shirring / smocking By: http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/shirring-smocking Shirring or smocking is a very easy method that I’ve used for my blue blue dress and my floral summer dress among other things. I’ll try to explain how you make it, but my english isn’t that good, so just ask if there is something you don’t undersand! 1shirringStep 1 — step 1 This is all you will need to make the shirring. Step 2 — step 2 Roll the elastic thread to the bobbin with your hands, stretch out the thread while you do it, so that you get stretched thread on your bobbin. How much the fabric will purse later, depends on how much you stretch it now. 2Step 3 — step 3 Put it in your sewing machine and thread it as usually as for the rest. Start sewing a straight line. If you want to, you can sew a sample first, so that you see how much it purses. Step 4 — step 4 Now it looks like this. 3Step 5 — step 5 Use a needle and pick up the thread from the right side and string together the two thrums at the wrong side. Step 6 — step 6 keep sewing lengthwise the first seam, stretch out the first seam when sewing. 4Step 7 — step 7 Sew as many seams as you like, and pull back the threads and tie the thrums at each side of every seam. After four seams, it looks like this. Step 8 — finished Now you can use this in the back bodice for example, it takes a little patience but it's worth it! Good luck!! / lizah 5Stepshirring / smocking .