How to Sew Lattice Smocking

My grandma was a make it do, and make it over DIY'r from the great depression. So she made or made over everything. Furniture too. Late 1950's my Aunt's 1st formal dance. She needed something nice. Back then, EVERYTHING in your outfit HAD to match. but they were poor. On rhe sly, my grandma answered adds for house cleaning to buy fabric for her gown and a little extra velvet to match. Her gown put pro couture to shame. Using the velvet, she covered pumps she already had and using this method on the stitched side, she covered an evening clutch she also had. Where the knots are, she sewed tiny seed pearls that were also in the gown and in her perfectly quaffed hair. She still has that clutch.

I spent about thirty minutes looking for tutorials just so I could figure out how to keep my fabric from bunching between squares and you're the only one who showed that you're supposed to put a knot to stop it from doing that so than you TT

Thank you so much for your so easy to follow instructions. I've been wanting to do this kind of smocking for approx 60 years! I'm 69 and i had a favorite aunt that made a couple of cushions for my Mum. Her husband was in the military so not always in the UK so i never was around her long enough to ask her to teach me. Sadly my Mums cushions eventually disappeared and i had no idea how or where to find a pattern. Now all these years later i can make my own cushions. I can't wait now to start to practice. Shirley from the UK. x

This is the only video of smocking on YouTube which contains minute detail of each and every step... Really appreciate your work! Thanks alot🌺❤️❤️

You are a life saver!!! You are the only ones with an actual and very detailed step by step of this smocking! I’d love to see more smocking tutorials by you!

What? Tying individual square/surgeon knots for each and every diangonal? Not me! No way! That would be ridiculous! 🤦Thank you so much for this. I knew there had to be a simpler, smarter way to do all this smocking, and I'm so glad I finally found this. You're a life saver. And a sanity saver.

I have to try this for some throw pillows. I’ve always thought about doing it but the last tutorial I saw on it seemed so complicated. You have simplified it for me. Thank you!

such a well explained video thank you so much!

This seems so easy following your instructions. Can’t wait to try this technique. Thanks again for another awesome project!

Wow what a beautiful technic!! Never saw it before. Very special. Thankyou!

Just a tip to speed things up when you're a beginner - if you can find some 1" (or thereabouts) gingham fabric you can practice this technique and get the hang of the stitching without having to do all the careful measuring first. And if you look for vintage sewing patterns for "smocked curtains" and "smocked pillows" you can get an idea what sorts of things can be made with it. I have vintage patterns McCalls 6259 that has a heart pillow, a round pillow and a bolster using these techniques. (It's sometimes called "Canadian smocking"). McCalls 2467 has the round cushion, the bolster and a square pillow. And McCalls 6464 has even more. Simplicity 4679 has got a bolster, square and round pillow as well as some cafe curtains and was designed for 1" gingham. When I was a kid I remember that in grandparents' homes velvet or corduroy round cushions made using this technique and stuffed with what I think was kapok were quite common. And I loved them - hence my little collection of vintage patterns. :-D One day I want to do a round version using 1/4" gingham and see if I can make a little pincushion...

this was the best tutorial i’ve ever watched! thank you so much! you saved my project!

This was GORGEOUS!!!

Made my saggy new knit top fitted, attractive, and fun to wear. Saved the day!

I wish I could like this more than once....thank you.

Excellent tutorial!

Loved this...great video!

Thx I'm defiantly going to use this design in my scetch book

Thank you,you explain it clearly😊

thank you for reminding me of this technique!!! - it has been years since I've seen it and learned about it in the 60's from a school friend