AFRAID of smocking?? GET started TODAY!

[@catheyharris9558]

Sewing community keeps us tight! With each other! ! I am 58 and just starting, you are my idol!

[@vickiclark2222]

Sarah I’m so thankful for you and your videos and your passion for sewing. Sewing has become such a wonderful and peaceful part of my life since I retired. I learned to smock and do a little bit of heirloom sewing techniques watching your videos. I have always loved smocked children’s clothing and wanted so badly to learn how to do it. I found your videos about 20 months ago. I searched online and found a used pleater on eBay. I ordered it, pleated up a few strips of fabric and began to practice stitches while watching you on KZbin. Finally I got brave enough to try a smocked dress. My first attempt was a simple yoke dress with a few rows of geometric smocking. My family thought it was beautiful. I was hooked after that. I’ve smocked my granddaughter 5 bishops since then and Saturday I bought a beautiful red plaid to smock her a Christmas bishop. This has all been possible because of you sharing your love and dedication to sewing. Thank you so much sweet girl! 💕

[@sarahclassicsewing]

I love this!! Exactly the reason I make videos. Thanks so much for all your support, Vicki.

[@janmoore7371]

Thank you for encouraging others to try heirloom sewing and smocking. I would also suggest looking on Etsy or checking with heirloom sewing stores for ready to smock garments. I believe there are also some shops that will pleat fabric purchased at that shop, if the customer does not own a pleater. They can concentrate on learning to smock, and have a garment ready to go! It provides a chance to see how a garment is constructed, and they can grow into constructing their own when, and if, they choose. Sometimes taking baby steps, learning one technique at a time, is less intimidating than learning it all at once for your first smocked garment.

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Ahh yes! I forgot all about those things, that's a great idea. I'll email her again. Thanks Jan :-)

[@elygale2001]

With my arthritis I’m not sure I will ever be able to do this, but I’m gonna try because I seriously love the things you make and would love to even try to make something for my nephew this cute and beautiful. I love your channel and encouragement and love when you say “you do you”, I say it all the time now. Your awesome!

[@sarahclassicsewing]

aww thanks so much! sorry to hear about your arthritis, good luck

[@hollyf.7846]

Wonderful encouragement! Yes! I started the same way - buy a pattern and jump right in! Oh, and get a good seam ripper too! I had to completely rip apart a Michié long bubble the first time I made it. But I can now sew one up without even looking at the directions! And we are our own worst critics. I only see the flaws. No one else notices!

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Yes, gotta have that seam ripper! :-D

[@onemercilessming1342]

Sarah Classic Sewing--When I was a little girl, my aunts and my grandmother and my mother all belonged to what was called "The Missionary Society". They met regularly in a non-denominational Sunday School basement and sorted donated clothing, repaired items that were reparable, and sent the packages off to the missions. My aunts belonged to a quilting society, which was open to ALL the women of the community, and met in a little village non-denominational Sunday School basement to make quilts for "The Missionary Society". My mother attended when she could and I remember still the smell of the building's basement and the gigglling (yes, giggling) and quiet (and gossipy) chatter of the women as they made the quilts while the toddler version of me played with fabric scraps and asked untold numbers of questions of the ladies (most of whom were relatives, anyway). THAT is what is missing in our society today for many women...meeting as a group for a common purpose. Simple tea parties and evening coffee hours are few and far between (I haven't been to one since my military spousal days four decades ago). I've longed for that all my adult life and thought that, in my retirement, I would finally get to belong to such a group. Alas, such groups are not all that common in Southern California--the nearest heirloom sewing shop to me is in San Diego--about 150 miles away--and the oneand only local ladies' group isn't willing to allow a member who doesn't meet their standard of "commitment to the Lord". I always thought that it was God's place to search the hearts of men (Psalm 139:23), not mankind's. Who knew? So, social networks such as you are providing becomes the answer to that void. We weren't ALWAYS a society of isolates; we are, after all, descended from clans and large families who USED to live in close proximity to each other and whose support throughout life gave a solid anchor to the children who grew up under that loving umbrella. So, thank you for the efforts you make to keeping the heirloom community thriving. I'll be here until arthritis precludes fine needlework and Gabriel's trumpet stills my hands.

[@sarahclassicsewing]

You are so right - women did used to quilt and gossip. I remember my grandmother telling me about that now. She said they would talk bad about women who quilted with big stitches. hahaa!

[@annadoll4915]

Do u have cutting and stitching video of this frock?

[@pskochu]

Love your words. Kindly do a video for those don’t have pattern. Roughly can u give measurement for one year baby having chest size 16 inch. Getting a pattern and blocking guide is not affordable for me .i love your bishop dress. Always used to watch all ur videos.unable to follow you because I don’t have pattern .please help me .pleating I can do using dots , know to do smocking also but front , back , sleeve measurement and joining them I couldn’t do .Hooe u I’ll help me.

[@donnamaewilson9735]

Hi Sarah! quick question: what is the pattern of the third outfit you made which you showed as an example at about 6:39. You showed a white, a green and the third had 2 buttons on the front with smocking under the piping, and two sweet cuffed up shoulders and an open v-neck area. It is so precious. Please share. Thanks, dmw

[@brandibeshires4159]

I am just getting into the world of smocking. I have always loved it, but I have been intimidated! I have been sewing for my daughter for 3 years now. This makes me feel much better! I have a couple of questions. 1. I know you said that you don't suggest starting out with a bishop. Is that due to pleating? I have a friend who has a pleater. She has offered to cut the pattern for the CC bishop, sew it together and pleat it for me. After that I will finish it. I had foot surgery and am down for a while from sewing, but I thought what better time to learn! Or do you suggest still starting with the Jamie? 2. Do you have a smoking plate that you recommend for beginners?

[@sarahclassicsewing]

hey there, welcome to smocking :-) so the reason is partly because of the pleating, but mostly because of the turtle neck effect that can happen when not blocked correctly. smocking is the same (at least the way I do it) for a bishop and a bubble/under the yoke situation. hope all goes well with your recovery!

[@Chayixavisari]

you are the best Sarah!

[@bhhunt4963]

Thank you for all the encouragement. Could you tell me the name and number of the pattern introducing this video. It is unique. Thank you.

[@jebobarr4091]

I love your videos. I was taught to smock with darner needles because the larger eye keeps the floss from fraying as much. I just use the regular not the long darner.

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Yeah I've heard of that, I think I may be the only one who uses sharps to smock, but I like them. Thanks so much :-)

[@salmiakki7652]

The remark about playing with explosives made my laugh, I work with explosives and yet I'm intimidated by smocking 🤣 I mainly dont have the money yet for a pleater nor the space at the moment, so I'm learning all I can for now

[@bvsmith42]

I just ordered some fabric from farmhouse thought I would give them a try since you talk so highly of them. Have a blessed day....😊

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Yayy I hope you love them too.

[@lindachampney1753]

Fun? It's become an addiction - LOL. I deal in vintage clothing and jewelry and decided it would be nice to be able to repair some dresses I find. Picked up an older Viking 1+ which is an incredible stitcher. Then discovered the world of vintage machines. Just today, got a vintage Baby Lock BL3-408 working. The mouse poop was not appreciated tho......welcome to vintage :)

[@katherinerodriguezortega6479]

Como me gustaría que suntitules los tutoriales porque se me escapan algunas palabras :(

[@jolaynaelizabeth]

Hi! So I’m just starting to learn to smock. I hand pleated a piece of quilting cotton and started back smocking it. I have a few questions that seem silly but I can’t figure out. 1. When people say “8rows of smocking” how far apart is each row? 2. I was thinking of getting children’s corner lee pattern.. do you smock it before you see the dress together? Or after. 3. How tight are you supposed to stitch the smocking design? I feel like I’m doing it too loose bout I doing want it to be crunched,

[@sarahclassicsewing]

hey there! welcome to the wonderful world of smocking ;-) 1. gooood question! that actually isn't very clear, it would be better to say "eight half rows" or "eight full rows" so if someone just says "rows," it would be good to clarify with them. 2. you can do it either way. i prefer to construct first, then smock. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4m4nopjnbKGoLs 3. yeah, I pull just until the pleats start to snitch together, but still full. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h53UmYuhfLRloKs hope that helps!

[@jolaynaelizabeth]

Sarah Classic Sewing that actually help quite a bit thank you. I’m a quilter so this is a whole new world to me!

[@geryahobejarano3681]

Quería ver el procedimiento de como hacer el vestido de la portada del vídeo ☹️

[@BrittanyWhite01]

Hi Sarah! I love your videos! Thank you for all the encouragement! I've been using tapestry needles for my smocking, as I have not been able to thread the bulky embroidery thread through my sharps. I am curious if you have any advice for that? Are there sharps that have larger eyes?

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Yeah, I've gotten six strands in the bigger sizes of sharps before... I just give it a clean cut, and wet the ends, and if that doesn't work, i sorta press the clean-cut,wet ends between my index finger nail and thumb nail to compress it... if that makes sense 😜 and thank you! 😘

[@BrittanyWhite01]

@@sarahclassicsewing Thanks!

[@jismadeeso]

Hi sarah.can u show me how to hand smock ?because i dont have pleater kind of machine at home.can u tell the fabric required for smocking generally if its for a 2 year baby.thank u.😊

[@sarahclassicsewing]

You mean hand pleat? You can take the concept behind pleating behind dots and make your own grid (the dots are no longer available) kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHfKd5miZ7SUrNk. Or you can order gingham and pleat that up (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHfKd5miZ7SUrNk_). Best fabric is cotton batiste in my opinion. Check out the links in the description box. Thanks.

[@jismadeeso]

Sarah Classic Sewing can tell me the cloth needed to smock a frock for a 2 year baby?

[@sarahclassicsewing]

the cloth needed is cotton batiste... do you mean the amount needed? that depends on your pattern. Look at what your pattern calls for depending on the size that you're making.

[@jismadeeso]

Sarah Classic Sewing ys sarah approx amount for a simple smocked dress

[@jismadeeso]

Sarah Classic Sewing thank u so muck for the kind reply.your stitching patterns are so elegant.love it.😊

[@UtahGmaw99]

That was such a sweet email!

[@sarahclassicsewing]

I know, right?? One of the best parts about doing this channel is getting sweet messages like that

[@UtahGmaw99]

That's what is so nice about being a grandma I have time to do this. Thanks sugar

[@janiewerner]

Sarah, do you have an update on the lady that sent you the email? She sounds like she is in the same stage in life as me! I hope she had a good sewing experience.

[@gardenia77]

Would you share the pattern shown in the thumbnail for this video please?

[@catheyharris9558]

Loveeeeeee

[@michelestout9438]

❤️

[@nyansaid1512]

love u Sarah im from Kurdistan😍

[@sarahclassicsewing]

Helllooo there