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Free download: Machine smocking

August 23, 2008 by Denise Felton 8 Comments

Machine-smocking design by SWAKembroidery.com

I adore smocking on children’s clothing, but I’ve never had the gumption to try it myself. It seems too precise for my skills and too time-consuming for my schedule. SWAKembroidery.com has an answer for folks like me. They’re offering machine-embroidery patterns that create the look of smocking in a fraction of the time of hand-smocking. Do a site search for “smocking” to turn up lots of charming designs, such as the one shown here. And download a free background design to try it out.

How to do Smocking on Fabric Using the Janome DC1050

A machine smocking technique on the Janome DC1050.

How to Sew Machine Smocking

Check out this tutorial for an easy way to pull off embroidered smocking for a vintage-inspired look using your sewing machine.  

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Comments

  1. lisa fouts says

    September 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    Ji, I am very interested in learning to smock, but where I live there is no where to take a class, what and how can I learn,what kind of machine do I need, can I learn from a dvd??Help, I want to learn this before my kids have babies!!Please help

  2. Sallie Bersey says

    July 12, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Do you know where I might find the Alphabet letters for machine smocking. My Daughter in law is interested in some little outfits that are smocked.

    Sallie

  3. Clotilde M. says

    October 4, 2009 at 8:01 pm

    Very dainty and pretty pattern!

  4. SHENBAGAM says

    November 1, 2009 at 4:32 am

    I WANT KNOW ABOUT SMOCKING DEGINS .I\PLEASE HELP ME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SMOCKING DEGINS & STICHING

  5. Jon says

    August 10, 2010 at 7:48 am

    I didn’t quite understand smocking until recently it just seems overwhelmingly difficult to me. But if I could use some sort of machine embroidery patterns to do it that would be awesome. I’m not sure I totally understand how this can work though, wouldn’t you need to somehow be “smooshing” the fabric together or something?

  6. Denise Felton says

    August 10, 2010 at 8:43 am

    I haven’t tried this, Jon, but I agree with you. It seems like you’d have to pleat the fabric before you began stitching. SWAKembroidery probably offers an explanation. Maybe it would help to search on “machine smocking” on their site.

    Denise
    http://needlework.craftgossip.com

  7. Marthie Kriel says

    August 12, 2010 at 10:33 pm

    Could you please tell me if there is any one in South Africa that can teach machine smocking. I am interested in learning to do machine smocking. Much apreciated

  8. N. claypool says

    September 29, 2010 at 8:35 pm

    YEARS AGO I HAD A PATTERN THAT USED DOTS TO SMOCK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE MATERIAL. THE FOAM OR STUFFING MATERIAL WAS INSERTED AND EACH END WAS GATHERED AND SECURED WITH A COVERED BUTTON TO MAKE THE PILLOW. DO YOU KNOW WHERE I MAY OBTAIN THIS PATTERN. THANK
    YOU.

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