Intro

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This technique scared me at first. It looked HARD! But once I concentrated and followed the steps 1 by 1, it was so easy! This piece will actually end up on a dress I will be making in the near future. I got this from http://www.savvyseams.com/techniques/canadian.php Happy smocking, I know I am! :D

Technique Materials

A silky type fabric, thread, chalk or marking pen. You can actually purchase a kit called Knot's Dots to mark the fabric. I done mine with a ruler and tailors chalk.

24 Comments Sign in to add a post

  • Missing

    Mar 13, 2011, 12.40 AMby scheryka

    Hey, to all, Savvy seams is no longer at this domain. If you Google ‘canadian smocking’ you should get many hits for this technique. Sorry, for this info as the site is not mineand I used it as a reference.

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    Mar 12, 2011, 05.49 AMby Crystal Fashionsbycj Jordan

    The link dont work help i want to learn how to do it please and thanks

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    Feb 9, 2011, 04.53 PMby somethingcute

    Boo, dead link! :(

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    Oct 3, 2010, 04.10 AMby xfergie

    hi.. thankyou for this.. i’m just a little stuck.. can anyone help me.. i dont really understand the first step..

    hi.. thankyou for this.. i’m just a little stuck.. can anyone help me.. i dont really understand the first step..step (1) Decide on the size of the area you want to smock. Multiply length and width by 3, and add 2" for a generous seam allowance. Use a quilting ruler or L ruler or just any nice ruler to mark a grid for the smocking. Use a washable fabric marker to make the dots, which should be 1/2" to 1" apart.

    hi.. thankyou for this.. i’m just a little stuck.. can anyone help me.. i dont really understand the first step..step (1) Decide on the size of the area you want to smock. Multiply length and width by 3, and add 2" for a generous seam allowance. Use a quilting ruler or L ruler or just any nice ruler to mark a grid for the smocking. Use a washable fabric marker to make the dots, which should be 1/2" to 1" apart.any help you can give me on how to understand this a bit better.. multiply what by 3?

    hi.. thankyou for this.. i’m just a little stuck.. can anyone help me.. i dont really understand the first step..step (1) Decide on the size of the area you want to smock. Multiply length and width by 3, and add 2" for a generous seam allowance. Use a quilting ruler or L ruler or just any nice ruler to mark a grid for the smocking. Use a washable fabric marker to make the dots, which should be 1/2" to 1" apart.any help you can give me on how to understand this a bit better.. multiply what by 3?many thanx Debbie

    1 Reply
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      Oct 3, 2010, 04.11 AMby xfergie

      so sorry i didnt mean to post this 3 times

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    Feb 22, 2010, 09.41 AMby ydm0000

    I like it!

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    Jan 31, 2010, 10.07 AMby tropicalafrica

    i found this website and i think it explains it alot better. just read through the instructions carefully http://patchworkunderground.com/blog/2009/02/canadian-smocking-tutorial have fun =]

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    Jan 23, 2010, 06.14 PMby maria ungureanu

    I want to make this canadian…, Where can I get the pattern? thanks

    1 Reply
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    Dec 27, 2009, 12.49 PMby nlq1967

    My grandmother (a Canadian) made a hat for her daughter’s wedding in 1963 and covered it with this smocking detail. She’s passed away now, but I have the hat still. It’s a simple pill box style with this smocking in peach silk satin. It’s always struck me as old lady-ish, but looking at it in a new light, it is quite a pretty piece. And yes, I inherited her sewing basket and there was a gridded iron-on dots – supposedly for the smocking.

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Dec 27, 2009, 03.08 PMby scheryka

      Can you post a picture of the hat. I wish I’da inherited the sewing box! Woulda’ been like sewer’s candy. (I’m dancing)

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    Nov 29, 2009, 08.21 AMby electricityscape

    Yours looks even more fantastic than the one on the website you followed! Yours is so neat and beautiful! I love it!

    1 Reply
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      Nov 29, 2009, 09.43 PMby scheryka

      Thank you, Electricityscape

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    Nov 22, 2009, 07.29 PMby tjmnavynuke

    oh boy I am so excited. Thank you so much.

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    Nov 22, 2009, 06.01 AMby kelseykay

    this looks so beautiful

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    Oct 27, 2009, 03.20 PMby hstorm799

    I just saw a cute top at Maxstudio.com, and it looks like Canadian Smocking all the way around the waistline, and it’s all in one piece. Like to figure out the measurements to do this. Anybody want to take a crack?: http://www.maxstudio.com/cgi-bin/dynamic/product.cgi?frame=main&style_number=8204U70&color=WHITE&AID=10447195&PID=2119485&SID=db4728ad69b289100a280353bcb3d4f8cf333389

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Oct 28, 2009, 11.47 PMby scheryka

      According to the website I got this from, I believe it is 3x the size you want it to be. Make sure you leave enough for your seam allowance.

  • Missing

    Oct 18, 2009, 05.25 AMby lucia221

    Take a look at Queen Elizabeth’s dress (sleeves) from Shakespeare in Love and some of the costumes in the more recent Star Wars movies. They use Canadian Smocking and it is absolutely beautiful. http://www.padawansguide.com/nightdress_makingof.shtml

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    Sep 30, 2009, 04.26 AMby alanagrace

    I just read through it now. That seems incredibly SIMPLE for such a beautiful effect. Thankyou so much for sharing!

    1 Reply
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      Sep 30, 2009, 08.48 PMby scheryka

      You are so very welcome. I put the piece in the picture in a dress that I made. I haven’t posted yet because I keep forgetting to get batteries for my cam. It is a test piece from left over fab but it is something I will actually wear.

  • Missing

    Sep 12, 2009, 12.39 AMby lottatroublemaker

    BTW, I searched for “knot’s dots”, but didn’t get much hits. Then I found out that it is “Knott’s Dots” (obviously a lady who’s name is Knott who invented this aid in smocking. She also made lots of patterns, many for children’s clothing with smocking, some are listed on eBay). When I searched with the correct spelling, I got lots of hits, amongst others to online stores selling Knott’s Dots. Knott’s Dots comes in sheets with iron on dots, at least in two different versions (one compatible with the spacing on smocking machines, the other with “hand spacing”) and it also comes in two different colors, one for dark fabrics, the other for light colored fabrics.

    Just thought I should let you guys know… If planning on doing a lot of this, I’m sure that these are really helpful… Seems nice not having to draw all those dots… :)

  • Missing

    Sep 11, 2009, 11.52 PMby lottatroublemaker

    This really turned out great! I loved how another person on here had made a diamond shaped piece of Canadian smocking and sewed it onto the front of a dress, with the dress fabric gathered where it met this. In that case, I’d sure say that it was a case of “Less is More”, where that quite small piece really lifted the garment to new heights. This really is beautiful, but I think it easily could become too much too, in which it wouldn’t be as pretty anymore. Well, I realize that that also is a matter of taste, and there we’re all different – so I guess that that is just my view and taste when it comes to this. I think your piece is really beautifully done, have seen some online, and not all end out so beautiful and even all over. I think it really would be beautiful on a garment. I would have loved to see it on a fitted black solid color jacket, for instance one with puffy sleeves and princess seams with a different color piping (with a cord inside) in the seams and a metal zipper closure or those large (20 or even 30mm) metal sew on snaps that obviously are in right now (they really do look great on garments, neat little detail!). Then I would have loved to see this piece of smocking as a panel on the back, maybe framed by the same contrast piping. A jacket like that would be a neat, modern way of making a jacket with a little inspiration from old times… :) LOL, you sure gave me some inspiration by showing that piece! I think I will have to give it a go too soon! I would even love to see it on a sweatshirt hoodie or a polar fleece jacket… :)

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    Sep 11, 2009, 07.15 PMby Shaymaa Ali

    That’s amazing!!

    I also found how to do it in a very simple way on this link: http://patchworkunderground.com/blog/tag/canadian-smocking

    I hope you like it!

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Sep 11, 2009, 09.03 PMby scheryka

      I wish I had this one! It would have made it easier on my eyes. Thanks!

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    Sep 4, 2009, 01.49 PMby anajan

    Here are few creations of our members, with Canadian smocking details:

    http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/peacock-blue-basket-dress http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/carat-by-carotte http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/retro-glam-tube-dress

    It really is a gorgeous trim on any type of garment.

    1 Reply
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      Sep 5, 2009, 03.47 PMby scheryka

      Thank you Anajan. Didn’t know these were here. They are great creations.

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    Sep 2, 2009, 03.27 PMby churpina

    OMG yours is awesome!! mine is evolving really wierd..totally not like yours hehe! ajjuto|!

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Sep 2, 2009, 04.42 PMby scheryka

      Keep working with it. When I first started mine looked kinda funky but it all came into play. :D

  • Missing

    Sep 2, 2009, 01.24 PMby mickeygirl

    Where could it be used?

    So you would smock the fabric first and then cut out the center bodice piece or whatever after. Would you need to stabilize the back of the fabric first?

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Sep 2, 2009, 04.40 PMby scheryka

      That is the conclusion I came up with. I have not put it in a garment yet. I do know that the instructions on the site says do not iron unless you really want them flat. So You may have to stabilize by stitching around it or something. I plan on playing with it soon. Right now I’m putting together a leopard print and black 2 piece that Ill post when i am done.

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    Sep 2, 2009, 07.46 AMby 123amy

    I think squares of this sewn together would make a gorgeous (and time-consuming) bedspread or duvet cover!

    1 Reply
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      Sep 2, 2009, 04.37 PMby scheryka

      Yes it would. Not to mention you will need 3x in each direction of total amount of fabric you will need. :O

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    Sep 1, 2009, 05.01 PMby fashion0320

    I love that I think I would use it to make a really cute dress but I would’nt just put it in one area I would do the whole thing like that it would be different

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    Aug 31, 2009, 11.06 PMby nehmah

    What a handsome piece of needlecraft. I’d read the term “Canadian smocking” some years ago, but thought it was a brand name. Whatever it is, it is lovely.

    1 Reply
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      Sep 1, 2009, 02.24 AMby scheryka

      Yes. I plan to make a wedding dress that includes this work of art…One day.

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    Aug 31, 2009, 06.14 PMby drakeauge

    Wow… That’s quite amazing.

    1 Reply
    • Missing

      Sep 1, 2009, 02.25 AMby scheryka

      Yes it is. It is really easy. I am happy I ran into it. I think it’s my new favorite friend.

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