coffee table or in the studio, Rocking Smocking is a visually beautiful guide celebrating modern applications of this ancient craft.