Design and Construction Tips for Beginners

 

1. Sew a bishop-stype dress, instead of a yoke dress. The only place you need to fit a bishop dress is at the neck. There tends to be more smocking involved for a bishop that for a yoke dress, but there's MUCH less construction.

2. Get someone from the chapter to pleat the dress for you. You won't have to buy a pleater yourself (yet!), and pleating is a skill unto itself.

3. Don't try to put a collar on the dress. Collars are hard. A bias band binding the smocking at the top looks just fine, and will let the smocking frame the child's face.

4. Select a simple smocking pattern - one involving the cable and trellis stitches only. Yes, picture smocking is cute, and bouillon roses are lovely, but they're both harder than simple geometrics. Make sure the plate will work for a bishop neckline (it has to spread at the bottom.)

5. Choice of fabric and color of sewing thread can make a bishop fancy. Generally, a solid fabric looks more heirloom - especially when smocked with muted or pastel colors. On the other hand, a print hides mistakes much better, and I've sewn a number of dressy bishops out of quilting calico, picking a delicate and soft print. Prints also are easier for the child to be a kid in. For heaven's sake, don't make the first dress in expensive fabric - save the $20/yard Swiss batiste for your second or third garment. That way, you won't feel as if you've thrown away money on a not-so-perfect garment.

6. A little satin ribbon goes a long way. Add a pink bow at the cuff of each sleeve, and matching bows tied to her shoes and hair. The cheap 1/4" satin ribbon is fine for this - no need to buy expensive by-the-yard ribbon.

7. If you do make a mistake in smocking a geometric pattern, continue the same mistake at the same place on the next row. In other words, if you accidentally stitch through two pleats instead of one, just do the same thing at the same pleat on the following rows. The pattern will stay aligned vertically, and no one will know but you.

8. There's a trick to making the placket in the back of a bishop dress. If you're having trouble following the pattern directions, just ignore them and bind the back slit with a bias band. It won't look quite as pretty as a self-fabric placket, but again, only you will know.

9. If the child wears an undershirt, then less-than-perfect seam bindings on the sleeves won't be scratchy to her.

10. Angel-style sleeves are easier to sew than the normal puffed sleeves, and are quite pretty. You don't need to fit or smock the cuffs, which saves a lot of time. This style is wonderful for a warm-weather garment. In cooler weather, the child can wear a store-bought white blouse under the dress.

11. Go easy on the lace. Lace can be expensive - you don't want to blow a lot of money on your first garment. Also, your first smocked dress is usually for a baby (the new daughter or grand-daughter), and infants look best in simple garments. Ignore Martha Pullen's designs - she focuses on the froo-froo.