Books:
Smocking, Heirloom Sewing and Embroidery, Costume, Dolls, Fabric Design. Smocking & Pleating DVD & Embroidery CDs

• Books for Smocking & Basic Sewing, Smocking & Pleating DVDs - on this page
• Heirloom Sewing Books
• Silk Ribbon Embroidery Books
• Hand Embroidery Books
• Machine Embroidery Books
• Little Memories Embroidery CD
• Doll Clothing Books
• Fabric Design Books (Silk Painting, Batik, Shibori)
• Crazy Quilting, Sashiko, Quilting Books
• Doll Books
• Old Books - Lace Making and more
• Battenberg Lace Books

The Book of Smocking - by Diana Keay - $17.95

I found more copies!!!!! This book is wonderful for it's history, projects and general information on smocking.  "Over 20 inspiring projects complete with step-by-step, illustrated instructions and ideas for variations.  From the basics of equipment and smocking stitches to techniques for handling fine fabrics and achieving professional results, this is a complete course for the novice and experienced smocker alike."

Contents include:

• The History of Smocking from the 14th-20th century and throughout the world
• Basic English Smocking - 3 projects including a sampler, honeycomb cushion and lampshade
• Advanced English Smocking - A contemporary smock, Christening Robe & Bonnet, 2 girls' dresses, round cushion
• Contemporary Smocking - Blouse, Cocktail Dress, 2 purses
• Other Forms of Smocking using English Smocking including: Gingham dress, & 3 belts
• Other types of Decorative Smocking: On a tightly gathered foundation Blouse, Mexican Blouse (on cover) & Ribbon Waistcoat

Smocking & Fine Sewing Techniques from the 19th century sources - Lacis Publications

Included in this volume are 8 booklets from the 19th century which cover the range of smocking (English Style), plain needlework, monograms, jeweled embroidery & knick-knacks.  If you love history and have wished that your great grandmother was alive to explain how to do all the embroidery techniques you find in antique stores than this is the book for you.  The sections on smocking have wonderful old illustrations of ladies and children in the smocked clothing of the period.  Also included are photographs of the smocking design and written instructions on how to complete the design (no graphs).  In the needlework section are instructions on all the basics of hand sewing including several types of hems, buttonholes, gathering and piping as well as info on how to sew on buttons (different patterns of stitches within the button holes), basic french handsewing techniques including rolling & whipping, tucks and sewing on lace.  In the embroidery section you learn how to feather-stitch, patchwork, quilting, honeycomb and braiding.  Including are many variations of stitches that are familiar to embroiderers.

A to Z Sewing for Smockers - $33.00

From the pages of Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine comes this 7th book in the A to Z series and wonderful it is.  Every question a sewer of smocking & heirloom sewn clothing could ask is answered in this book with step by step photographs and excellent instructions.  An essential companion to A to Z Smocking.  Over 580 superb step-by-step color photographs, hints and tips from the experts, fabulous finishing touches for sleeves, collars & hems.  So if you missed out on the Mildred Turner Series or Elizabeth Travis Johnson's collective wisdom you will find their voices echoed in this publication. A must have for your sewing library.

From the introduction: "Have you ever been frustrated by sleeves that won't sit properly or a hemline that droops?  What is the difference between a sleeve cuff and a sleeve band?  Does the stitching show on your piping no matter how hard you try to avoid it?  How do you trim a collar so that it has a perfectly curved edge?  The answers to all of these questions, plus many more, are contained within the pages of this book, the perfect companion to the A-Z of Smocking."

The Photo Book of Smocking Stitches - Right Hand Version $10.00

This wonderful book is back in print with step by step photographs of the basic smocking stitches.  It's a wonderful way to teach yourself how to smock when you don't have access to a teacher.

The Photo Book of Smocking Stitches - Left Hand Version $10.00

Same book as above but with directions for left handers.

Classic Smocking - The Cheryl Lohman Collection

Every once in a while you come across a pretty book, this is such a book.  The photographs are exquisite and delight the senses from the tissue paper sheet to the beautiful yellow rose.  

Patterns included are: Kimberly's Sundress - Girls 1-6 and  Abigail - unique square yoke with square neckline - Girls 4-8

Design Plates:

Berry, Berry Cherry - sweet simple picture smocking Chelsea Erin - 11 roses of ribbon and bullions Haleigh - Bullion roses and tiny buttons Sydney Elizabeth - Easy Bishop design Madeline Rose - 13 row trellis with delicate bullion roses, rosebuds and french knot flowers Roses for Caroline - Beribboned bishop design for bishop

Baby Allison - hearts and vines Victorian Valentine - picture smocked heart and bows Reagan Emily - elegant design with bullion roses Megan - Butterfly, bow and heart Kaycie Nicole

Sorry the bank owns all the copies remaining. We will let you know when this book becomes available once again.

How to Make Handmades for your Baby

First published in the '50s, this treasury of design ideas for christening dresses, button-on suits, rompers, sacques, bonnets, day gowns and dresses is a must have for any seamstress' library. Many techniques and embroidery designs are given along with illustrated instructions. Paperback. Black and white. 94 pages.

Geometric Smocking by Juliet Macdonald

Another beauty from South Africa home of the Read Pleaters, containing 48 original geometric smocking designs.  Each design has a full color plate and a graph with instructions.  Also included are 8 dresses which cover different smocking situations including a bishop dress smocked in one contrast color, a floral dress smocked with thicker thread, smocked inserts, and gingham and tartan smocking.  Great instructions for how to smock along with adapting a commercial pattern for smocking and creating your own designs with enlarging and reducing designs.

Classic Smocking Designs - $13.50

Ten Superb Geometric Smocking Designs suitable for all levels of smockers, all taken from the early and no longer available issues of Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine.  Each design has full color photographs, graphing in full color to make it easy to understand as well as complete simple instructions. Once again I am impressed. If you were to buy the individual plates the cost would be over $30.00.  The designs included are:

• Marshmallow Ripples
• Butterfly Blue
• Symphony of Roses
• Dreamscape
• Sweet Whispers
• Dear Prudence
• Precious Angel
• Forever Young
• Unrequited Love
• Fairy Floss

Counterchange Smocking by Ann Hallay

This is the definitive manual on how to do counterchange smocking which evolved from North American Smocking or Gingham Smocking.  This technique DOES NOT require a pleater, just striped fabric or fabric that alludes to stripes, YEAH!!!!!  

Ann has taken the art form of counterchange smocking into a new realm of creativity.  All the designs that you have seen in Australian Smocking have been inspired by Ann's designs and effort as she was the one who brought this technique to the public's eye as well as bringing it to a higher creative evolution.  Booklet includes instructions along with a design plate (image shown).

Price $16.00
Quantity requested    

Ann Hallay Counterchange Smocking Plates

For those hungry for more counterchange instructions see our Counterchange Smocking page.

"The Pleater Manual" Sarah Douglas $18.00  (Sub-title: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of the Smocking Pleater).

This is THE definitive guide to operating a smocking pleater and working with pleated fabric. Written by an expert in smocking, Saran Douglas gives you more information than you ever would want to know about pleating and working with pleated fabric. Covers the basic subjects and then goes into a comparison of the popular brands of pleaters and advanced subjects like pleating on the bias and curves. Included is a glossary of terms, pleating directions for all types of fabrics and pleater maintenance instructions. The layout of the book is set up as lesson plans on every type of pleating, exotic or regular.  She certainly did her research well and it definitely shows. I recommend this book as a must have in every smockers library especially if you like to know the scientific (well almost) technical stuff of how a pleater works and the comparisons between the different pleaters on the market.

Here is another wonderful book on the art of smocking and Heirloom Sewing.  Kay's designs are often seen in Sew Beautiful and Creative Needle.  (Such a talented woman!)  This book has been designed using one pattern which is included in the book, Basic Yoke Dress sized 3-10. Tons of different ways to work wit the basic yoke. You will never be bored again.

The Busy Mother's Guide To Sewing Children's Clothes - Nancy Coburn

This book has been around since 1985 but is still the best.  It is perfect for beginners as everything you need to know about sewing garments (smocked and heirloom sewn) is here.  Includes more than 25 basic yoke variations, 18 collar variations and 19 sleeve variations.  Also has instructions for the construction of the basic yoke dress and the smocked Bishop dress.  Includes methods to prevent a "turtle-neck" and 3 easy bishop plackets.  It has some of the best clearly written detailed instructions with 215 illustrations and 103 photographs.  Using this book and the matching Basic Square Yoke Dress pattern you can make as many dresses as you like without fear of repeating yourself.

A must have for every sewing smockers library.

Price $20.00
Quantity requested    

Nancy Coburn is the designer for Ginger Snaps Designs Smocking and Heirloom Sewing Patterns as well as a wonderful series of beginning heirloom sewing books.  You can see all of her patterns and books on this page:

Ginger Snaps Designs

The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Collette Wolff

Some define creativity as the art of constantly asking "What if...?" and then experimenting to answer the question. If that is a good definition, then the author is incredibly creative! This is an encyclopedic treatment of the possibilities of manipulating fabric. Categories include gathering, shirring, ruffles, flounces, godets, pleating, smocking, tucking, and more. Each category is organized and explored in great detail. Graphs are very clear, but the greatest inspiration comes from the photographs of the actual manipulations, all of the samples were stitched in white muslin to be as clear as possible. This is truly a must-have.

The How-To-Book of Heirloom Sewing by Machine by Nancy Coburn

Finally a book to replace the Mildred Turner Series.  Nancy's books are wonderful with her detailed descriptions as well as clear photographs for each technique included.  If you are a raw beginner then this is the book for you.  Included are a checklist for construction steps, instructions for adapting commercial patterns for heirloom sewing, size guidelines and adjustments (ever wonder how to do this?), fabric and lace guidelines, basic heirloom sewing by machine techniques, sewing techniques, bodice and yoke embellishment, skirt embellishment, hemline variations, neckline variations, sleeve variations.

Also include on the pull out sheet are beautiful embroidery designs to transfer over to your fabric either using a mechanical pencil or iron-on transfer pencil, scallop guides, medallion templates and lace shaping guides as well as a worksheet for planning your heirloom dress.

Temporarily out of print