Smocking on the Cheap/Easy

Remember how I low on time and high on responsibilities? Add to that I am extremely frugal (Michael and I prefer this over what family members like to call us-cheap) and I always have running in my head an old saying- "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without."

The older I get, the more kids I have, the more God presses on my heart to "make it do" and give, give, give, the more I am searching for ways to do things cheaper. That's when I found this dress:

 

I was rummaging through the clearance at a local consignment store and saw this dress for $6!!! Can't beat that, right? It was the beginning of the summer. Easter was long gone and it would be too small to put it away for next Easter. Then it dawned on me. I was about to take an 8 hour (really more like 10 with potty breaks) drive to the beach and an 8 hour drive back. There was plenty of time there to rip out the smocking and redo with something for Fall. 

To tell the truth, 2 kids ago I had put away my darner needles and embroidery scissors due to the time and cost of smocking something fresh. Know my heart, I would love nothing more than to pick out every detail of a dress from start to finish. It's what I LOVE about sewing. After the fabric was bought, pleated (I don't own a pleater), and the time and energy it took to smock it and put the finished dress together, I just couldn't justify it. I could buy something already made on clearance for much cheaper and it only took a 10 minute shuffle through the clearance racks. Does anyone else struggle with this!?! 

Enter new breed of projects. The dress was put together and was only $6. I also needed something to do in the car for 18 hours. After constantly taking care of 4 kids, I have grown into quite the restless person. I found the smocking pattern I wanted:

 

I updated the colors (a subject for a future blog), and could not wait to start.

A couple of tips:

1. Depending on your pattern, you will want to back smock according to instructions before you begin ripping out. There will not be guide threads to determine the lines, but it will be easier to figure out where you need to back smock based on the original smocking if you keep it intact. 

2. Rip second and BE CAREFUL! Don't undo all the back smocking you have just completed. Tiny, sharp embroidery scissors are necessary.

Sorry about the blurriness. I told you about my camera, right?

3. Don't forget your Zofran (anti-nausea) from all your previous pregnancies to abate the car sickness you get while you work on it.

This is a perfect project for:

1. Busy moms

2. Cheap, I mean frugal, moms. Total cost? $10

3. Ladies who are intimidated by sewing, but want to try their hand at smocking
4. Time filler that is totable- meaning you don't need a sewing machine to complete. Everything you need to do this project fits into a small tote bag.

Before(Easter), After(Cinderella)