Smocked dress from my versatile McCall's pattern.

This is the second top from my McCall's pattern. The fabric is Mali cloth that I bought from Weavers of the World a year or so ago. This time I thought I have a go at smocking from this pattern.


I cut out a dress, adding about an extra 18cm in the front and the back -  a bit of a guess based on the first top I made from the pattern.

I then stitched in the sleeves and pleated it as I would a bishop. It pleated quite well although it was a lot of cloth!

 I pleated 9 half space rows and chose a smocking design that gave me a bit of an echo of the circles, while opening out at the bottom to the gathers. I used three strands of DMC - pretty sure it would have been easier to stitch in perle, but it worked.

I realised when I came to gather and stitch the frill that I hadn't added any fabric to the frill to compensate for the additional fabric front and back for the smocking. It was,however, quite enough of a frill! I seem to have spent quite a lot of time lately gathering and stitching frills!

I also cut the neck binding a few centimetres shorter than the original top. It still fits over the head easily but comes a little higher on my shoulders.

It worked. I feel a bit like Mma Ramotswe when wearing it. It's been great in our current weather.