A guide to 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, while 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 colours 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.