Search This Blog

Friday, September 30, 2011

Smocking up a Storm - Blue floral pique dress

I bought a kit for this dress on special a couple of years ago to smock for one of the twins when they reached 4. It is from Australian Smocking and Embroidery Issue 80 and is called 'Babe". Then, at the Country Bumpkin sale of model dresses earlier this year, I found the model of this dress and, at $15, couldn't resist it, even though I already had the kit.

Veronica couldn't resist it either, and the model became hers. To make the kit or not? A consultation with Niamh decided it, and I began smocking. It felt pretty odd, I must say, making an identical dress for a twin who does not look like her sister, and never dresses the same. Would it be an anticlimax for the wearer?

It's a lovely fabric - powder blue pique with dark pink roses. It pleats and smocks beautifully.

The smocking is fairly simple and very elegant - a scalloped effect with a lattice in the centre.










The embroidered roses are NOT bullions, but cast-ons. Not only is this a nice change to stitch, but they look really good - a good match to the roses on the fabric.


The thread colours are beautifully matched as is the dark pink fabric for the piping.




I embroidered a small initial on the yoke to identify the owner and distinguish between this one and the model (on which I am currently replacing lost buttons!).


I like this dress a lot, but I am going to resist buying kits on special in future, unless I have a particular occasion in mind. Too complicated!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! I think both the girls will love their special dresses and after all they don't have to wear them at the same time but how cute would it look if they did. The smocking is gorgeous and I love the roses.

Karyn said...

Your dress has turned out so well. That material is gorgeous and the smocking is perfect for it. The cast on stitches look great too. I have done them on a smocked dress and they make a nice change to bullions I think.

Jillian said...

I think so too. I am surprised how much I enjoyed doing them.