Chery Williams Basic Yoke/Bishop Dresses Detail

& Listing of her other patterns

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Chery Williams Basic Yoke Dress

Sized:  Small 2-6; Large 7-12  $12.00

This pattern is the most known Basic Yoke Pattern with all of the variations that Chery and others could think of.  It is a classic in the Smocking World. This is the style dress you will most often see in the pages of Australian Smocking.   If your sewing skills are beyond the raw beginners stage then this style of dress is the one to make for your daughter or granddaughter.  

Views 1-4 have made many a beautiful garment with all kinds of color combinations with contrasting colored sleeves, the addition of the 'angel wings' (in Swiss Embroidery or fabric), piping and French lace around the bottom of the sleeves and collar.  If you are talented enough you can change the shape of the collar if you like.  (See Nancy Coburn's Heirloom Sewing book for information on how to change the shape of collars and for collar variations.)  These dresses look delightful made in Swiss Batiste (100% Pima Cotton) or Imperial Batiste (65% Polyester/35% Cotton), Broadcloth from cottons or blends, calicos or in Silk Batiste or Dupionni for fancy occasions.  They can be jazzed up, dressed up or dressed down depending on the look you want or the occasion - makes a beautiful flower girl dress or first communion.  You can even play with the hemline by adding tucks (for growth or looks) or in special occasion fabrics adding lace scallops or embroidery along the hemline.  The combinations and possibilities are almost endless, limited only by your imagination.

The full smocked yoke style, View 6, offers some challenges with sewing the pleats into the shape of the yoke but Chery walks you through all of the steps and the result is worth the extra effort.  View 7 is a plain yoke dress waiting to be embellished with heirloom sewing techniques or have a smocked Swiss Edging Collar added.

If you feel the need for a book that guides you through the construction of a smocked yoke dress we offer Nancy Coburn's Busy Mother's Guide to Sewing Children's Clothing

Basic Yoke Dress - Short Sleeves/Long Sleeves

View 3 - Angel Sleeve    View 4 Angel Short Sleeve Combination

                
Basic Yoke Dress - Angel Sleeves/Angel-short/Angel-long

View 5 - Angel/Long Sleeve       View 6 - Smocked Front Bodice

  View 7 Plain Front Bodice        View 8 Smocked Back/High Yoke

View 9 Plain Back/High Yoke - View 10  Plain Back/Dropped Yoke

Chery Williams' Bishop Dress - sized: Small 2-6/Large 7-12  $12.00

The bishop style evolved from the round yoke smock frock worn from the late 16th century till close to the end of the 19th century.  When the Industrial Revolution of the late 19th century made wearing the voluminous Smock Frocks dangerous for farm and field workers the fashionable world took up the smock as theirs and have been wearing the style as blouses, dresses, nightgowns and robes for girls and ladies.  This classic style has been worn by child and adults since the 1910's.

Today the Bishop dress is another classic in the smocking world and still delights little girls who are lucky enough to wear them, and when you daughter (or granddaughter) rebels at the shapeless garment you can satisfy your urge to smock one by making one of the styles below that is suitable for the older girl or make her a blouse.

View 1 Sleeveless with Swiss Edging Overlay Collar

View 2 Button Down Front/Angel Sleeves

View 3 Short Sleeves/Drop Waist with Swiss Insertion at drop waist - suitable for the older girl

View 4 Long Sleeves with pockets and Swiss Edging Overlay Collar

View 5 Button Down Front/Contrast Short Sleeves with Angel Sleeves Overlay

View 6 Contrast Short Sleeves with Swiss Edging Angle Sleeves Overlay

View 7 Swiss Edging Overlay Collar with smocking at the waist - suitable for the older girl

You also have the option of making a bishop Blouse.

Which is a good idea when the child you are smocking for refuses

to wear bishops any more

(Mom-sized "sniff, sniff,  I didn't think it would happen so soon").  

The illustration shows with or without smocked Swiss Embroidery collar overlay.

Princess Line Dress with regular Smocked Collar or Smocked Edwardian Collar

Girls: 4-6x; 7-10; 12-16

A lovely dress to go to church in or for special occasions.

Don't know which smocking design to smock with?  We have almost 2,000 Smocking Plate designs to choose from along with the Australian Smocking Magazines which have 6 to 7 designs per issue.  Give us a call or drop us an e-mail and we will quickly answer your questions and help you to find the right design.

Ordering Information

Write to us: thefaeries@smockingstore.com