[Sarvi]

@frances-suzanne or other smocksperts (smocking experts!) — I have cut a Music Class blouse and am wondering if I could do a TINY bit of smocking, almost like a very small dot or diamond, in place of the pintucks. I have cut my blouse from a pale grey-on-grey fabric and thought a tiny pop of color would be pretty. I wish I’d thought of it before I cut out, I know that would be easier.

Would I just try to get 3-4 tiny pleats and get the blouse piece to match the length of the yoke piece, and smock with maybe a single strand of silk thread? I have no experience with this.

[gailanncreates]

Try making pintucks, rather than the marked tucks, and stitch them closer together to mimic the pleats for smocking.

[Mama_Knowles]

You certainly can!! I been thinking of the very same thing. I am planning on using a pattern similar to that of the one I used on the bubble shorts. I have pattern printed out but still have yet to cut anything out.

[Sarvi]

@mama_knowles I look forward to seeing what you make and how you construct it.

@gailanncreates that’s a fantastic idea, I’m going to try it out, thank you!

[Deb]

In keeping with heirloom stitching but not smocking per se, here are few thoughts for those wee pleats I had in mind but will probably never get to do:

Stitches in between the pleats:
http://creationsbymichie.blogspot.ca/2013/06/white-daygown-with-blue-collar.html

Stitches on the pleats:
http://creationsbymichie.blogspot.ca/2013/04/double-tucks.html

Pleats flattened with bullions on top:

Turn the pleats into tucked pleats with bullions on top:
http://creationsbymichie.blogspot.ca/2010/02/105-pattern-of-week.html

~Deb~

[Frances Suzanne]

Great idea, Sarvi!! It probably would have been a little easier to add width prior to cutting, giving you some “wiggle room” / options with design concept. One suggestion – go with more than 1 strand of silk thread. At least 2, if not 3 DMC or floche . . .so that your work will be seen. @motherof5 Thoughts?? Have you tried to smock this area of the Music Class?