Picking floss colors is usually a fun part of the creative process for starting a new smocking design, but when working on a print, it can sometimes be a challenge! You would think it would be simple - just pull colors from the print and you are good to go! But often it isn't that simple, you pick colors, start smocking and find that all your hard work is just disappearing into the print - the goal is to see the smocking! Of course, the smocking should be part of creating a b

It is hard to believe but school has started up again for so many children. Here in New England, there are a few more days before that first day begins, but it is fast approaching. As sewists, we will soon be delving into sewing for Fall and then dare I say the holidays! I am hoping that there is tons of smocking in your future! So before you get started on all those projects, take a few minutes to get your pleater in great working order. Have you ever cleaned your pleater? I

I have always been a firm believer that smocking shouldn't be limited to children's clothes. In fact my first exposure to smocking was when my college roommate's mom made a smocked white dress for her from a delicate and airy white gauze with smocking at the waist and shoulders. She wore that dress for her rehearsal dinner! I have had the Alice top from Tessuti fabrics on my "Things I want to Sew" Pinterest Board for some time, partly because I liked the style and partly beca