Can't Stop. The Smock. Can't Stop the Smock.

comments: 50

Smockingapron3 More smocking. This is the Polish Pottery Apron. Maybe I'll try to get a better picture. All the smocking is finished and I just need to add the ruffle and the pocket and the ties and the waistband. There's not really even anything to say about it anymore, I know. Many local shoppers have written to say that both Marshall's and Ross have new shipments of Polish pottery around town. I did go out and get a little serving dish for $12 to satisfy my longing. Now if I can just haul my buns into the kitchen and actually cook something to put in it, that would be nice for all of us, probably!

A few people have sent me photos of the dishtowels they're working on and I'm so pleased to see them! I need to set up some new Flickr groups to accomodate, I know, I'm sorry. I will do that. I have some housekeeping stuff I need to be doing on my blog and sites and all that stuff. It's just hard to do that while you're, you know, smocking incessantly. And ya can't stop the smock. Just sayin.

Flickr has some cool photos tagged with "smocking." I am absolutely loving this one, especially the quilt she is sitting on. This one is awesome. This one's quite lovely. And these little white nightgowns with the blue are just dreamy. Naturally, there are also lots of pictures of people "smoking" here, too.

50 comments

Sometimes we all need to indulge in a little smocking. ;)

That title made me spit coffee everywhere. You totally owe me a new keyboard.

Man,your hands are on fire. And that apron is looking fine!

you are getting really good at this!
anna

That apron is turning out lovely! Your smocking is smokin'!

You're so funny, Smock Girl :)

I'm loving your smocky posts, esp since I'm too chicken to try it myself! You smock, I 'ooh & ahh'

Ooh. I love how the polka dots form little flowers between the rows of orangey smocking.

One of my childhood memories of summer is smocked sundresses... I recall the top part was rather scritchy from the smocking, but I'm sure they were cute dresses!

Sally McEntire says: February 20, 2008 at 10:10 AM

I like your small polka dots over the large ones used in the original pattern. Much more delicate and looks more like polish pottery to me. Smocking is the labor of love, you'd really have to love someone to give them something hand smocked!

Alicia, you smock!! Very beautiful work. Your descriptions of the time and effort this takes make me appreciate my dear departed grandmother even more. She was a stoic woman; she never hugged or kissed us, but three or four times a year, a box would arrive with hand-smocked, hand-made dresses for me, her only granddaughter. She enjoyed the work, but I appreciate it more now. Thank YOU for that!

Love the smock. Yours and smock in general.

You sure mastered this art fast. I'd love to send you a picture of the smocked Easter eggs my Mom made-she was a smocking teacher-but don't know where to send them. Let me know if you'd like to see them.

Alicia, you really are doing some great work with the smocking. Are you still pleating by hand? I really want to try and make some children's clothing using smocking. I love to do embroidery,so I think this would be another fun avenue for us stitcher people :) I love how you just dove into it and gave it a whirl, Thats how I started with embroidery.

alicia that blue and and red and white is killing me. i am so into those colors right now.

Alicia, this is beautiful! I love the colour combination. Thanks for the links to the other smocking pictures as well.

This is gorgeous... can you give us a tutorial or tell us where to go to do this? My sewing machine has a smocking "stich" but I am curious how this all works... THANKIES

WOW!!! Awesome!!!

With friendship,
Lisa

That apron is lovely. I love that feeling when a craft is new and exciting. Way-back-when I owned a children's clothing shop and carried a line of smocked garments. Some of them were spectacular. The bodices would be smocked with entire scenes including bunnies romping through a garden. We also carried Rothschild coats. Fancy dress coats have always been a favorite of mine.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

I love smocked tops...part of my childhood was wearing them...and, peasant tops (my fave still). I have 2 sweet smocked dresses that my girls received as gifts from an expensive Frenchy boutique...you don't see many smocked dresses.
Gee, I think I have a magazine SEW BEAUTIFUL from a few years ago that has some pretty smocking designs - I should send it to you when I find it.

Love the nightgowns! One of the contestants on American Idol wore a sleeveless, deep scoop neckline smocked "blouse" last week, and I LOVED it. I think she made it to the top 12 girls, so she will be shown tonight, and they always do flashbacks from the week before...So if you wanted to see it, it'll be there tonight. Although that's a long 2 hrs. to sit through just to see some smockin'. ;)

love the polish apron.
want to make me one?
you are a smocking queen!

you do wonderful smocking! Regarding the smocking on flickr- are these smokers that smock or smockers that smoke? LOL. Just kidding no one should ever confuse the two! Wish I had more free time so I could try my hand at smocking. I cannot wait to see your finished apron!

I love how you made the polka dots into little flowers! :D

Woo hoo!

jeanne-marie says: February 20, 2008 at 01:30 PM

I had a beautiful little pink/white gingham smocked dress (complete with white eyelet cap) that my grandmother made for me at the bicentennial too! My sister and I still have them. I'll see if I can dig up a picture for you :-)

It looks so beautiful! There is nothing that you can't do!

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About Alicia Paulson

About

My name is Alicia Paulson
and I love to make things. I live with my husband and daughter in Portland, Oregon, and design sewing, embroidery, knitting, and crochet patterns. See more about me at aliciapaulson.com

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