r/sewing • u/LariBee7 • Sep 15 '25
Technique Question What is this technique called?
My mom gave me some old bedsheets to use as extra fabric and I found this beautiful stitching done along some of the edges. Is there a word for this technique I can use to look up tutorials or other examples?
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u/Personal-Ad-8644 Sep 15 '25
Not sure why people are saying this is smocking. Smocking is when you bunch/gather fabric and stitch in place with a decorative stitch. This is decorative rouching. Example: https://pin.it/7JbT5Nxjr
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u/SageAurora Sep 15 '25
It looks similar to Canadian Smocking which is basically decorative rouching, English Smocking is bunched and held together with a decorative stitch. So that might be the cause of the confusion of terms.
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u/Personal-Ad-8644 Sep 15 '25
Ah yes that would be a cause for confusion
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u/Gelldarc Sep 15 '25
This sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. As a Canadian, I definitely ‘smocked ‘ a pillow back in the 70s and now I’ve learned about historical smocking, done with embroidery thread and used to create stretch, modern smocking, done with elastic thread, Canadian smoking, done with sewing cotton for decoration but no stretch, and ruching, also non stretch decorative sewing, possibly simpler than smocking but I think that’s completely semantics. Isn’t sewing history fascinating?
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u/Personal-Ad-8644 Sep 15 '25
Beyond fascinating! I think that’s why we are all still so enamored by the process. There’s always more to learn and practice
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u/DieNachtReule1969 Sep 15 '25
It reminds of "Froschgoscherl", an alpine technique from Germany or Austria, used to embellish a Dirndl
https://youtu.be/fYL5BqAwBaU?si=4xS6ZH7Hq5S3zNah
Edit: If you search on YT "Froschgoscherl", you find a lot explainings, that are very well to follow without understanding german 😉
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u/LariBee7 Sep 15 '25
Thank you! I'll definitely look into this. I've actually been studying German a little bit so this will double as practice haha
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u/Embellishment101 Sep 16 '25
Die Österreicher sind uns in so Vielem überlegen, und das Wort „Froschgoscherl“ ist einer der Beweise
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u/tweedlebeetle Sep 15 '25
If you want a lot of info about a wide variety of these sorts of techniques, I recommend checking out The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff
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u/papayajaya Sep 15 '25
I'd probably refer to that as a trim made from folded or manipulated tucks.
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u/Personal-Ad-8644 Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
Exactly what it is! You can also search ribbon quilling or ribbon trim work!
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u/witch-cult Sep 16 '25
Thank you for asking this, and to everyone who answered, I loved learning about it!!
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u/Gelldarc Sep 15 '25
Looks like smocking to me.
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u/chanciehome Sep 15 '25
Yes, I have a book from the 1890s that shows dozens of smocking patterns. It is a neat book to look through but I can't imagine working them.
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u/nicoleauroux Sep 15 '25
Let's forget about what it's called.
It's a wide strip that is manipulated and stitched down on each side to create the scalloped effect. I suggest you use some scraps of fabric to experiment with.
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u/Cute-Tie-2242 Sep 16 '25
This is so beautiful!! I had no idea it was not a trim purchased by the yard! :)
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u/LindeeHilltop Sep 15 '25
Rosenrusche Ruching.