Definition
Smocking is a hand embroidery technique that gathers fabric into small, even pleats and holds them with decorative stitches, creating a textured, slightly stretchy panel.
Smocking takes its name from the smock, the loose linen work shirt of rural England, whose fullness was gathered at the chest, shoulders and cuffs by bands of stitched pleats. Today it decorates children's dresses, blouses, yokes and cuffs.
Two main methods:
- English smocking: the fabric is first gathered into tiny, even pleats with rows of running stitches, by hand or with a pleating machine. Decorative stitches such as cable, wave, honeycomb and trellis are then embroidered across the pleat tops, and the gathering threads are removed. It needs about three times the finished width in fabric.
- Direct smocking, also called North American, lattice or Canadian smocking: a grid of dots is drawn on the fabric and picked up in sequence, so the fabric folds into geometric textures without pre-pleating. It is popular on velvet and satin cushions.
Fine, crisp cottons such as lawn, batiste and gingham are traditional; gingham's checks even provide a ready-made grid.
In fashion and ready-to-wear, smocked often refers to shirring, rows of elastic thread that give a similar look in a fraction of the time. Real smocking has less stretch but a richer texture. Related techniques are gathering and pleats.